I wanted to share with you my current mental state due to the Savage Race being only two days away (Cue the freaking out face emoji).
For those of you who don't know, I'm what they call a method writer. When I write fiction, I like to empathize with my characters as much as possible—especially my protagonist. I research when needed, but there are some things that not even hours of research can do justice. So, I put myself in a similar situation and try and empathize with that character's situation.
Obviously, there are circumstances I'm unable to put myself through (unless I want to come out of them with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder!), and those are the situations I research, and talk to professionals about.
But the situations I can try and gain a first-hand experience from, I do. :)
This weekend, I'll be participating in a five-mile-race. Over the course of these five miles there will be fifteen obstacles that I'll need to overcome, in order to reach the finish line. I'm participating in this event to try and identify with my protagonist, who will go through military training unprepared.
Valerie—my protagonist, is a sixteen-year-old girl as average as they come. Except, of course, for the fact that the fate of herself, her family, and her nation, rests upon her willingness to train as a soldier.
Military training for Valerie is not something she's been physically preparing for—even though she's known it was coming for a long time. She runs—because that's how she deals with life, and how she remains sane enough not to resist the factors that control her future. But training is going to be physically challenging, and not something she's prepared for. And neither am I for this race.
Like Valerie, I'm also a runner, and five-mile-runs aren't anything foreign to my body. However, I don't strength train on a regular basis and I know there is going to be some obstacles I'll be inadequate for. As crazy as this may be to register for a race I'm not ready for, it was also the plan all along. Valerie is not ready for the physical aspect of military training, and neither am I for the Savage Race.
Of course, a one day Savage Race is nothing compared to military training. But the obstacles are designed by the Air Force Reserves, and I'm thinking this race will be better than nothing. I'll understand the physical and mental challenges of the obstacle course Valerie will face, and be able to identify with her because of it.
So, wish me luck! As much as I'm excited to see and feel what Valerie does, I'm also scared out of my mind to do so. I'll be posting a video on my youtube channel (Heather Aili) before and after the race, as well as reporting back to y'all about the experience. So, make sure you head back this way to hear about my crazy experience. :)
Are any of my readers also a Method Writer? Have there been situations you've intentionally placed yourself into—in order to write from experience? If so, please do share the deets with us!
Until then, Happy Writing!
-Heather
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