Busy editing ‘Loving Judah’ which I wrote several years ago and I can now see that when I wrote it I ‘became’ Aislin McManus… whoa! I am not Aislin… she’s a completely different person, married to Peter and living in Yorkshire. This has partly happened because although not in the first person, the whole narrative is from Aislin’s point of view.
To combat this I am spending a lot of my ‘thinking time’ (washing up, ironing, walking to the shop…) looking at the story from other characters’ points of view. This means that when I am in their heads I have to have their history and their story behind how ‘I’ look at Aislin and have conversations with her or do things which affect her. I have always tried to do this and sometimes I have even written down the others’ stories, not to be put into the book but just to get perspective on the main character.
As well as making the character more consistent, this process sometimes uncovers errors and mistakes so it is really valuable at this stage.
Lois Elsden 
That sounds like a very good way of getting to know your character. I don’t know the name Aislin and am curious to know how it’s pronounced.
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Ashlin – it’s Irish and I think it’s rather pretty!
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Ah, yes. Stepping away, stepping back give breathing space for characters, doesn’t it? I love the wall…again…something about stones.
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You either want to walk along beside it or climb over it… a bit unimaginative if it stops you going somewhere, it’s there for sheep!
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Totally agree! I have to step away physically and can often be found marching down the lane in all weathers!
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Marching – a great way to be creative, I’m all for marching!
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