I have often wondered about this after reading that many writers have based their main character on themselves. This is especially true for first books apparently!
This is a case in point for my first book, Jenna’s Journey, as I originally conceived the idea whilst wondering how my life would have been different if I’d stayed in Greece instead of returning to the UK. Of course, what happens to Jenna is ...
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I think there's a little of us in all of our characters, especially our protagonists and antagonists. When developing them (the hero, the villain, et al.), I ask, "If this were me, what would I do?" Then I go from there. Of course, I start from the mindset of that individual, e.g., "If I were an out-of-work writer faced with blahblahblah, what would my next step be?" Of course, that example isn't too much of a stretch. Or, "If I were a psychopathic serial killer, who would I go after next, and why?" Okay, so that example's not much of a stretch, either.
ReplyDeleteAnyway...you get the gist, which is, don't make me pissed. ;)
I tend to write about people like me because throughout a tale, that is the constant which I can always return to as the story progresses. Nasty things do happen around DCI Mike Lambert which he can deal with, but he likes to leave the dirty work up to others. He is working after all, even though he is sitting in the sun and thinking, or enjoying a cordon blue meal - followed by a little Cohiba cigar and a Greek coffee of course
ReplyDeleteThere is a bit of me in almost every single character I write - sometimes it's just a thought that I impose on them, or a small anecdote, or sometimes it's a whole personality trait. You're not the only one!
ReplyDeleteI think there is a little bit of each of us in our main characters. Although with mine, outside of perfectionism, we don't have anything in common.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting me Jessica and some fab comments. I wonder - as a woman I find it easier to write about female characters. What do other writers think?
ReplyDeleteI've written characters who are incredibly like me, and also characters who are polar opposites. I think the latter can be much more fun.
ReplyDeleteI very intentionally put a lot of myself into my characters - it gives me the power to fix the parts I don't like ;) No, but I think the big thing is not to get too attached to our real selves when creating our fictional selves. It's fine if your character resembles you, but it's important to remember that the story comes first, and in some ways the "real you" might not work in the world you're creating.
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