Dear Readers,
Lately, the world seems full of obsession! — People who are so fixated on one thing that it can ruin their lives or other’s. — Since I have a character that I’ve been writing about in my prequel to the Louisa’s Vineyard Series, I thought I’d provide some perspective on where an obsession can come from and how it can be used in writing.
OBSESSION: A Short Session on Desire and Indifference
In life or in fiction, everyone has an obsession. Something simple, like a love for chocolate, could lead to an obsession. A person who likes someone or something, but their feelings escalate to desire that leaves them unable to function, is obsessed.
When a person is obsessed with these feelings, it could be love, if reciprocated. But always, obsessed people have a hard time focusing on reality.
When an author is writing fiction, an obsessed character can be fascinating. If groups of people are obsessed, wars have been fought over a love object, like Helen of Troy.
In a recent TV show, a character was obsessed by a love object they could not win. The object of the affection was married and faithful. The obsessed person ruined their own life, acting unprofessional and irrational. A hidden shrine with a multitude of photos and stories about the obsessed person’s target showed just how irrational and overwhelming the feelings were.
A character I’ve been writing about shows an obsessive personality that builds feelings for someone that are not reciprocated. As the author, I’ve been careful to show that the love object was not encouraging those feelings. The character magnified everything their love object did and said to put them on a pedestal and deny reality. Both fascinating and repulsive, the obsessed character refuses to recognize the truth and creates fear, loathing, disgust, and aversion in the person they wish to love them. A sad situation that doesn’t end well.
Writing about an obsession is a tool that allows an author to flex their writing muscles. Keeping the character believable allows readers to follow and wonder about what will happen with the character and their obsession. Speculating and questioning lead to continued reading, a desirable result for authors.
A fascinating example of an obsessed character is the detective Adrian Monk. Obsessions ruled his life. His trigger was his wife’s death and the belief that someone killed her. When he could not find her killer, he tormented himself in his effort to solve every crime to perfection. Phobias and fears also fed his obsessions. The TV show was a treasure for showcasing great acting and lasted nine years. But watching the show was exasperating!
To include obsessive behavior in a character, I recommend the author start out with a strong premise:
1. Exactly why does the character have an obsession? Is it a physical or emotional need, or due to a lack, like being raised by undemonstrative parents?
2. Is the obsession overwhelming, making them almost dysfunctional? Having an obsession like a love of chocolate can be a humorous small accent, but taken to an extreme, could be used as life threatening.
3. Does the obsession prevent the character from leading a “normal” life? Is the level of obsession mild where they can overcome it versus overwhelming where they are ruled by the obsession?
4. How are the other characters interacting with the obsessive character? Are they understanding, exasperated, punishing, ridiculing, disgusted?
5. Is there hope of a “cure” and can that be integrated into the story gradually versus having a giant trauma or revelation change them, perhaps, permanently?
As a reader, I invite you to let me know how you react to obsessions, be it your own or others. (I promise anonymity to the reader.) Have you overcome an obsession? Have you overcome the obsessive behavior only to have a recurrence due to a traumatic situation/trigger?
I’m writing about characters I’ve known personally or created from my imagination. In everything I write, I strive for realism. I welcome your comments and anecdotes.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to see the cover of Will’s Secret, please take a look! It’s gorgeous!
Thank you!
Shelley Sommers
Send me an email with your comments to shelley@shelleysommers.com