Writers love to procrastinate. How can I possibly write 1,000 words today when I have to do four loads of washing? And the dishes? And prepare and cook dinner? And run baths? And get kids in bed?
And bake cupcakes for no reason? And sing Old Macdonald 50,000 times? And issue impromptu tickle attacks? And build a cubby out of cushions? And deal with tantrums?
And breathe?
And check facebook? And check my email? Again? And again?
But my procrastination starts before all of this. It starts in the story planning stage. The character development stage.
I convince myself I can’t write about this or that character. Because – HEAVEN FORBID – (insert name of friend or family member) might think that I am writing about them.
How do you write a story without referencing the people you’ve met?
I mean it. How do you do it? How do you build a character – their likes, loves and loathes, their traits and idiosyncrasies, not to mention their physical characteristics – without picturing someone in your head?
I don’t mean recreating entire people from your life. Although I’m sure that happens too.
But the way this character bites his nails, and that character constantly unties and reties her hair, and this other character always says, “6am in the morning”, and this other character always rolls her eyes and responds with, “as opposed to 6am in the evening?” How do you write about those without picturing someone in your head? Someone who does or says something a bit like that. A lot like that. Exactly like that.
How?
I’m guessing the answer is that you can’t. In fact, I’m guessing that there is someone in my life who has read the examples above and already thinks I’m writing about them!
I’m also guessing that I just need to let it go. Because even if I did sit down at the computer and painstakingly create a brand-new character unlike anyone I’d ever met, the people in my life would find something to identify with.
They’d fish around and, when I didn’t say anything, they’d ask me outright. “Is Margaret me? Am I Margaret? I didn’t think so, but then she twirled her hair and said this, and I thought…” And no matter how much I denied it – in fact, probably because I denied it – they wouldn’t believe me.
When you write, the people around you will assume you’re writing about them.
So if people are going to assume they’re in my story, I may as well put them in there in the first place.
And just WRITE THE BLOODY STORY.
Come on, Emily. You can do it! After all, everyone loves a dinosaur murder mystery set in Antarctica, right?
(Note to self: keep brainstorming story ideas.)
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Each month, I receive a writing prompt as part of a link-up called Writers Reveal. This post was inspired by the prompt ‘People of the Past, Characters of the Future’ from J.C. Wolfe at the Wolfe’s Den.
You can see what everyone else has done with the same prompt at:
Do you write? How do you develop your characters – do you draw inspiration from the people in your life?
It’s a tricky one Em, because you want people to identify with your characters so that they engage with the story. If you were reading a story by someone you didn’t know, and you felt as though the main character was just like you, you’d be hooked! But if you knew the author, you’d be horrified! Not fair!
Look forward to reading the dinosaur murder mystery though. Will the detective character be based on me? 😉
Haha, you had me laughing so hard with this! Yes, I will base the detective character on you. If you promise not to get mad if you see any traits you don’t like! (Not that I can think of any of those right now…)
I would be thrilled if a character you made up sounded like me! The hair twirling, the tying and retying of hair, the nail biting…sounds like me already!
Looking forward to the dinosaur mystery too…my boys would love that! I’m sure there’s potential for an excellent story there!
Well, all of those things are actually me – we’re more alike than we realised!
I’ll write a special dinosaur story for the boys then. x
I think people would be flattered to be part of a written character (as long as that character wasn’t making fun of them). I hope you find a way around it and are able to enjoy the writing process.
That’s the line. Can’t pick on them. But it probably only takes one slightly not-nice trait to undo fifteen others!
I keep entering competitions, as the deadline and word count demands keep me to task – otherwise it’s all over the place and very haphazard, as you can tell….
EXCELLENT idea. I needs me a deadline.
Great use of the prompt, I’m still writing mine, wish me luck! And yes I draw inspiration from people I know, or someone I’d like to know or be!!
Who you’d like to be. I like it.
You’re hilarious and sounding spot on. I used to do this routinely when I was younger with no hassles. But then my stories were about kids, by a kid and life was simpler then 😉 It’d be very interesting to see how I’d go now. Good luck! #teamIBOT
Life was much simpler then! And imaginations less contained. Thanks for the luck x
When your procrastination options sound that much fun, its a wonder you get any writing done at all!! For me the most terrifying part of writing anything is the honesty it demands, be that honesty about yourself or about the people around you… you sound pretty considerate by nature, so I’m sure you’ll get the balance right!
Yep, they’re pretty fun until you get to the tantrums. Thanks for the support.
I do try to write. I don’t think I draw inspiration from the people in my life but perhaps I do? Maybe I should, some of them are interesting characters and I am a serious procrastinator!
I know I do even when I’m trying not to. I guess the people in your life and experiences you’ve had inform your view more than anything else?
It’s definitely a tricky one Emily! I don’t know the answer, since every fiction character I have ever written has been very closely based on a real person, or at least a couple of real people. None of my fiction pieces have been intended for publication though, so there’s one solution! 😉 Starting is always the hardest part x
I like that. Either never intended for publication, or the next Harry Potter. Either way, they can’t get too offended… surely?
I’m not interested in writing fiction so I have never encountered this problem but you have to gain inspiration from somewhere so there will always be the chance that someone, somewhere will think it is based on them. Just write what comes from your heart, whatever the inspiration!
Thanks Kirsty. Strike me, inspiration!
No pressure, but I’m just saying if you wanted to have a character in your book who wrote a blog and held a link up on Tuesdays, I would be ok with that. 😉
And FWIW, I’d love to read your fiction. xx
Biggest smile on my dial after this comment! Haha. Thanks Jess.
This post reminded me a little of Gossip Girl when Dan wrote that book and everyone was wanting to know if they were in it and how they were portrayed … Anyway, I say just go for it and write to your heart’s content. Base your characters on bits and pieces from people you know. They will probably secretly love it!
Haven’t seen Gossip Girl, but that’s exactly the scenario I’m worried about!
I have only written short stories so there isn’t as much character development involved. So far though I take small parts of things that have happened to me and embellish them so far that no one would recognise them. Which seems to have worked so far because no one has asked if my story is about them!
Great approach. I also tend to write short stories, but still worry.
I know the feeling; my family like to look for themselves in my stories too. It’s hard to avoid writing traits of real people into your characters. Even when I don’t try to, I always look back and find something familiar about their personalities!
Great post! Glad you enjoyed the prompt!
Thanks J.C.! Fantastic prompt. Certainly made me think.
Life unfortunately gets in the way of good writing time… I’m also great at that procrastinating thing! Great post.
Writing would be so much easier without real life! You know, that part that inspires the writing… hmmmm, I haven’t thought this through.
I don’t worry too much about people I know reading what I write and thinking the character may be about them. Mainly because I seriously doubt that the people I would steal some characteristics from would ever actually read me!
Confidence, dear Rhianna. They’ll read it and love it.
I’ve stopped worrying about this, instead I actively look for traits that will help the story – though I do try and rely more on memories rather than people I actually know now… they are less likely to identify themselves in my story… at least, that’s what I tell myself! lol
I like it. Flip it on its head. Use those traits!