Comments on: Drawing Characters from Real Life http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/ about the craft and business of fiction Wed, 23 May 2012 23:52:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Julie Kibler http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115338 Julie Kibler Thu, 28 May 2009 04:37:46 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115338 Apparently it makes my daughter's friends nervous to be chauffered by me or eat dinner at our house -- I ask them too many questions. Heh heh. I refuse to change! Apparently it makes my daughter’s friends nervous to be chauffered by me or eat dinner at our house — I ask them too many questions. Heh heh. I refuse to change!

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]]> By: Todd from Namesthatrock http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115328 Todd from Namesthatrock Thu, 28 May 2009 02:56:04 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115328 human behavior. such a cool topic. i can sit in a mall and watch people forever. another fav place is late hours at a local bar. it's so sad, it's almost funny. human behavior. such a cool topic. i can sit in a mall and watch people forever. another fav place is late hours at a local bar. it’s so sad, it’s almost funny.

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]]> By: thea http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115327 thea Thu, 28 May 2009 02:55:23 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115327 Barb, yes, it was the Deidre story. I guess it wasn't exactly a typical romance ending, but it was the right ending, i think. but it was very good and i enjoyed it. thanks for all your good work, madam! Barb, yes, it was the Deidre story. I guess it wasn’t exactly a typical romance ending, but it was the right ending, i think. but it was very good and i enjoyed it. thanks for all your good work, madam!

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]]> By: Kristan http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115294 Kristan Wed, 27 May 2009 20:53:37 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115294 I love this post too, and like Thea I think I do this unconsciously sometimes. "Characters are assembled like weavings..." = awesome! And Maya's statement about confronting another person's humanity is so eloquent and true. I love this post too, and like Thea I think I do this unconsciously sometimes.

“Characters are assembled like weavings…” = awesome!

And Maya’s statement about confronting another person’s humanity is so eloquent and true.

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]]> By: Barbara Samuel O'Neal http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115287 Barbara Samuel O'Neal Wed, 27 May 2009 18:49:44 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115287 Perfect, Amy. Kathleen, I bet you do it already. Maya wrote: "I think I sometimes get scared about actually deeply confronting another person’s humanity" That's it, isn't it? It can be terrifying and messy, but also brilliant. In the mess is the beauty, the verisimultude. Thea, how fun to find that anthology. (It's actually been rereleased recently. Was it the Deirdre story? Got in some trouble over that one, I have to say. ) Perfect, Amy. Kathleen, I bet you do it already.

Maya wrote: “I think I sometimes get scared about actually deeply confronting another person’s humanity”

That’s it, isn’t it? It can be terrifying and messy, but also brilliant. In the mess is the beauty, the verisimultude.

Thea, how fun to find that anthology. (It’s actually been rereleased recently. Was it the Deirdre story? Got in some trouble over that one, I have to say. )

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]]> By: thea http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115275 thea Wed, 27 May 2009 15:32:10 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115275 barb, this was great! maybe i've been doing this unconsciously. i used snippets of people I like and dislike to develop my characters. i love your expression 'lift whole cloth' - that i've never done before. but i have been called on my observations of strangers. my dear friend accused me of doing madlibs on strangers at airports, making up whole bios on them. just for fun, of course. barb, change of subject - picked up a book in the closet of my sister's house - a book called Irish Magic - and one of your stories was in it. Loved it!!! Great wisdom imbedded in the tale. But I only read it, because you wrote it!!! okay, yes, i'm reading the other stories too - now that i read yours. ha barb, this was great! maybe i’ve been doing this unconsciously. i used snippets of people I like and dislike to develop my characters. i love your expression ‘lift whole cloth’ – that i’ve never done before. but i have been called on my observations of strangers. my dear friend accused me of doing madlibs on strangers at airports, making up whole bios on them. just for fun, of course. barb, change of subject – picked up a book in the closet of my sister’s house – a book called Irish Magic – and one of your stories was in it. Loved it!!! Great wisdom imbedded in the tale. But I only read it, because you wrote it!!! okay, yes, i’m reading the other stories too – now that i read yours. ha

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]]> By: Kathleen Bolton http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115271 Kathleen Bolton Wed, 27 May 2009 14:01:17 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115271 Love this! I'm going to give it a try soon, Barbara. Love this! I’m going to give it a try soon, Barbara.

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]]> By: Maya http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115263 Maya Wed, 27 May 2009 11:45:54 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115263 Great post. I've loved this whole month, btw-- I hope you do another themed month again soon. (Although after plot and characters, I'm not sure what the next biggie would be-- maybe point of view and "voice"? Maybe a voice week?) This post reminds me to live with more awareness of the quirks of people around me. I started out writing nonfiction, and in my blog I write my observations about my daily life in Israel... but I think I sometimes get scared about actually deeply confronting another person's humanity. I want to try to do more of that! Great post. I’ve loved this whole month, btw– I hope you do another themed month again soon. (Although after plot and characters, I’m not sure what the next biggie would be– maybe point of view and “voice”? Maybe a voice week?) This post reminds me to live with more awareness of the quirks of people around me. I started out writing nonfiction, and in my blog I write my observations about my daily life in Israel… but I think I sometimes get scared about actually deeply confronting another person’s humanity. I want to try to do more of that!

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]]> By: Amy Sue Nathan http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115262 Amy Sue Nathan Wed, 27 May 2009 11:44:29 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/05/27/drawing-characters-from-real-life/#comment-115262 I have used bits of real people in my work -- wise or awful things that have been said, looks that have been given and even wardrobes. I was waiting for my daughter to get out of school one day last Fall and saw a mom I knew go over to another car -- she was wearing a long skirt and funky shoes, a suede vest and had her long hair pulled back in a half pony tail. I knew that her "look" was perfect for one of my characters. I have used bits of real people in my work — wise or awful things that have been said, looks that have been given and even wardrobes. I was waiting for my daughter to get out of school one day last Fall and saw a mom I knew go over to another car — she was wearing a long skirt and funky shoes, a suede vest and had her long hair pulled back in a half pony tail. I knew that her “look” was perfect for one of my characters.

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