aelinor asked:

Writers sometimes say that characters can somehow take on a life of their own, and they can even surprise the author. I was wondering if this has ever happened to you? Thank you!

shearrob answered:

Oh, it happens quite a lot. The thing is, you start sometimes with an image in your head, or a theme you want to explore. And to tell the story you know you have to populate it with characters. And that’s all fine and good before you actually write the story, because whilst they’re simply *concepts* to enable that theme to work, the characters will do anything you ask of them. But as soon as you put them down on paper you start to change the parameters of what they would say and do, and the very best of them refuse point blank to simply help a plot contrivance. My answer is, once you start believing in the character, always trust them. Wherever they take the story will be more honest and sincere than your initial plot idea might have been - let them challenge it, and out of that comes your drama. (Sorry, bit of a pompous writerly reply, that!)