"ANOTHER PART OF ME"

                                 

                   How Characters Reflect Author Characteristics

 

Most of us can identify with today’s title and hit song by the legendary Michael Jackson.

But in some cases, such as writing and character creation, more is less.

Not to say some personal author influence isn’t necessary but remember you are in charge of character creation, but you are not the characters you create.

You need the characters to take on human qualities and emotions, commonly known as Characterization.

Readers embrace the real things that they can identify within themselves and form a connection with the characters.

It’s hard as a writer not to influence the characters with bits and pieces of who they are as the creator.

The world is filled with people trying to find their place within it, and when they see themselves reflected in characters you’ve created, sharing traits with them, that’s the imprint of a great writer.

As writers, we can connect with our readers personally by sharing the human side of reality through fictional characters. We need to do that to keep the story lively and believable.

Every story starts with a character experiencing some form of conflict or dilemma. The goal is to allow the readers to view the world through the eyes of the characters.

Let them see what they see, and feel what they feel every high and low the way we do in real life.

Characters often take on human characteristics involuntarily, especially if a topic or storyline is something the writer has experienced and allows the characters to tell their story indirectly.

A characterization is a form of therapy for writers and a way to express their opinions, discontent, and happiness using fictional characters like surrogates.    

Overall, it’s okay to inspire readers to feel what makes all of us human, just another part of the author and the characters they create.