Have you ever had a non-writer friend come up and ask if you use real people (like them) in your books? Ever had a friend say they knew you'd used them for one of your characters?
I suspect all writers have had this experience. It creates a sort of double paranoia: Is that me? What are you going to say about me? Please use me. vs I want to keep you as a friend. Do you recognize that little hair-biting thing? I need my character (who incidentally looks like you) to act like this.
I've explained over and over that I may use bits and pieces of a collection of people to create one character. That most writers take their experiences and rebraid them to make a story. But I've never duplicated a living person on the page. (Although there is one person on a reality show that needs a story. He NEEDS it, I'm telling you!)
Still I hear: 'You better not use me in your books,' to 'Me! Use me!' It can require such a sharp balance that I'm sometimes hesitant to admit I'm a writer. But ultimately it doesn't keep me from borrowing those quirks that are endearing, or annoying, or just plain fascinating to make my characters more real.
So Kelly, if you see a biker-chick with big blue eyes in one of my books, well . . .
12 comments:
Oooo, I like the word "rebraiding." That's a great way of describing taking bits and pieces and weaving them into a character...
Not to mention that your writing friends might also see themselves in print...You did say a blue eyed chick. Now all I need is a bike, hmm.
I also find myself people watching - just totally engaged in how they respond or act or even their appearance. All of that is grist for my mill as a writer.
Great post, Lisa.
Thanks for stopping by Vicky. Braiding is how I visualize storylines and characters.
Karen, I'm so with you on the people watching. And didn't NYC provide a lot of opportunities for that?! (Re: biker chick thing - I can see you with a tatoo and leather vest. Hmmm.)
And for those of us with children... My elementary age daughter wants me to write a book specifically about her, but that will change by middle school. I might need to completely switch genres during her tween/teen years.
Hi Kristin. I'm sure your daughter is providing a lot of material for your writing. And will continue to do so in the years to come. Is she already thinking she sees herself in your characters? Does she read your work?
Lisa - I wrote a short story just for my daughter since she'd been asking, but my novels are too old for her - YA and she's only 9. By the time I finally get one published, she'll be old enough to read it!
What a sweet thing to do, Kristin. I hope that short story is saved so you both can revisit it later. :)
I like to think of my characters as little bits of me coming out on the page.
Katie, do you ever feel vulnerable putting yourself on the page? I claim the emotions. Any emotion on the page is something I've experienced.
I get the opposite reaction. People assume that my characters are all me and that I'm writing down things that actually happened to me. Which is odd, since I've written stories about girls and a gnome. Someone once said to me, "I didn't know you had a nine-year-old girl inside you." I was so insulted I took my doll and went home. Heaven help anyone who asks if I've got a ninja in me.
Oooo, the best is when you get to use a similar scene that happened to you, only have your character do or say what you wish you would've done/said... I had my character punch a guy in the jaw after he knocked a tray of drinks over her head while waitressing. I finally got redemption via my character after all these years: )
Kurt, I hope you write humor. You're hilarious! And YAY! Colette. What a sweet revenge!
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