I’ve had people ask me if I would ever want the life of one of my characters. Short answer. No. A lot of people think that authors write characters they would want to be. I can’t speak for everyone, but I wouldn’t want to be in any of my heroine’s shoes. They’ve usually had something tragic happen to them. Sometimes, they’re emotionally constipated. Sure in the end, they change, and the journey is exciting, but I like my nice, quiet (most of the time) life. The heroine in my newest release is a dead woman. So is the heroine in my WIP. Bummer.
Sure, sometimes a pinch of my personality may creep into a heroine, but that’s about it. I have a character that rambles a lot and strays off topic. I do that sometimes, but this woman brings attention deficit disorder to a whole new level. No way would I want to be in the position I’ve put her in. She’s had a rough life. A sadistic husband, a mother that doesn’t really care about her, father has passed, and lost a child. Things got so bad, she killed herself. But in the end, she got her HEA.
I wanted to be Cinderella when I was a little girl. To be carried off by a handsome prince was my favorite fantasy. Now that I’m older, I had to rethink that. Cinderella had to put up with some serious crap before she got the prince. Being bossed around by two hateful women, and her only friends were rodents. I sorry, but mice and rats give me the willies.
What’s your favorite story? Would you spend a day in the character’s shoes?
No way. Well, maybe for an evening with sexy rock singer Noah Clark… Scratch that. No, I wouldn’t trade places with Isabeau even for him. I’m cruel to my characters. Downright mean to them. The things I put them through before they get their happily-ever-after—the heartache and loss, the physical suffering—I wouldn’t switch places with any of them.
I know what you mean. I can get downright evil with my characters. The things I put them through would scar me for life!
I think it depends upon the particular day that I would have to spend in their shoes… I mean I could handle the day that their happily ever after arrives, but I don’t think I’m strong enough to fight off crazy witches that want to eat me or sirens that want to drown me at the bottom of the sea. However, I think I could handle Red Riding Hood because I think she and the Woodsman were in on the whole thing together. Ironically I don’t think we give ourselves enough credit for the things we survive or go through to get to our own happily ever after. Some people find theirs very early in life and others are pushing 30 and still trying to figure out what they want their happily ever after to look like. The overall goal is that we’re constantly evolving and dreaming just as our characters do and for those of who are still trying to figure out what we want it might be nice to imagine ourselves in their shoes on their best day… However, we do tend to forget about their worst. We also forget that we are our own fairy godmothers and must forge ahead. Although it would be really nice to say bibbity bobbity boo every once in a while.
My mom always said if everyone laid their crap out in the street, and had to pick someone’s crap, we’d all probably keep our own. Translation: I don’t want to deal with anyone else’s mess. But I think it would be fun to do that bippidy boppity boo thing!
I think one of the reasons I would choose to keep my own drama is because I know how to deal with it. I’ve had years to cultivate my response to it. It’s also very hard to change something that you’ve ingrained into yourself as a learned response. That’s one of the reasons I love reading so much is that they make it look so easy to change yourself in 400 pages or less.
I agree 100%
The fun of being a writer is you can be your characters for awhile. Then you put them away and move on to the next one.
Great post!
That is fun. But it can be tricky to write a situation and let your character handle it instead of the way you would.
I’ve never thought about this! But I don’t think so. I like my own life far too much, plus I don’t suffer well, and we KNOW our heroines have to suffer.
very true, Liz!