Do you SEE or HEAR your Characters?

I think most writers SEE their characters, almost like a movie in their mind's eye, with color, three dimensions and audio. I SEE the cold rain with frinks. I SEE the sangvile coalesce from creeping mist and raise a threathening, red-eyed, horribly pleased stare, then spread itself thin like a cobweb between two buildings to wait for prey. Or I see the tomcat Zanth trotting in like a bulldog after a night of exploration, cheerful it's breakfast time and he gets to bully the cook.

But some writers don't. Some HEAR their characters -- the conversations, the whisk of their clothes as they move, the grunts of a fight, then fill in the rest. So, many times these authors don't listen to music when they write. I do. I've even started soundtracks for my stories to help me get in the mood -- themes for my hero and heroine. Someday I'll put these up on my website (another thing I need to do this weekend, update the site). Other than that, I usually listen to music on my computer now, even my laptop. For general background music, I listen to http://www.mysticradio.com I like "new age" music. I like "world music" and "music from the heart of space." I like really big sweeping movie music when I need to jumpstart/kickstart my writing.

It's early now, and I am listening to birdsong, geese honking as they fly overhead. A jet is going by, occasional tires swish down the street to my left (east). A person rolling a wagon down concrete (gardening) woke me. I live in the city, in a city neighborhood that has a sense of style, so the noises I hear are city noises. Do they work themselves into my story? You bet. USE EVERYTHING.

Love to all,
Robin