Comments on: Writing Fictional Characters Who Aren’t Like You http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Mon, 21 May 2012 03:55:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Lauren http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-13970 Lauren Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:03:50 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-13970 I had a classmate (during nursing school) tell me that only women who have had children themselves should become labor and delivery nurses because otherwise they couldn't possibly understand what the laboring mom must be going through. I thought that was bosh. Nobody says a cardiac nurse can only be good at her job if she has had a heart attack herself. Nurses become nurses because they have a unique ability to empathize with people who are going through trying experiences; they are not limited to only being able to care for those going through things they have personally experienced. Similarly, writers write because we have a unique ability to describe persons and situations that exceed our realm of actual experience. It may take some time to hone that skill but thank goodness some take the trouble to do so because otherwise the world of fiction would be very boring indeed. I had a classmate (during nursing school) tell me that only women who have had children themselves should become labor and delivery nurses because otherwise they couldn’t possibly understand what the laboring mom must be going through. I thought that was bosh. Nobody says a cardiac nurse can only be good at her job if she has had a heart attack herself. Nurses become nurses because they have a unique ability to empathize with people who are going through trying experiences; they are not limited to only being able to care for those going through things they have personally experienced. Similarly, writers write because we have a unique ability to describe persons and situations that exceed our realm of actual experience. It may take some time to hone that skill but thank goodness some take the trouble to do so because otherwise the world of fiction would be very boring indeed.

]]> By: Sabrina http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-13973 Sabrina Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:54:59 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-13973 @Lauren: To go even one step further with your analogy, not every woman has the same experiences during childbirth. And even the same woman can have very different experiences during the first, second or third childbirth. So, even if you went trough situation X on your own it doesn't give you unlimited knowledge of what all people feel in situation X. In any case, as an author you need to do that kind of research and familiarise with people's experiences. @Lauren:
To go even one step further with your analogy, not every woman has the same experiences during childbirth. And even the same woman can have very different experiences during the first, second or third childbirth.
So, even if you went trough situation X on your own it doesn’t give you unlimited knowledge of what all people feel in situation X. In any case, as an author you need to do that kind of research and familiarise with people’s experiences.

]]> By: Judith Robl http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-13989 Judith Robl Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:17:33 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-13989 And if you are writing about traumatic experiences and how your character handles them, you might want to read up on the psychological ramifications of such an experience. Then deviate from that norm. The psychology texts are based on that mythical average person. There is no such person. And if you are writing about traumatic experiences and how your character handles them, you might want to read up on the psychological ramifications of such an experience.

Then deviate from that norm. The psychology texts are based on that mythical average person. There is no such person.

]]> By: Morgan L. Busse http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-13993 Morgan L. Busse Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:37:27 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-13993 Hey Monica! Glad you found Randy's site. Lots of good stuff here :) Just to add to what Randy said about bad writing, even good writers write bad when starting on their rough draft. You just learn to tell yourself you'll go back and clean it up... after you finish your first draft (finishing it is the important part). Hey Monica! Glad you found Randy’s site. Lots of good stuff here :)

Just to add to what Randy said about bad writing, even good writers write bad when starting on their rough draft. You just learn to tell yourself you’ll go back and clean it up… after you finish your first draft (finishing it is the important part).

]]> By: The Writing Life (and insight for new authors) « http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14070 The Writing Life (and insight for new authors) « Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:09:13 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14070 [...] Writing Fictional Characters Who Aren’t Like You (advancedfictionwriting.com) [...] […] Writing Fictional Characters Who Aren’t Like You (advancedfictionwriting.com) […]

]]> By: Pam Slade http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14077 Pam Slade Tue, 12 Oct 2010 22:33:51 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14077 Kia Ora Monica I love writing across the age barrier and had YA published as well as interviews with older people before I became one as a grandmother now. You do need to see from the age group perpective, one of my grandson's is your age, and he doesn't have a handle on older people at all, VBG. You could always aske older neighbours if they'd be willing to answer some questions. Anyway, good luck with writing Kia Ora Monica

I love writing across the age barrier and had YA published as well as interviews with older people before I became one as a grandmother now.
You do need to see from the age group perpective, one of my grandson’s is your age, and he doesn’t have a handle on older people at all, VBG. You could always aske older neighbours if they’d be willing to answer some questions.
Anyway, good luck with writing

]]> By: Andrew http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14111 Andrew Wed, 13 Oct 2010 21:30:18 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14111 "I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating. There’s no way to be a great writer unless you’re first ready to be a horrible, wretched, shlocky, cliche-ridden, miserably bad writer. You get good by starting out bad. Some people can’t handle that. Some people can. There’s a word for people who can: “Authors.”" - This is gold. “I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating. There’s no way to be a great writer unless you’re first ready to be a horrible, wretched, shlocky, cliche-ridden, miserably bad writer. You get good by starting out bad. Some people can’t handle that. Some people can.

There’s a word for people who can: “Authors.””

- This is gold.

]]> By: Nancy Kay Bowden http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14115 Nancy Kay Bowden Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:04:40 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14115 To Monica: I am so impressed that you're writing novels! Stick with it! Don't ever give up! There are plenty of writing organizations and more experienced writers willing to mentor young writers. Research like crazy--it's fun. When you're out and about, people watch people the ages of your characters. Coffee shops are excellent places to eavesdrop... To Randy: I regret I haven't made my way to your blog before. Great post. I'll be back! (And I'll check out the archives, too.) To Monica: I am so impressed that you’re writing novels! Stick with it! Don’t ever give up! There are plenty of writing organizations and more experienced writers willing to mentor young writers. Research like crazy–it’s fun. When you’re out and about, people watch people the ages of your characters. Coffee shops are excellent places to eavesdrop…

To Randy: I regret I haven’t made my way to your blog before. Great post. I’ll be back! (And I’ll check out the archives, too.)

]]> By: The Unexpected Mission « BJ Thoughts… http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14181 The Unexpected Mission « BJ Thoughts… Sat, 16 Oct 2010 06:37:13 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/10/11/writing-fictional-characters-who-arent-like-you/#comment-14181 [...] Writing Fictional Characters Who Aren’t Like You (advancedfictionwriting.com) [...] […] Writing Fictional Characters Who Aren’t Like You (advancedfictionwriting.com) […]

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