What moves you?

[Aaya-Tan]

Now I know this probably won't pertain to a lot of folks out there that aren't into writing and all that fun stuff, but I felt that it was something I should bring up in topic.

Have any of you ever had a character that moved you to the point of emotional outburst?

It could be tears, laughter, rage, or just plain bored to death.

What I mean is, this is for writers or roleplayers. If you have a favorite character from a television series, well, that's not what I'm talking about. I mean a person or thing created from your own hands and interacting by your own means with others or even in a story.

The reason I say this, is because of recent happenings.

I'm, once again, roleplaying one of my most tragic characters Alina. She's the traitor to Avalon and blah blah blah, I won't give you guys her life story, but I was playing one of those random 'pulled out of your butt' plot line roleplays with my close friend (Whom I always roleplay with, actually. She inspires me in so many ways it's beautiful), and we started getting into Alina and her own character's backstory.

Note, we always have little sidecomments off to the side while we do this, but regardless, I found myself moved to tears because of these characters. Their pasts are insanely tragic in my own eyes, and I was silently bawing into a pillow the more I drew and the more I wrote.

We had to cut it short for the night due to the fact neither of us could see from crying so much, and it's two thirty in the morning, but, well, Alina is probably the second char to ever make me boo-hoo like that.

The first being my friend's character Fish and my own Katou, whom is his father in law. Long story there, too.

Being a story writer and a fellow roleplayer, I feel that if a character, be it your own, or another, can move you yourself so deeply that you, as a writer or roleplayer, are doing a damn good job; if you make your partner cry, too, then holy crap, that's awesomesauce with a side of ftw sammich.

Literature and the arts have moved people for ages! Just how does the world and it's beauty through art, written word, and music move YOU?

But what about you? Have you ever drawn / written / had a story that moved you just as much as me?
What was it?
How did it move you?
Why did it move you?
Would you do it again, knowing the outcome?

[Chu]

Usually my emotions kill me when I write, but lately I’ve done well at separating myself from my character’s life.

I’m the type of writer that just loves making my character’s life a living hell and making them rise above that after great downfalls, so when putting them through various things like that, I do feel really empathetic and have to stop. XD I tend to cry more in the end though, whenever everything seems to slow down and you can tell it’ll get better from there.

Why do I get so emotional with my writing? I think it’s because these characters are like my friends or children. I also always put myself in their shoes (not writing as if they’re me; just comparing my actions to theirs) and thinking of how horrible it would be for those things to happen to me makes me sad.

My two latest stories are a lot more gruesome and depressing than previous ones. If only I could write them out. DX

I'm thinking of moving this to the literature forum.

[Aaya-Tan]

That's entirely up to you, Chu xD I didn't know where to post it so I stuck it in general due to the fact that it has to do with the arts and not just literature.

I've had combination pieces, actually, where I've drawn something, then written a story to go with it. There was one story I did a long time ago, a short story for a piece about a monster breaking out and like, mauling some of my favorite characters but he managed to save his ship and crew and stuff.

I end up becoming way to empathetic with all of my characters. They're just so easy for me to relate to it seems. I think it's because most of my characters have a tiny piece of me to them. Such as Alina, she has the single parent syndrom I have, and a few other traits just really emphasized.

And I have a habit of letting my imagination get away with me to the worst degree, too. I love it, though, it helps me write even more in the end. I'm still trying to figure out how to continue one of my books, but it takes a while. I always start something, get really into it, then in the end, just lose all gumption to write in it. Aff.

That and I end up doing other things instead that I think are a lot more fun. xD I never have time for it. *always roleplaying so she doesn't get to work on her book too much.*

[Chu]

That was more of a reminder for myself. XD I had to go. But I'm leaving it here.

I don't draw much, so I couldn't say the same. I usually just see something that sparks my creativity and go from there with my writing.

I don't think my characters are very much like myself at all, maybe aside from being more introverted than other people, but it just easier to relate to a character in a book that spends more time thinking than talking.

XD I usually lose the will to write because there are more fun things to do. Since I started dating Raz, I've been able to talk about and do the things that I'd normally put into writing.

[Fallain]

I know the feeling. I draw/RP on Tegakie and I got VERY emotionally attached to one of my characters to the point where when the group slowly died out and stopped posting I felt like she personally died too and I cried.

It doesn't happen to often though. I can usually keep my boundaries up

[kerryfox]

Books have moved me to tears before, last one I wanna say was the Harry Potter book. Most of the time is a good connection of the characters to one another and a strong plot.
It is the odd things that get me too, mostly family ties and such.
I too would rather have pieces too that move me emotionally and not allways to tears. For instance Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce I just flip back over and start over again as the story for me never gets old >>; Then again most of her work makes me happy.
Murakami Kafka on the Shore, is basically one that you set the book down and just think and think some more. For some reasons his books are just a lot of head work and almost with out thinking pull you in to a whirl wind of emotions.
Those kinds of books truly for me are an art because they capture you and put you in to all these emotional stages that in the end leave you drained, but in a good way, and usually spark some sort of creative idea in me too.

As for my own characters, I can't say that emotional attachment is that deep yet. Despite many of them coming from tragic pasts, and scores of issues and in general many have very deep development work done on them(Many have a life to death plot line). I am sure how ever as I explore them more there will come a day when they bring me to tears. I think too knowing them that well helps me as an RPer cause I toss them in to any thing and they can just go and react with out me having to think to much.

[Urboros]

My muse moves mountains to move me...
n_n sometimes its good to have a spaztastic muse.

I get inspired by odd things mostly its the clouds, the puffy happy ones.

[kaishi]

Plenty of stuff moves me. Books, movies, and music especially. With art it's a lot harder.
As for my own stuff... well, I always try to channel my characters when I'm writing for them, so if something happens I try to feel it myself so I can write it properly. Needless to say, I am often moved by my own creations. XD I can't really think of any specific examples... :/ A lot of times music + my stories will combine to upset me greatly XD but I wouldn't change anything just because it made me feel a certain way. If it's right, then it's right. Besides, if something that should evoke feeling does not, then it's a little worthless as far as writing goes.