Blog Chain Post: Getting into Character
It’s time for another blog chain! Today’s question is brought to you by Sandra. She asks:
“Have you ever created a character different from yourself in some significant way, such as (but not limited to) different gender, race, ethnic group, religion, or sexual orientation? If so, what, if any, research did you do to portray these differences? Was this character a main character, secondary character, or walk-on? Did these differences have an impact on the story?”
I think this is a terrific question because it’s what readers often want to know first. They wonder if you are a character in the story, and if so who. In interviews I’ve conducted, I have often asked authors which of their characters they related to the most or which ones were their favorites. Often, the answers did not match. It used to surprise me, but the more I wrote, the more sense it made.
The first novel I wrote never got published, but it was a great learning experience. It was fiction but based on my family, and that’s where the problems came in. I was so concerned with getting events and characteristics right, that my creativity became stunted. Only when I began writing the chapters with a teenage MC, did things begin to click. Most of that story was made up. The teenager was based on me but there was enough fiction there for the story to flow. Of course, I was already 200 pages in, and to revise the whole book meant to rewrite it all, so I shelved it. However, I learned that creating characters was best. They could have some of my characteristics, but there had to be enough differences that I did not get bogged down in facts or voice or thoughts too similar to my own.
Alyssa in INCONVENIENT is stronger than I was in high school, but we think alike in some ways. I enjoyed writing her and wish only good things for her. She’s definitely a girl I’d have been friend with. But Lana, her best friend, was a blast to write. I started off despising Lana and her selfishness, but as her character evolved, I understood her motivations more, saw different sides of her, and had so much fun each time I got to work on her bad girl scenes. Maybe she wouldn’t make a good friend, but she’d sure be awesome to party with.
In my YA WIP, there are four MCs, and my favorite to write is a guy who is terribly misogynistic. This character is as far from me as I can get, but that’s probably why he’s so fun to write. I literally laugh out loud at some of the garbage that comes out of his mouth. And the thing is that I understand him. I don’t agree with him, but I get how he thinks and what makes him tick. I didn’t research jerks like this guy, but, yes, I have encountered men/boys who thought like him.
Then there’s my MG WIP. It’s about eleven year old boys. I’m not a boy; nor am I eleven, so yes out of character. However, my nephews are ten and twelve, so I know how those boys think. And I taught middle school for years. But I don’t rely on previous knowledge. I also give them additional quirks that are just things I think they’d do.
When I write, I write based on the story or voice that speaks to me. I don’t set out to base a character on myself–not anymore. It’s embarrassing to have yourself so naked out there. That’s what poetry is for. But I also don’t set out to create someone completely different from me either. I write and let the characteristics come together, let the character evolve, and if s/he is exciting for me to write, then I know I did something right.
How about you? What is your rule when writing characters? Do you try to create ones similar or different than yourself?
Check out what creative Christina said yesterday, and tune in tomorrow for sensational Sarah‘s take.
Great post! You and I sound like we write in a similar manner.
Interesting that when you wrote characters based on your family, you felt stifled. I imagine any one of our family members would make a good book character, but only one at a time.
I like your point, too, that our favorite characters often aren’t the ones we relate to most. Goes for when we’re reading, too. My favorite characters tend to be those who say or do things I wouldn’t, for whatever reason.
Fantastic post. I too find it interesting that using “real” characters stifled you creatively. But I can definitely see it now that you’ve said it.
LOL, I have a similar story–a middle-aged womanizer became a main character in one of my novels. Totally a blast to write!
Great post!
It’s interesting how many people are talking about personality differences between them and their characters; I have to admit that one didn’t occur to me when I wrote the question.
I do agree that sometimes using real people as characters can be constraining. John Lennon was a minor character in Across Two Universes, but I worried about lawsuits, so I fictionalized him and changed several key parts of his history. It felt liberating to do that, and I feel the new character won’t compete so much with my main character for attention.
Really interesting post! I would have never thought writing about real characters would cause problems, since the events have already took. But I do see your point. I do agree it’s fun to write characters so different from you. I had a great time writing about male MCs. So fun trying to think of a man’s perspective in certain cases.
I also have the most fun writing “unlikeable” characters… although I secretly sympathize with all of my characters – even the villains.
I just love multi-dimensional characters so I can relate! Awesome post
Great post,and I can’t imagine writing characters based on my family. Lol, they would figure it out and I’d be in the doghouse.
Great post!
I write and let the characteristics come together, let the character evolve, and if s/he is exciting for me to write, then I know I did something right.
I really like this line. This is how I feel when I write, and I think you captured that really well.
I don’t think I could write characters based on my family, though maybe my wife’s would make for entertaining reading (just kidding hon). Seriously though, I like your answer here. You seem to go from one end to the other with your characters, and that’s awesome.
Great post! I have to admit, when I try to make my characters too much like me, it trips up my writing as well. I think I do much better when writing characters I have nothing in common with.
Lana, her best friend, was a blast to write. I started off despising Lana and her selfishness, but as her character evolved, I understood her motivations more, saw different sides of her, and had so much fun each time I got to work on her bad girl scenes.
Did you find it difficult to write about a character you didn’t like? It took me a long time to realize I had to find a reason to like a character before I could make them authentic.
Kat, I didn’t find it difficult but once I understood her better, the scenes she appeared in really glowed. In the earliest drafts where she was just a jerk, the scenes were stagnant, which makes sense since I couldn’t figure out why Alyssa was still friends with this girl.
In my YA WIP, though, there is a male character who is beyond jerky, but his scenes are really easy to write for me. And they flow so well. I’m thinking this is because I understand his motivation and even if he’s a jerk, I get his jerky head really well.
Yeah, I would be afraid to be out there as a character as well. I supposed I am too frail for that.
Great post! I particularly agree with this sentiment: When I write, I write based on the story or voice that speaks to me. You can’t force a character into a box that doesn’t come naturally to them.