A Question of Character

[walker]

I heard once that a young writer's first stories very often feature a protagonist similar in thought and personality to the writer's self. Do you find this to be the case when you look at your early stories? I see that Dostoevsky's early attempts, for instance, seem to portray, however exaggerated, the brooding, unlucky-in-love introvert he really did seem to be. It seems a natural place to start ... to place yourself, with modifications, in your first worlds and take a look around.

For narrative writers, do you find the protagonist in your stories very often shares your sex, situation, and personality?

[syme]

Clever title. I think what you're saying is probably right for the most part, but one can't turn these things into "laws." In my own case, my first "serious" stories did not feature characters that where at least obviously similar to myself. Perhaps I should try that more, as it might help to explain why I've not *yet* received a noble prize in literature.

[cristina]

I'm a beginner in fiction writing (my works are mostly non-fiction or poetry) and I do tend to base my characters on myself. But this is because I turned to fiction writing as a productive outlet for my...(blushes)...romantic fantasies.

I've read that "Mary Sue-ism" is something that plagues fan fiction. But I don't write fan fiction.

About "Mary Sue-ism", check these: www.bast-enterprises.de/ranma/MarySue.html, www.fictionpress.com/read.php?storyid=1440163

[katycarl]

My protagonists used to be like that: very badly disguised versions of myself. I've tried to move farther and farther away from that as I've matured as a writer. I think that, after a fuller personal and artistic maturity is gained (which for me is not yet), it's easier to create believable, authentic characters who are somewhat like yourself, but with significant differences (cf. Evelyn Waugh's Charles Ryder in Brideshead Revisited).

At the beginning stage, at least for me, stories involving self-similar characters have tended to be exercises in self-indulgence. It may be different with others; I don't know.

[walker]

Great links, Christina! Those spoke to exactly what I was talking about. I liked that tip about a rating scale for characters ... on a scale of one to ten, have them be 9's in some categories and 2's in others.