Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Mon, Nov 09 2009
I know you so well. Would you be a good protagonist?
Should fiction writers put people they know into their stories? It's a question that's going to come up at some point. Aside from the obvious ramifications of someone recognizing themselves in your work, there may be other good reasons to keep real people and fictional people as far apart as possible. Will basing a character on a real person limit the writer's ability to give the fictional character choices? Rather than helping to flesh out a fictional character, basing that character on a real person may actually increase the chances of their being one-dimensional and being less engaging to the reader. This isn't to say that we can't use traits or aspects of real people to liven up a charcter. When we read, we get to know fictional characters the way we get to know real people--a little at a time. We learn their physical descriptions fairly soon after meeting them, but things such as arrogance, fear of dogs, a sense of loyalty or a passion for peach pie may take longer to learn. Being well acquainted with someone may actually keep a writer from presenting them as an interesting fictional character.
What does often work well is watching strangers in airports, in lines, at the park, noticing things such as speech patterns and gestures. Those observations may come in handy when it's time to describe a fictional character's long stride or angry expression. And if you know someone in real life who has interesting traits, jot those traits down and incorporate them into a fictional character's traits, if you like. But basing a whole fictional character on someone you know might be a move that could turn what could have been a compelling read into something flat and stilted.
posted at: 05:13 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
Should fiction writers put people they know into their stories? It's a question that's going to come up at some point. Aside from the obvious ramifications of someone recognizing themselves in your work, there may be other good reasons to keep real people and fictional people as far apart as possible. Will basing a character on a real person limit the writer's ability to give the fictional character choices? Rather than helping to flesh out a fictional character, basing that character on a real person may actually increase the chances of their being one-dimensional and being less engaging to the reader. This isn't to say that we can't use traits or aspects of real people to liven up a charcter. When we read, we get to know fictional characters the way we get to know real people--a little at a time. We learn their physical descriptions fairly soon after meeting them, but things such as arrogance, fear of dogs, a sense of loyalty or a passion for peach pie may take longer to learn. Being well acquainted with someone may actually keep a writer from presenting them as an interesting fictional character.
What does often work well is watching strangers in airports, in lines, at the park, noticing things such as speech patterns and gestures. Those observations may come in handy when it's time to describe a fictional character's long stride or angry expression. And if you know someone in real life who has interesting traits, jot those traits down and incorporate them into a fictional character's traits, if you like. But basing a whole fictional character on someone you know might be a move that could turn what could have been a compelling read into something flat and stilted.
posted at: 05:13 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
