How much of me is in my characters?
In yesterday's blog, I asked if any of you had writing questions for me. Christina had a great one. She wrote: "I was reading about a local author who says she makes a point of not having much in common with her characters and I was wondering what you think about this. Do you put your personality and habits and the like into characters? Have you ever been tempted to name a character Lisa? Have you ever thought of actually writing yourself into the book in a small role?"
So how much of me is in my characters? Quite a bit, actually. I've read interviews with authors who said that there's some of them in most, if not all, of their characters. My husband tells me that I am Raine. (I think she's way cooler than I could ever be.) But if my hubby wants to think that I'm cool, snarky, smart, savvy, and sexy -- who am I to argue? ; )
Through characters, writers can work out a lot of subconscious crap going on in their lives (their main character's problems and fears); we can behave in socially unacceptable ways (I love writing Sarad Nukpana -- and he really comes into his own in TTWD); and we can do heroic acts we wouldn't do in real life, but would like to think we could if we had to. They don't call it fantasy for nothing. ; )
Now I don't mean that I have Raine's problems (and thank God that I don't), but in guiding my characters on their journey toward solving those problems or dealing with situations, I can't help but to inject my own experiences and opinions, and how if I were such a character in such a situation, this is how I would go about dealing with it.
As to habits: Raine is afraid of water; I can't tread water worth a damn. Dump me in the ocean and I'd be in serious trouble. Using the Saghred makes Raine sick & dizzy; heck, I can't watch rollercoasters on TV, and Dramamine lives in my pocketbook. Raine talks before she thinks; ditto for me (though I'm getting better at it). Raine isn't exactly what you'd call diplomatic; if I've got a problem with someone, I also cut through the crap and get right to the problem. I'm sure the list goes on, but I'm just now getting to my coffee; I haven't cleared the brain cobwebs yet.
All that being said, there are some characters that have nothing to do with me: Carnades Silvanus being one. Rudra Muralin is another. But for some reason, I simply adore writing Sarad Nukpana; any scene with him and Raine simply flows. Sarad is so blissfully evil; he's evil because it's fun. In TTWD he says that "Morality and honor are an inefficient, unproductive waste of my time." That's Sarad in a nutshell right there. And it's most definitely not me. ; )
Coming up next week: I've turned in the edited version of The Trouble with Demons, and have started reading all of my notes for Bewitched & Betrayed. I just did the math, and I have 225 pages of notes. Dang, that's a lot of reading. By next weekend, I'll start Chapter 1. That'll give me 8 months to write the book and turn it in. Next week, I'll see if I can do day-by-day of how I crank up to writing a book. One post I know I'll have to write is "The Terror of the Blank Screen." It's coming; I can feel it breathing down my neck. ; )
Coming up tomorrow: This Saturday Fun Pic was taken on our way back from the mountains last weekend. Let's just say it only goes to show how important spelling and punctuation truly are. ; )
Happy Friday!
Lisa
So how much of me is in my characters? Quite a bit, actually. I've read interviews with authors who said that there's some of them in most, if not all, of their characters. My husband tells me that I am Raine. (I think she's way cooler than I could ever be.) But if my hubby wants to think that I'm cool, snarky, smart, savvy, and sexy -- who am I to argue? ; )
Through characters, writers can work out a lot of subconscious crap going on in their lives (their main character's problems and fears); we can behave in socially unacceptable ways (I love writing Sarad Nukpana -- and he really comes into his own in TTWD); and we can do heroic acts we wouldn't do in real life, but would like to think we could if we had to. They don't call it fantasy for nothing. ; )
Now I don't mean that I have Raine's problems (and thank God that I don't), but in guiding my characters on their journey toward solving those problems or dealing with situations, I can't help but to inject my own experiences and opinions, and how if I were such a character in such a situation, this is how I would go about dealing with it.
As to habits: Raine is afraid of water; I can't tread water worth a damn. Dump me in the ocean and I'd be in serious trouble. Using the Saghred makes Raine sick & dizzy; heck, I can't watch rollercoasters on TV, and Dramamine lives in my pocketbook. Raine talks before she thinks; ditto for me (though I'm getting better at it). Raine isn't exactly what you'd call diplomatic; if I've got a problem with someone, I also cut through the crap and get right to the problem. I'm sure the list goes on, but I'm just now getting to my coffee; I haven't cleared the brain cobwebs yet.
All that being said, there are some characters that have nothing to do with me: Carnades Silvanus being one. Rudra Muralin is another. But for some reason, I simply adore writing Sarad Nukpana; any scene with him and Raine simply flows. Sarad is so blissfully evil; he's evil because it's fun. In TTWD he says that "Morality and honor are an inefficient, unproductive waste of my time." That's Sarad in a nutshell right there. And it's most definitely not me. ; )
Coming up next week: I've turned in the edited version of The Trouble with Demons, and have started reading all of my notes for Bewitched & Betrayed. I just did the math, and I have 225 pages of notes. Dang, that's a lot of reading. By next weekend, I'll start Chapter 1. That'll give me 8 months to write the book and turn it in. Next week, I'll see if I can do day-by-day of how I crank up to writing a book. One post I know I'll have to write is "The Terror of the Blank Screen." It's coming; I can feel it breathing down my neck. ; )
Coming up tomorrow: This Saturday Fun Pic was taken on our way back from the mountains last weekend. Let's just say it only goes to show how important spelling and punctuation truly are. ; )
Happy Friday!
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
7:38 AM
6 Comments:
I think it's true that some of the author is in the main characters they write. After all, the story and the characters are the creations of the author as artist, and art usually reflects the artist.
Where I'd disagree is that, if you write many different stories, you can't invest yourself in all your main characters, or you'd exhaust yourself. Little bits and pieces can come out of you to create the characters. However, the bigger pieces only come through if you're truly passionate about one particular character, or if you're writing something autobiographical.
I suppose it comes down to the duality of "write what you know." You know yourself and that helps you write a character. You also know what you aren't or what you'd like to be, and that helps too.
Awesome! Thanks for answering!
Next question... is your hubby Tam or Micheal? :P
Derek's definitely a Mychael. ; )
More Nukpana! *squeals* I definately like him more than Ruda Murlin. He's just so swave. Not that he comes close at all to my favorite father son goblin pair. Good luck with the book. I'm trying to spread it around campus, and have a Raine quote on the door of my dorm room.
Diana, I love it! BTW -- send me your new email address.
Yup, I know that somem of my personality is in all my characters! Either that or they have characteristics I'd love to have more of. Naturally, some have characteristics I really hope I don't have!
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