Since speaking with both Jess Walter and Diane Fredgant, I’ve thought a lot about the how changing my perspective impacts my own creativity. 

When I write stories, I like to delve deep into my characters and understand their reactions to people, places, and predicaments. Sometimes, though, I realize that I don’t truly grasp their motivations or their point of view. In the middle of writing a scene, I might stop and ask myself, “How would they respond?” or “What emotions does this situation trigger for them?” If I don’t know the answers, then I stop writing that scene and work on something else. 

Later, when I am in a quiet space, I have a conversation with my character. In my mind of course, not out loud. As I hear them speak to me, my perspective changes. I see the world through their eyes, and I understand them better. Once that happens, I’m able to go back to writing the scene.