Character Inspiration
Some people have asked “can I be a character in your next story?” or “can you write a story about me?” Be careful what you wish for. I won’t design a character of you trait-for-trait. You may not even recognize yourself on the page. If you want, I’ll give you a different name to protect your anonymity.
What goes into characterization?
The answer: a lot. Characterization is about more than eye or hair color or body type. Character runs deeper than the physical. In fact, when I imagine my characters, physical features are secondary. Physical features are beyond that person’s control (to a point), and so aren’t as important. Information like this may not even make it to the page, or only briefly so the reader can get a sense of what the person looks like so they can build the rest in their imagination.
Where I exert the most effort for characterization is the seemingly little things: the way they walk, the way they talk, the clothes they wear, their hobbies, their job, and all the little things that make them who they are. For example, you may know a set of identical twins or triplets. Outside, they look exactly the same – hair color, eye color, skin tone, body shape, etc. But they’ll never have exactly the same lived experiences. Each is an individual – one may like sports and become a multi-sport athlete while the other is more comfortable sitting on the sidelines to cheer on their sibling. While their accent and vocabulary may be similar, their tone and the words they choose to use can be markedly different. Favorite foods will be different, too.
If you want a character designed around you that you recognize as you, we’ll need to talk. I need these little nuances that make you who you are. I don’t need your deepest, darkest secrets. Listening to you talk, asking your opinions on certain topics, your goals, what you wanted to be when you grew up vs. what you are, and more. The ‘you’ that comes out on the page will hopefully be close to who you really are, with a little embellishment here and there to turn you into a fictional character rather than specifically you. When people read the story and say “this sounds like you!” you can say “because it is!”
My most recent character based on someone I know is quite unique, because he himself is quite unique. I can’t imagine there’s anyone else like him. When I proposed the idea of basing a character on him and writing his story, he jumped at the opportunity. We’ve had detailed discussions about what seems like hundreds of different topics: his job, various personal and political beliefs, hobbies, and more. He let me ask ‘stupid’ questions. When he sees his character reflected on the page, he’ll know it’s him. The people who know him will know it’s him. All without focusing on his physical features.
But when most of my readers read the story, they’ll just see a well-developed character who could be as real as they are themselves. (Wait, are my readers real?) For me, when writing about real people in my life, the inspiration comes from knowing those details. No, not every character in every story is based on someone I know, but their lives started with this characterization focus, not the superficial.
What character traits do you admire? What do you think are you best and worst trait? Have you ever tried to change it? Let’s talk more on Facebook!