I’ve read loads of books and loads of writer’s biographies. I often imagine if anyone could understand DID a writer could. I have often read about how the characters take over the story and practically write it themselves. I wonder how easy writers ‘let go’ of their characters, even kill them off, when the book is finished. If I knew any writers I would ask them.

I'm a writer though I'm still learning 'the Craft' as it were You can ask me anything you want, within reason.

Thanks. Do you see any connection between DID alters and the characters created by the author in a book, especially when it comes to listening to them or killing them off?

In a way, yes. Sometimes, especially when you've first created your characters, you can control what they do. As they develop and grow within the story world though, they can develop a life of their own and you have to listen them because otherwise their character doesn't work. Some writers inject some of their personalities into characters which can make characters more 'real' so the character becomes a part of them.
Killing characters off can be very emotional, especially if you've really developed them and written with them for a long time (although some authors get tired of their characters and long to kill them off). I'm not sure how DID sufferers 'get rid' of their alters though, but I can imagine it's the same in many ways, emotionally speaking. Some authors have felt completely drained from killing a beloved character off.

A good example of characters 'taking over' would be Sherlock Holmes since his fictional personality and methods of deduction became very demanding for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If you read some of Sherlock's long deductions, you can tell it takes a large amount of time and research for Doyle to pull it off, but he had to do it because Holmes' personality demanded it.
Do tell me if it's slightly confusing. I'm rubbish at trying to explain things

Not confusing at all. Thanks for that explanation. I take it you don’t have DID? I enjoy writing but just for pleasure and I have experienced what you describe both in writing and in dealing with DID. Just as the characters don’t really die off neither do ‘parts’ or ‘alters’ they just fade into the background with healing and recovery. I’ve been dealing with this a long time and writing about my own experience has helped me to put it into perspective. The idea that writers might understand DID came to me one day while writing. It seemed quite similar to creating and building characters.

I wonder though, do any of your characters strongly disagree sometimes with your plans and decisions?

It’s such fun living with dissociation. (smile)

Rose

Yeah, I don't have DID but I've met a few people here who do. I write mainly for pleasure. I never realised that having characters was like having DID. Sometimes, if I haven't written for a while, the character starts coming up to the surface of my mind, almost demanding attention.

I find that it comes in the form of writers block because it usually comes about when my character is in a situation they won't normally be it. The longer it goes on, the more frustrating it gets because the character wants to do the story but you can't figure out how to continue. I tend to get into my character's head and try to think: what would they do in a situation and why?

Actually, the same sort of thing happens when you do acting (I do Drama as well). When you get into the character's head, you start to figure out what they would do and why. When you think something wrong, you know it almost instinctively.
I can only imagine (smile)
DJM19

Thanks for the reply.

[quote]Sometimes, if I haven't written for a while, the character starts coming up to the surface of my mind, almost demanding attention.[/quote]

Oh that's it exactly! I'm in recovery but if I'm not paying attention 'they' start to 'pull' at me to deal with something.

[quote]I find that it comes in the form of writers block because it usually comes about when my character is in a situation they won't normally be it.[/quote]

Ha ha! I don't have writer's block I have 'creative pauses'.

[quote]The longer it goes on, the more frustrating it gets because the character wants to do the story but you can't figure out how to continue. I tend to get into my character's head and try to think: what would they do in a situation and why?[/quote]

That's similar too. I 'feel' 'their' need for something but it's not always clear. Sometimes it's like a guessing game.. what would make 'them' happy this time sort of thing.

Thank you for replying. I think I was right about it being almost the same thing.

I'm going to give it some more thought and try to see if looking at it like that can be helpful.

Rose