Do you see yourself in the characters you write?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell

Would someone reading your book see you?

No, not talking about a memoir. I’m talking about the characters in your book.

Well, not sure I’d want people to think of me as a murder or a love-sick, silly woman. However, with all the blood sweat and tears that cover my manuscript, I’m sure I’ve left pieces of myself in the story.

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But, I think if we leave behind a tiny bit of ourselves, we can humanize even the villain. When we add some of our traits and quirks to a character it enables the reader to relate. They want to justify bad behavior they recognize in Uncle George or the wild-child they remember from their youth.

Go ahead, leave something of yourself recognizable in all the characters. After all, we are very complex creatures.

So if you see a starry-eyed optimism in one character and in another a smart-ass bitch, yep, they’re both me.bird-1773599_1280

Do you slip some of your flaws or strengths in your characters?

How about those of a relative? Ever use them as a blueprint?

Do you think this makes our characters more relatable?

Keep reading, below is some good stuff on using yourself in characters.

Leave me a comment – I love comments.

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Why There Should Be a Little Bit of You in All Your Characters Guest Post by Braden Russell 

Deeper People: Putting Yourself into Your Characters 

is it narcissistic to make one of your characters yourself? 

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