How To Bring A Character To Life

Did I ever share with you the time I unwittingly brought a character to life; it was a few years ago, while I was still writing my first novel Broken Oath. 

As most authors know, even when you are writing one book, your mind is already creating a second one.

Well, I woke up one morning feeling excited after having a flash vision of a storyline and in particular, a character in my second book.  I immediately took pen to paper and began to write what I had seen in my dream; a tall man, elderly and scruffy-looking and he had a beard.  He wore a long, either dark grey or black coat and he carried an old black doctor's bag (like the one you see in horror movies).  He smelt old and dusty; as though he had been walking the Earth for a long, long time, throughout many lifetimes.  He walked with a slight hunch and he seemed to be in a hurry; like he had to be somewhere or see someone.  Wherever it was he was going, he was focused on getting to that destination. 

I knew he was a time traveller and he was able to go wherever he wanted; to any dimensions or worlds.  He was never held up for too long at customs or by boarder agency custodians because he had a smell about him that wasn't exactly pleasing and people tend to let him through quickly.  And if you asked him where he was going, he would always answer.  "I am here to see someone."  You would never get another word out of him.  And his name was Alba.

I wrote that piece with power and passion in my journal, and forgot about it.  After all I was still writing my first book.  A few days later, I was out taking my lunch break at work and I saw a character on the other side of the road.  I was surprised, it was a man and he looked just like then person I had written about for my next book.  I had never seen this man before.  He was obviously new in the area. I had to stop and stare at him; there he was, with his long dark coat, his doctor's bag and he looked like he was in a hurry; focused as though he had to get somewhere.  He looked 'out of time.'  Like he didn't belong on this plane.  There was something about him, I couldn't believe what I was seeing so I dismissed it and got on with my life.

Suddenly, I kept on seeing this character; it was always around the same place; he walked like he was on a mission.  Then one day, during my lunch break again; I had just come out of Sainsburys when I happened to look up and who do you think was on the other side of the shopping mall?  This stranger;  I was shocked, I stared at him, then he turned and glanced in my direction and we made eye contact.  I was scared, I put my head down and pretended that I did not see him but I could sense that he was coming over to me and when I looked up again, there he was, standing before me.

I was apprehensive as I looked at him, he was exactly like the description of the fiction character of my next book; a tall old man, scruffy and with a beard.  He wore a long dark coat and he carried an old black doctor’s bag.  And.... He smelt very musty.  We were locked in a gaze when suddenly he spoke.

     "Hello!  How are you?"
     "I am fine thank you."  I replied.  Then he spoke again.
     "What's your name?"  
     "Dora."

     "What's my name?"
     "I'm sorry?"  I said.

     "What's my name?"  He repeated,

     "Alba."  I responded, as that is the name I gave his character in my book.

     "No!"  He retorted.   And again he said.

"What's my name?"

     "I don't know."  I returned.  He looked at me intensely for a few seconds and said.

     "My name is..."  He paused for a moment.
"I am here to see someone."  And with that last remark, he walked off then turned back slowly to look at me, gave a wry smile and carried on walking into the crowd.  I was dumbstruck, I just stood there.   I could not believe it.  What just happened I thought?  I was so shocked. I could not concentrate for the rest of the day as I went over the incident again and again in my head.

As soon as I got home I rushed to look at my notes.  Exactly what I wrote, that was what happened, and he spoke the exact words.  I was so spooked; did I create him?  Was he someone who knew I was writing about him?  Was he a Time Traveller?  Was he really not of our world?   

I was so alarmed, I wrote no more about him and after a while, I never saw him again.  It was too much for me to handle; I was not ready for the supernatural and I am not sure if I will integrate his character into my next book, or should I?  

I had the flash vision of this character on 19th June 2009 and I met him eleven days later.  I still have my notes to this day.  And I will never forget the encounter.

I marvel at the power of thought; the power of the subconscious mind; absolutely amazing!

Best Regards

D. A. Martin

Bestseller Author of Broken Oath

Awarded An Honorary Mention

by the London Book Festival Award (2014)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Broken-Oath-D-A-Martin/dp/1291517537/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385064589&sr=8-1&keywords=Broken+oath

http://www.doramartin.tel

http://www.doratheauthor.blogspot.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dora-The-Author-Books/657344564284562

http://youtu.be/5hN3aLIpFFA

http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/10613721/broken-oath

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=D._A._Martin