Confessions About My WIP's Backstory

This is a little story about a little story.  I had just begun writing short stories and I concocted one about a character that I adored.  

His name is Hiram. I found him to be witty, charming, and snarky. What was there not to love?  I got brave and shared my little story with a few people that are interested in the unusual genre that I had chosen to create withing. 

He is also not quite what he seems. He has a bit of a backstory of his own.  I was content with the little unusual story until I shared it with a really great friend of mine. Once he read it, he said, "Where's the rest of it? This is your new book? I can see where you can go with this." 

As one who is always ready for a new idea to pop up, said, "I might expand it into maybe a longer story. Maybe a middle-grade level read and maybe about 30k words. Sure, that sounds feasible." 

"Full book, YA, make it a different type of YA. Make it yours but add in a few more characters." My friend continued by saying add a little more this and that. 

Suddenly Hiram began to spout off his ideas. He was superseding the friend's ideas. He was taking the brainstorming session and running with it.  He introduced me to several extra characters that I certainly wasn't expecting. He took me where I had no thoughts of going.  He showed me where I can make it rich, developed and original.  Anyone that has read the Path of the Child, knows I write in an original style. I like to call it Southern with iffy grammar. (that's where editors earn their keep.)

Hiram has been speaking to me for over two weeks about this project. Waking me up with new variations on what I was thinking, putting me to bed with full on scenes. So perhaps it sounds odd that I can tell when Hiram is speaking to me and directing me, but I can. 

Most writers will agree that the characters are bossy, energetically involved in the writing process.  Since I embrace my own uniqueness, I own the voices that pontificate about plot twists, character development, and unforeseen turns. 

Each story that I write of fiction develops with one or more characters taking over my life for a month or two and throwing out scenes, conversations, and conclusions.  

In fact, to be honest, I have only written six chapters of this WIP so far, but yesterday Hiram gave me the last scene and assured me he had chosen the perfect last words of the book.  

"Grab a pen Sojo, write this down. You will love it," he said!  

He was right, I did!