A Writer’s Life: Pulling Character Inspiration from Real Life

Everyone knows a few characters. Everyone has a person or two in their life that they think would make an excellent hero or villain in their story.

Do you use them? Change their outward appearance enough that no one you know would suspect they are a real person? Change a few habits or quirks? Give them a completely new catchphrase?

I haven’t done this. But my Irish Project will.

As I was working on my main character in the outline for NaNoWriMo, it occurred to me that one of the characters was quite like someone I know. Some of the same life experiences. Some of the same habits. I struggled with it for awhile and then decided to let it go, and let the Muse decide.

She did.  We’re using that character.

I’m an empathic person. I would never want any of my friends to feel uncomfortable with something that I had written; to feel as if I had used their own lives or personalities in a way that felt negative to them. I would never want to intentionally hurt or upset someone I care about. (I’m also using a few of an ex’s habits/mannerisms in this project and I don’t feel bad about that at all!)

Pulling inspiration from real life makes real stories. Stories people can relate to. Stories people will re-read because it gave them hope or inspiration or a feeling of belonging. As writers, we want that.  We want people to feel.

I just don’t want anyone to feel icky, that’s all.

And it’s true. Every main character I’ve written has had a bit of me in them. The Irish Project is no different. My main character and I share a few experiences and life moments. But she’s different than me in more ways than she is the same.

We want real characters.  We don’t want cardboard cutouts that fall over in a slight breeze; we want real flaws. Real problems. Real joys. We want our characters to evolve into strong, capable people, despite the challenges that the Muse throws at them. (Usually with a flame thrower)

Everyone wants that, readers and writers alike.

Pull from real life.  Pull carefully. Don’t pull enough to unravel your relationships but pull enough to make characters feel real to you and your readers. In the end, your story can be solid, but if your characters don’t feel genuine, it won’t matter.