IWSG July 2019: Traits and Things


Anything you say or do can be used against you
in any story that I create. That seems like a good trade off. My friendship for your essence. 
This post was written for The Insecure Writer's Support Group monthly blogging event and brought to you by founder and writer Alex J Cavanaugh. This month Alex has the help of these co-hostsErika Beebe, Natalie Aguirre, Jennifer Lane, MJ Fifield, Lisa Buie-Collard, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor! Please go visit them! July’s optional question is: What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?

Within reason, I do collect traits and circumstances (from others) to use in my stories as needed. It could be something I admire or a trait that seems off to me—something out of the ordinary and interesting.

My hope is that if I should become famous or even read at all by others and my friends or family read my stories and recognize something familiar, that they will...maybe...feel flattered instead of angry. Maybe.

But writing my own boring self into my characters? Surely not. 

However, upon reflection, it appears that I do write minor traits into some of my characters. Easy ones like:
  • Curly hair,
  • Freckles,
  • Hot temper,
  • Red hair (mine was only reddish during high school),
  • Blue eyes or
  • Picky eater. 
Not too exciting, but I’m pretty sure that most of my main chick characters, if I like them, have eyes of blue EVEN though I tell myself brown is my favorite eye color.

Maybe brown isn’t my favorite eye color. Maybe I DO like [my] blue eyes. Gee, that only took 100 years to acceptance. 


T.

Comments

I love it. And wonder whether anyone considers themselves interesting? And whether I would like them if they did?
Hi Teresa - fun thoughts ... I'd love blue eyes, but then my hazel ones (turned blue) wouldn't match the rest of my tender colouring! Our lives are full of quirky times ... we can all dream and add to those twists of where life has taken us. Good to see you - cheers Hilary
Erika Beebe said…
I tend to write some of my quirks into my characters too. Especially some of the major hurdles I'd sprinted over in my life. As a brown eyed girl, I've always wished for blue. I've heard we always wish for what we can't have ;) Happy IWSG Day :)
Funny! Guess you like those feisty redheads, huh?
Chrys Fey said…
I give my own traits to many of my characters. And I've done the same to a few close people in my life. It's so much fun, and it makes it easier to make the characters feel real, too.
Sadira Stone said…
I had to giggle in recognition: my hair is also no longer auburn, but I keep writing red-haired characters.
Pat Hatt said…
Well at least you reached acceptance haha using traits of others I may have done a time or two.
emaginette said…
Yeah, my appearance is nothing like my characters. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette
Nick Wilford said…
It's funny how these things creep in... probably subconsciously. I don't want my characters to look like me though!
Too funny! I have a habit of giving my characters all of my worst personality traits. Maybe I'm trying to work through them, ha.
Computer Tutor said…
Interesting observations. I can see that, too.

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