Wednesday, October 4, 2017

IWSG Post – Personal Information Slipping into our Characters

Two more IWSG posts before 2017 bids goodbye to us. Its rightly said that time flies and incase of writers it flies past leaving behind a pile of deadlines that mock us all the time. And we poor creatures console ourselves that we are trying to polish the manuscript that will have agents thronging our doorsteps despite the muse playing hide and seek with us (we wish).

IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group) is an online group of writers posting on the first Wednesday of every month. In our posts we grumble about our writing blues (atleast I do) discuss our writing insecurities and worries. Other writers join us either with their advice or like us they too air their writing laundry in public.

This awesome group was started by Ninja captain Alex J Cavanaugh (author of the Amazon Bestsellers: CassaStar, CassaStorm, CassaFire and Dragon of the Stars). Alex is a man of many talents: author, musician and blogger, who has made it his mission in life to help as many people (read writers) as possible. Alex will definitely qualify for sainthood, I can already visualize him in his white robes with a halo and wings guarding writers in the distant future, perhaps I may also be standing behind him with smaller wings and a less brighter halo. Under Alex, IWSG has now become a force to reckon with. Check out the IWSG website to read all the amazing posts by wonderful writers.

October 4 question - Have you ever slipped any of your personal information into your characters, either by accident or on purpose?

Yes, several times. I’ve seen that my characters mirror my fears and values. My MG heroine cherishes loyalty a trait I value the most in any relationship and she is also headstrong just like me. Another MG character a 10-year-old boy is scared of dogs, I too am scared of dogs. I would run a mile if I see one near me.


I’ll be hopping over to all your blogs to read your IWSG posts.

22 comments:

  1. A little bit of us gets into each character. I couldn't write a character that went totally against my own values either.

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  2. Agree with you both. I have been having my main character be adopted because my daughter is. Hope you're doing well. Miss seeing you around as much as you used to be.

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  3. I can't believe 2017 is almost over! Only two more IWSG posts to go. (And I'll miss November's because of NaNo.)

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  4. My main characters ended up with a lot of my fears and issues.

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  5. I think it's super fun to write ourselves into our characters. Only two more posts to go?? That's insane. :)

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  6. I'll pop in regularly to help you keep that muse in line! Bribe her with chocolates...?
    Would that help?
    Happy IWSG Day!

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  7. I hadn't thought about if I ever put a fear of mine into a story, but after reading your post it occurred to me that I have. My fear of spiders played out in a scene in one of my chapters. When I did some research on it, I had goose bumps the whole time.

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  8. My heroines are headstrong like me, too. ;)

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  9. Hi Rachna - thanks for coming over to visit Greenwich with me ... lovely to see you. We can use experiences of life and add in our fears in some ways ... I certainly have some - but as I don't write books for now ... I can hide them! Cheers Hilary

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  10. I think we writers all use ourselves as our most vital writing tool. And all our characters are different sides of our own character - with a dash of what we have learned from others throughout our lives. I think that is what makes writing such a wonderful challenge, Rachna, it is the coming to terms with our life experiences.

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  11. I don't think it's possible to write a character who doesn't contain at least some trace of the author.

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  12. Scared of dogs? Pfft. Not I.B. Nosey, ma'am. The only thing I'm scared of is the shadow of my own nose.

    And the thought of Alex wearing wings. Does that mean he'll wear a tutu, too? heh heh

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  13. Adding a bit of ourselves is natural. If anything the reader can relate so much better. :-)

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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  14. Wow, that is a real fear of dogs. Very true, those deadlines mock indeed.

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  15. I try to give my characters only the best parts of me. Don't know if I'm successful though.

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  16. It is funny what makes it in to our characters and what we keep out. I am sure lessons of psychology could be taught about it.

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  17. How can we not include something of ourselves in our stories? Sometimes it's surprising.

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  18. It makes sense to share different facets of ourselves in our writing.

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  19. It must be very hard for a writer not to slip personal quirks, habits, loves and hates, into their writing. It comes natural to me.

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  20. This is a great question. Writing more non fiction than fiction lately, I know that my personality and whatnot does factor into my writing, no matter what type. As for fiction, there might be a few snippets in a character or two. :)

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  21. I think my books do reflect my values to some extent. I've not yet been brave enough to use my fears.

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