I am an actor

First, to announce the winner of my Midsummer's Giveaway Hop. Much congratulations are in order to Maureen! She won up to a $15 book of her choice. Congrats.

Also, because I couldn't help but fall prey to a sad story, so I'm going to send out a second, $10 book to Tiffany Falick, who hasn't been able to get books because of a house fire. So, if she responds, I'll gladly send out another book.

Now, on to today's post (which I saved from Friday).

I am an actor. I'm not talking about the kinds that are in plays and dreams of having a starring role in a movie. Although, I do admit I was in plays in high school and I think it may be fun to be on the silver screen. I'm talking about writers.

Before you run away writing me off as crazy, hear me out. I think there are two kinds of writers: those who imagine and those who act when it comes to trying to be descriptive.

I act. I sit there and make faces with my characters, sweep my hands with their gestures and cry when they do. I can't help it. To that point, the baristas at Rawhide Coffee love it. They're always laughing at me when I look particularly intense. I feel like I need to get into my characters' heads. I want to feel what they feel, and it's something that helps me connect. Sometimes I really want to actually experience it, to really know how it feels.

One time, I was particularly unhappy looking when a friend (and one of the baristas) Scott asked if I was feeling okay. I told him I was trying to figure out what is was like to get kicked in the face. (He Laughed.) Then I asked if he'd ever been kicked in the face. He hadn't, but that didn't stop him from offering to kick another friend in the face to have them tell me what it feels like.

There are other writers who retreat into their minds to come up with the details. Maybe my imagination isn't that good. Maybe it's just the actor in me needing to come out when I write.

I don't think either way is right or wrong. There are different ways to imagine the things that happen to the characters we create. The important thing is, that we come up with something we can believe in.

So the big question for all my writers out there, which are you? Or, do you do something entirely different?

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