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Monday, December 10, 2007
Pre-conceived Notions of a Writing Pirate
I’ve always thought of myself as open minded. I realize this is rather open minded of me considering the source but stay with me. I’ve lived in a few different regions of the U.S. and have been an avid reader since childhood. I would think this gives me some insight to other people, cultures, experiences. But maybe it doesn’t. Maybe my pre-conceived notions cloud all of this to the point that I interpret it through a narrow lens.
The expansion of my virtual life and my voyages upon this pirate ship have brought me friends from all over the world. I’m not one to think everyone should agree with me or that everyone should think alike but I’m finding there are schools of thought I don’t understand at all. And as much as it must frustrate my friends to try to explain their views to me, it frustrates me that they don’t see things the way I do. It’s perfectly clear to me! LOL!
So, is it safe to assume we (yes, I’m including all of you now) carry these pre-conceived notions into our writing. If there is something we absolutely would never do, can we write a character who does? One of my own quirks is that I never want to hurt anyone’s feelings but often you have to make your heroine or hero say something to the other that not only hurts their feelings but breaks their heart. That is going to be so hard for me.
If I write a character raised with no religious or faith based foundation as I was, can I write that character without bringing my perceptions into it? For a topical example, could I, a Catholic woman raised in the United States, write the story of an Arab woman raised in Palestine? Or a woman living in 19th century England for that matter?
I’m finding this fascinating as one of my greatest struggles is to create independent, well-rounded characters and then keep their choices and behaviors consistent with who they are. I rarely base my characters on anyone I know and definitely not on myself so how can I make them real and understand the way they think?
How do you get into your characters’ heads and do you find it difficult to separate your own experiences and perceptions from theirs? Do your characters ever do anything you find morally or fundamentally wrong? If you’re a reader, does it bother you to read characters who do things you find horribly wrong?
The expansion of my virtual life and my voyages upon this pirate ship have brought me friends from all over the world. I’m not one to think everyone should agree with me or that everyone should think alike but I’m finding there are schools of thought I don’t understand at all. And as much as it must frustrate my friends to try to explain their views to me, it frustrates me that they don’t see things the way I do. It’s perfectly clear to me! LOL!
So, is it safe to assume we (yes, I’m including all of you now) carry these pre-conceived notions into our writing. If there is something we absolutely would never do, can we write a character who does? One of my own quirks is that I never want to hurt anyone’s feelings but often you have to make your heroine or hero say something to the other that not only hurts their feelings but breaks their heart. That is going to be so hard for me.
If I write a character raised with no religious or faith based foundation as I was, can I write that character without bringing my perceptions into it? For a topical example, could I, a Catholic woman raised in the United States, write the story of an Arab woman raised in Palestine? Or a woman living in 19th century England for that matter?
I’m finding this fascinating as one of my greatest struggles is to create independent, well-rounded characters and then keep their choices and behaviors consistent with who they are. I rarely base my characters on anyone I know and definitely not on myself so how can I make them real and understand the way they think?
How do you get into your characters’ heads and do you find it difficult to separate your own experiences and perceptions from theirs? Do your characters ever do anything you find morally or fundamentally wrong? If you’re a reader, does it bother you to read characters who do things you find horribly wrong?
Labels:
character,
losing my mind,
open minds,
reading minds
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16 comments:
This is truly interesting to contemplate. I think every one of the female characters I've created has a slice of me in there somewhere (obviously, Eden and I don't have common life experiences except insecurity, thank God, plus she's a brunette, LOL). I don't think I could create a character from a completely different background. The historical stuff doesn't trip me up as much as making the heroines strong enough. Kind of like me with the insecurity issue. I tend to go for the vulnerable and hope they grow in confidence as the story arcs. Now I'm actually going to have to think today. Damn you, Terrio.
Wow, Terrio. Good topic. I think that writing someone completely different would be incredibly hard. I've read stories by men written very convincingly in 1st person from a woman's perspective. I thought that was pretty amazing.
However, I'm not that adventurous yet. My characters have a lot of me in them still.
Oh, Maggie, that is the idea! I wanted to make people think. Mission Accomplished.
I guess since I write contemps I think in that context but it is true of writing historicals as well. I have moved around enough (kind of like you) to know people three states away from each other often see things very differently.
Take something as simple as deer hunting. Where I grew up it was there but not too much. In Arkansas, they close schools the first day of deer season and small children are out there armed and ready to kill Bambi. It's so natural to them and yet so disturbing to me.
Marnee - great point. Kind of like how we female writers try to get into the minds of our male characters. One of the first things I did wrong when I started writing was have my guys talk like women. I still argue not every man talks like a neanderthol (sp?) but I understand more now the things they aren't likely to say.
Very good blog, Terri. I struggle with this constantly. I tend to write what I know and sometimes I don't think that's good enough.
Like what would I do if I wanted one of my characters to be from Texas or speak with a brogue. I think of the Irish trilogies that Nora has done and the way she writes the dialogue. You can actually hear the brogue while you read. There are so many different nuances to the way people talk across this country let alone in another country. SEP with her southern dialogue is another one that amazes me.
I think it's the same way with guys. Like when authors have two guys talking to each other. They talk differently when women are not present than they do when they are.
I guess that's where research comes in!
hi, first time visiting your blog -great topic. how can we even know as writers how far our subconscious is pulling our strings? maybe it takes another reader to point out for us that our texts contain hot-button issues.
and ref: only writing what you know for fear of getting details of other cultures/time periods wrong or maybe of being unintentionally disrespectful, or something - how incredibly boring would literature be if everyone wrote strictly about their own perspective. isn't the whole point of all kinds of literature to provide glimpses of how in some ways the human experience is universal?
Irish - Yes, research can go a long way. And having to suffer by traveling to places like Scotland, New York or even Texas isn't really that bad now is it? LOL!
M. - thanks for joining us and welcome. You are spot on with how boring things would be if we never branched out. In fact, I think learning about new peoples, cultures and even faiths is important whether you're a writer or not.
Hi - I've been reading this blog for a while and love it, but this is the first time I'm commenting.
Terri - great topic. One of the things you mentioned was when a character does something we as an author or reader find morally or fundamentally wrong. There are very few issues, I think, which are universally black and white - everyone has their own shades of gray, and those will never match up perfectly with all readers.
A well-rounded character, in my opinion is one who, even if they're making choices I personally would never make, are making choices that I can empathize with. Something that may be fundamentally wrong for me, may make total sense for that character once I know their background, their circumstances, their value system, the other options available to them, etc. Not to say that the character's choice was necessarily the right one, or they should be absolved of guilt, but a good character is one I can emphasize with regardless, in my opinion.
For example, I would never cheat on my husband - that's a black and white issue for me. Yet I'm writing a story where the heroine does exactly that. And while she's clearly wrong for the choice she made, I would hope that I've handled her character in such a way that readers empathize with her actions and situation regardless. Although I'm sure there are those readers who could never get past that issue.
Haleigh - Wonderful to have you out of lurkdom. That is the cardinal rule when it comes to creating characters - they have to be sympathetic. And I don't think the reader has to like the charecter from the beginning as long as they understand them and like them by the end. It's a fine line to walk because you don't want the reader to give up too soon.
Your character sounds interesting and it's unusual to hear about the heroine cheating instead of the hero. Is your work contemp or historical?
You have to seperate yourself from the character? LOL
Great blog as always, Ter!
I like to write a scene between my two main characters to feel them out. I don't do normal character outlining and I like to learn with my characters.
Sin - you are the queen of the free flow. I'm too practical and linear to write the way you do but then I doubt I could ever get that great deep POV that you have.
Welcome to the ship, M. and Haleigh!
M.- I think having others read our work is the only way to make sure our biases are in check. Or to make sure they're acting consistently.
Haileigh - I think empathy/sympathy are important, no matter the character and their choices as well. I think characters can do despicable things and get away with it if there is weight to their actions and they redeem themselves in the end.
Great Topoc Terrio. I like to think my herione's always have a little slice of me woven in somewhere. A lot of my wrtting and dialog comes from my own life experiences.
I have written characters that were the total opposite of me.I love the challenge. It's like stepping out of the box and writing blindfolded.
I've never read any characters that caused me to put down the book becuase of their morality, I'm pretty open mined.
Welcome aboard Haleigh and M, Glad you could join us.
Since our Captain is currently housebound in an ice storm with no internet, I'm going to use her as an example. One of her heros is married at the beginning of the book but not to the heroine. She gets all kinds of flack for this but I don't get it. I've read other books where the hero starts off with someone else - contemp and historical. But some people make up their minds pretty quick and stick to that impression.
I'm always thinking about action/reaction. I want to feel like I know how my characters would react in any situation and I'm finding that means knowing them inside and out. Good thing they live on the inside of my head. *g*
Hi and Welcome M and Haleigh! It's so wonderful that you both came out of lurkdom!
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