Write what you know is one of the classic nuggets of advice to writers. There’s much to learn when you write a book and more still when you publish it. Not all of the learning is fun, but it’s never boring.
One of the more interesting things I learned was how much of myself I inadvertently reveal in my writing. It seems I’ve written more than one quirk of my own into my characters.
Friends who know me well, point them out: The giant mug of tea, the out-of-control hair, the boring clothing choices, and the main character’s propensity to get lost are just a few. It seems I’ve taken the adage, write what you know to heart.
Now that I know I do that, and since I’ve already mined my own foibles, I’ll move on to more fertile ground. In future, if you find yourself reading a book of mine and a character description is a little too close to home, go ahead, raise an eyebrow. You might even think, hey, wait a minute, I resemble that remark.
If you ask me, I will, of course, deny it.
Have you read a character that hits a little too close to home?
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Hi JP. I am approximately 40k words into writing my first novel, and, yes, I have noticed several of my own quirks peeking out at me from that first draft. As I rewrite and refine, I modify those traits and quirks that are undeniably ‘me’ and attempt to carve out new one’s that are unique to the ‘character’. Having said that, I think that there is a ‘happy medium’ because I belong to the “write what you know” school of thought.
Those small traits and quirks really make characters come alive – it’s hard to avoid the ones you know so well. Good for you for recognizing it though and then carving out new unique ones. Much less embarrassing that way.
It always happens to me, even if the character is female! The fact that my main character is a combination of a friend of mine and myself doesn’t help, As you said, down to the mug (an Edmonton Oilers coffee mug). I intentionally use a lot of my thoughts and “quirks” as, for me at least, it makes writing them much easier. I have reached that stage though where I have to expand them a little….
Thanks Mike, I’m glad I’m not alone.