Yesterday at Plotmonkeys, guest blogger Melissa Senate wrote about how authors insert a little bit of themselves into the characters they write. It’s a natural progression of writers…anyone who has studied literature knows that in most cases, there are bits and pieces of a story that can be directly tied back to the author who created the tale.
Now, given what we Blaze writers write…well, this is dangerous thinking. It’s bad enough to have people speculate about our sex lives and exploits (or lack thereof 
) without pointing out precisely which parts are about us. But sometimes, it’s something really innocuous.
For instance, in my current Blaze, my heroine is a 400-year-old fairygodmother who has forfeited her magical powers in hopes of being freed from servitude. She’s a virgin, being 17 when she was forced to take on the role of fairy godmother. Her experiences are utterly and completely different from just about every woman on the planet! So how did I find a way to connect to her? And hopefully, allow readers to connect with her as well?
In this case, I gave Tatiana Starlingham (Ana) my sense of humor. Dry, sarcastic…and a little bewildered. She has observations about the world around her that focus on the ridiculous and outrageous. She made me laugh. I hope she makes readers laugh.
I am NOT a funny person, over all. I get a lot of laughs, however, because I often say things that most people are thinking, but are afraid to voice out loud. I call it my lack of filter, which has increased with each birthday. By the time I’m quite old, I expect I’ll be that cranky aunt who dresses in purple and keeps family events going with a running commentary of outrageousness. At least I hope so. It’s what I’m practicing for.
So…Blaze readers and writers…what makes YOU connect with a heroine who is utterly unlike you? Do you find that one thing you admire and hang on tight? Do you look for qualities you are glad you have or ones you wish you had…or both?
And don’t forget to look for MORE BLAZING BEDTIME STORIES in stores…if they’re still there, as the December books are currently hitting the shelves.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
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I personally do both. I notice those qualities I have but mostly I wish for the ones I don’t have
Oh and you aren’t the only one to say what most people only think – I do too. Maybe I’ll be sitting next to you at those parties lol
the heroine in my current WIP is SO not like me. She’s a free spirit who makes spur of the moment decisions based on how she’s feeling at the moment. She’s into spiritualism and Yoga and believes in past lives.
I do, however have a hairdresser that is very much like that, and a sister who has some of those qualities. I try to draw from them, but, you’re right, at some point, as this character’s creator, I really needed to understand and BE this woman to write her well. The only quality I could think of that was similar to me was her compassion for others. She truly cares about everyone and wants to help make the world a better place. So, this was the motivation I kept in mind while writing her. Otherwise she came across to my CPs as flighty, ditzy and UNcaring.
Hmm, re reading this it sounds like I think free spirits are uncaring and that Im bragging about my compassion. But I didn’t mean it that way, my sister is much more compassionate than me and my hippie hairdresser is a brainiac who runs her own business. Both ladies are Smart and caring and beautiful.
Usually if the heroine is nothing like me I find things about her that I wish I was more like. That’s how I connect with them. For heroine’s that are outgoing (which I am not) I put myself in their shoes and I think they have guts for some of the things they do. Make me wish I could do it.
Got More Blazing Bedtime Stories, the bad thing is I probably won’t get around reading it until the holiday season is over. I’ll start reading only holiday books right after I finish the book I’m currently on until the first week of January.