Alternate Realities, Writing and Possible Insanity.

When I write, I tend to experience the subject matter very realistically. Now, this isn't at the level that I totally lose contact with this reality or anything. Mostly. It is true that the effect is profound however. To a level that I often feel as if I'm observing an alternate reality, rather than simply making things up.
At first this idea bugged the heck out of me.
I mean, after all, think of what that would mean as to what I'm really doing. Copying, rather than inventing. That seems like a second tier thing, don't you think?
Now, I won't claim that I don't plan things out, or add portions to even long term stories that are meant to show up in later works. (If you haven't gotten that one yet... Well, I know that a lot of people don't link things that way, but it does exist, if you look for it...)
However, there is a certain real level effect...

[ Continued ]