Well, they
aren't. Everyone seems to do it on FFNet (either at the beginning or ends of stories or -- even worse -- in reviews, where you
should be talking about the story, not arguing with figments of your imagination), which is a pet peeve of mine for several reasons:
1. Yes, you should be talking about someone's story, not wasting time arguing with figments of your imagination.
2. It's not really all that funny after the first fifty times someone does it. Everyone who does it usually takes the same route, which is basically:
Actual User: *says something*
Muse #1: *insults Actual User*
Actual User: *insults Muse #1*
Muse #1: *insults Actual User's writing ability*
Actual User: *threatens Muse #1, tells off Muse #1, and maybe gives a line about the story*
Muse #2: *makes a one-liner comment about some element within the story*
Muse #1: *responds to threat with snarky one-liner*
Actual User: *responds to snarky one-liner with another threat*
Muse #3: *makes a comment about how they're hungry/Muse #1 is right*
Repeat until "review" (which isn't so much a review as it is a mini-story meant to entertain Actual User) reaches some sort of punchline.
Maybe there's some variation, but mostly, you'll probably find the above.
3. It's an abuse of the concept of muses. Muses are one of three things: daughters of Zeus responsible for different aspects of creativity (at which point, they actually have names and are certainly not Pokemon), any similar goddess (who actually have names depending on the culture from which they came and are certainly not Pokemon), or other names for the author's own creativity. They are
not random characters who set out to abuse the author
or scapegoats, as most people seem to believe. Unless, for some sick reason, the author actually gets inspiration from these muses (and note I said "inspiration" and not "orders to write
insert something here against their will"), such characters are merely called "characters," and such a bond is called "soulpuppetry." You can read a little bit about soulpuppetry
here (which is a site for soulbonding, a similar type of author-character relationships that always gets confused with soulpuppetry) and
here (which more implies the difference between soulpuppets and actual muses in the essay at the end). To make the latter clearer, please note this quote:
A muse, on the other hand, is who/whatever inspires you to draw, write, paint, compose, lyricize, or be creative. Sometimes it's a real person, sometimes a part of yourself, and sometimes, a metaphorical construct.
Also, note that the writer's opinion is essentially the same as the one in the first link. If it's something that inspires you, it's a muse. If you have your hand up their rear or they have theirs up yours, it's a soulpuppet.
Lastly, to Duncan, thanks. ^_^ I'd like to say, though, that it's not really so much multiple personalities as it is conversing with things that aren't there or voices in your head. Which, uh, is also a psychological disorder.
