Have you ever been afraid to write a character because you think everyone will assume you’re writing you? Or maybe you think people will see a strong resemblance to Uncle Fred?
My friend Beth had this to say over at Compuserve
First, lovely imagery. Second, it’s very true. Each of my characters is me and each of my characters is not me. And it's not just characters. As authors we are prisms for ideas, plots, emotions. This is why we can tell the same story over and over yet each new author tells it in a new way.
Good post, Sara. I liked Beth's way of saying it, too. Unfortunately, most folks think my MC is me. ; )
ReplyDeleteI liked Beth's way of phrasing that. I was actually annoyed when my sister picked up on Rosa sitting cross-legged on a sofa and said "hey, she's just like you." Er, by one mannerism?
ReplyDeleteI guess no matter how hard you try your family will always see you in your stories...
Yes, while characters may be a refraction of us they are born of our minds, what we see, what we do, how we speak, how others we hear speak, etc.
ReplyDeleteI know I'll go into a restaurant or park and just watch people and pick up mannerisms, dialects and assorted other things.
People who know the author often make the comparison of what they see in the author...like my fear of snakes. I wrote one character who is afraid of them also because I know that feeling intimately.
Zan Marie As long as you know who she is.
ReplyDeleteDeniz, they will, that's what makes it difficult and that's why I liked this description. It's something I can pull out and, hopefully, teach them. Lol about sitting cross-legged.
ReplyDeleteJ.L. Murphey, I love people watching. The airport is great.
ReplyDeleteAh, that infamous question, "Which one are you?"
ReplyDeleteI'm sometimes tempted to mess with their heads, but don't do it ... too often!
I'm all in favor of messing with their heads!
ReplyDelete