Has this ever happened to you? (for all of you writers)

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When I was writing one of the chapters in my story "Shards of Darkness and Light", Garland (one of the characters) seemed to have a mind of his own. I was surprised at what he ended up doing in that chapter - I had not meant to make him say what he did, but the thought appeared as I was writing the chapter. It fit in very well, though, so I kept it.

Has your mind ever done anything where a character unexpectedly acts as kind of a muse for your story?

Actually... Yes, this happens to me alot. I have often felt like my characters, mostly my favorite ones like Lola or Annebell, seem to have minds of their own...
But then I dream about them every night, and the same thing happens... For me, it's kinda like haveing another human being trapped inside my mind.

Sometimes my hand has a mind of it's own and my characters do random things as a result.

I think the best characters have minds of their own. I'm currently writing a novel, and I intended for the main character, a middle aged woman named Elizabeth, to be unhappy with where her life is going. I started writing her as someone who was moody and open about this, but she decided to look at her past with bitter regret and yet still manage to hold on to a sliver of hope for her future. I think his makes her a lot more sympathetic, so I think I'll let her hold on to that hope for now.

Yes, that happens a lot to me. I'm trying to write a new book, and in the very first chapter I wanted my main character to start off mousy and helpless (how I often feel) when faced with adversity. However, everything changed unexpectedly and he ended up ATTACKING his bullies...I can't say I'm happy with that scenario, though it added an interesting twist. So, now i'm torn an whether to scrap it and start over or roll with it. I have to admit it really is strange.

Sometimes I feel like the stuff I write isn't really mine originally, like something is dictating it to me. I can hear the character's voice in my head, kinda sense their emotions, and see their faces and the action in my head. It feels almost as real as this world, well, besides the whole physical aspect...it's easy getting lost there.

What you are describing is a common phenomenon in fiction writing. It's one that is often sought out, as it can lead to realistic and authentic characters. Embrace it fully, and love it. Eventually you'll reach the state when it's not just character's words, but actions, events, and the flow of the story. It often leads to twists, changes, and an overall improvement of the story you had set out. Each and every time I had experienced it, I felt it made my own story better.