Character Attachment
People amuse themselves with all kinds of activities, from gardening to fixing tractors—these undertakings range from minor hobbies to full-time obsessions. For example, Jane Goodall became so involved with chimpanzees that she lived in the jungle.
What about authors? How deep do they dive into their passion? A nonfiction author can get so involved that they become the story. What about a fiction author? The farthest fictional authors get from their imagination is to travel to a far-off place to get a feel for the local scene.
What about fictional characters? Writers may base characters on people they know or dream something up. I based one of my minor characters on my Uncle Al, which made the dialog fun and relatable. I would never base my main characters on a genuine person because there must be detachment to explore all plot possibilities. I would never allow my Uncle Al-based character to kill, fall in love, or misbehave because it would be wrong on many levels.
To develop a character, I invent traits and use this foundation to imagine reactions to situations. To do so, I adapt my mindset to inside their nonexistent heads. This is even true when this character has a vastly distinct personality from my own.
Overall, it is fun and exciting to become another person. A woman? A child? A rich man? Criminal? Sure! I enjoy getting characters into trouble just as much as pulling “myself” out. For example, the character Grace in my first book had to decide if the character James was worthy of her secret. This problematic choice required her to search deep within her soul. Of course, I knew her decision far in advance because the entire plot was about revealing the secret. Yet, the reader did not know the plot, and I had to prolong the decision. This required me to “think like Grace.”
I also had to get into James’s mindset. He wanted to know the secret but was afraid of upsetting her. Overcoming both their fears resulted in great dialog.
Now, I have to take a sidetrack. In the Facebook Group Writers Helping Writers, I asked, “What is the difference between an imaginary friend and a character?” I got many responses, and the overall opinion was “Not much.”
This made me wonder, “Is Grace or James real?” Obviously, they are not people and do not have feelings, but they have existed in my mind for years. When I am not writing, I mentally interact with my characters, and this connection drifts to all kinds of places. “If Grace was at Home Depot, what color paint would she choose?” Yes, that is creepy.
What is my attachment level? When I write a painful section, I feel empathy, but it feels terrific when they succeed, which is the same with my real friends and family. How deep does my attachment go? I know my characters are not real and that my writing is, at best, personal entertainment and, at worst, an escape. Yet, I fully admit that I have a strong emotional connection to my characters, which extends to reviews. If someone commented, “Grace is weak,” it would make me sad, like when somebody disrespects my friends.
How do my characters affect my life? I have more friends, but I know they are not real, and as long I maintain this perspective, my life will be great. If not, they will lock me in the loony bin.
You’re the best -Bill
January 23, 2019 Updated December 31, 2023
What about authors? How deep do they dive into their passion? A nonfiction author can get so involved that they become the story. What about a fiction author? The farthest fictional authors get from their imagination is to travel to a far-off place to get a feel for the local scene.
What about fictional characters? Writers may base characters on people they know or dream something up. I based one of my minor characters on my Uncle Al, which made the dialog fun and relatable. I would never base my main characters on a genuine person because there must be detachment to explore all plot possibilities. I would never allow my Uncle Al-based character to kill, fall in love, or misbehave because it would be wrong on many levels.
To develop a character, I invent traits and use this foundation to imagine reactions to situations. To do so, I adapt my mindset to inside their nonexistent heads. This is even true when this character has a vastly distinct personality from my own.
Overall, it is fun and exciting to become another person. A woman? A child? A rich man? Criminal? Sure! I enjoy getting characters into trouble just as much as pulling “myself” out. For example, the character Grace in my first book had to decide if the character James was worthy of her secret. This problematic choice required her to search deep within her soul. Of course, I knew her decision far in advance because the entire plot was about revealing the secret. Yet, the reader did not know the plot, and I had to prolong the decision. This required me to “think like Grace.”
I also had to get into James’s mindset. He wanted to know the secret but was afraid of upsetting her. Overcoming both their fears resulted in great dialog.
Now, I have to take a sidetrack. In the Facebook Group Writers Helping Writers, I asked, “What is the difference between an imaginary friend and a character?” I got many responses, and the overall opinion was “Not much.”
This made me wonder, “Is Grace or James real?” Obviously, they are not people and do not have feelings, but they have existed in my mind for years. When I am not writing, I mentally interact with my characters, and this connection drifts to all kinds of places. “If Grace was at Home Depot, what color paint would she choose?” Yes, that is creepy.
What is my attachment level? When I write a painful section, I feel empathy, but it feels terrific when they succeed, which is the same with my real friends and family. How deep does my attachment go? I know my characters are not real and that my writing is, at best, personal entertainment and, at worst, an escape. Yet, I fully admit that I have a strong emotional connection to my characters, which extends to reviews. If someone commented, “Grace is weak,” it would make me sad, like when somebody disrespects my friends.
How do my characters affect my life? I have more friends, but I know they are not real, and as long I maintain this perspective, my life will be great. If not, they will lock me in the loony bin.
You’re the best -Bill
January 23, 2019 Updated December 31, 2023
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