As writers, we create not just great plots, but characters to star in those plots. We dress the characters, give them histories, anxieties, families, and dreams. But I think we sometimes insert a little more of ourselves into them than we realize. For instance, you’re eyeball deep in revisions and edits and you realize your heroine is…You. No wonder she felt so familiar. Is this writer’s therapy? Are we working out our childhood troubles and disillusions through our characters? Are we living through them, or just so enamored of ourselves that we are certain we must belong in a book? Well, I hope your life has been so exciting, but I suspect we’re just slipping into the familiar.
As I was writing the character of Bree Kirkland, heroine of Awaken the Highland Warrior, I realized Bree bore some distinct traits that I have and some I would like to have. Bree is a quirky historian. Not boring and stuffy, but kind of Indiana Jones-ish. Okay, that’s not me, but I wish it was. She’s clumsy--that is me--and she’s always felt a little different than the other girls. Hmmm, maybe me. Of course, this is because she’s been destined to do something very unusual. She has to wake the Highland Warrior who’s been sleeping in the crypt behind her house for over a hundred fifty years.
So fess up, are bits of you in your stories?
13 comments:
Great post, Anita.
I always see myself in my lead females. I have had too many people say when they read my books it's like having a conversation with me. I don't do it on purpose, I just think it's a part of who we are. I have enough other characters that are different, but my leads are always so much like me :-)
This is so true. My heroine gets the same headaches I get from alcohol, takes the same medicine for it, eats the same kind of foods and doesn't take herself too seriously. Hey wait..that's me.
Like Anita's Bree, she also has characteristics that I don't. For one, I am a great cook. My girl is clueless. I do love bologna and Ho Hos, though. And my girl is a tall redhead with a figure that could stop a train...Okay, back to the drawing board!!
Great post, Anita.
There is a lot of me in my heroines. I'm not sure what the motivation is, but it's there.
You make me laugh, Liz. I wish I was more like my characters in some things. Like not needing to lose a few pounds,for one.
This picture I used is really jarring. It's like a jolt of caffeine!
I think aspects of ourselves always show up in our characters. It's the stuff we know, after all. Mine seem to love coffee as much as I do. LOL But my heroines seem to have way more fun! I'd like to hang out with THEM. LOL
I think my heroines have more fun, too, Donna. I don't get to find buried warriors who aren't dead. But I'd probably have a heart attack on the spot. End of story.
That's an interesting question you pose Anita. Since my heros are actually the heroine it makes the question doubly intriguing but yes. I have several who are nurses and I'm a, or was a, nurse. Others are helicopter pilots. No, I'm not a pilot but wish I knew how to fly a copter. I think all my contemprary heroines love coffee, specifically Starbucks as I do.
And they all are either in the Army or have a strong association with the military. Same.
So, yes. My heroines have a little of me in them.
I think we do all this Lindsay. It's really got me thinking about my characters. I think pieces of me are in some of my secondary characters as well.
Liz, I love fried bologna sandwiches with mustard. Yum!
Anita, one word- yeck
Oh, fried bologna is great. My mom used to make fried bologna gravy. It's to die for.
One of my stories has a kickass heroine. She's the only female drift boat captain fishing the deadly waters of the Bering Sea. I love her. And yes, she has a lot of my character traits. I let my mom read this story. She hated my heroine. What? She's me, how could my mom hate her? Turns out Mom wanted her to be nicer to my hero. Since Mom is very passive in her relationships and I'm not, I took it as a compliment.
Also, I tend to use certain traits of people I know in my characters. I have a great sweatshirt that says, "Careful or you'll end up in my novel." About sums it up. :)
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