People You Know, Characters You Create

The Eye-Dancers

Apr 30

Have you ever wanted to write--or actually written--a piece of fiction that featured characters based on actual people you know? Now, granted--even when we create our characters "out of thin air," there are elements of people we know in them. Or, sometimes, a composite of several people's characteristics rolled into one. This may be on a subconscious level--you're not necessarily trying to base your characters on anyone. But it's inevitable that traits from some people you know (or you. yourself, as the author) will find their way into some of your characters.

However, that's not what we're talking about here. What we're talking about is . . . you know Jane from across the hall in your apartment complex, and you want to create a character "based" on her. Or perhaps someone from school--a bully, your best friend, a teacher, a nerd--whoever it is. You want to feature them in your next novel (with a different name, of course). Can you literally have at it, and re-create the real-life person in your fictional story? Or do you need to add several layers of a literary buffer, effectively "disguising" them, perhaps even from themselves should they read your work?

The interesting thing about that is--whatever your intention, it likely doesn't matter because as you write, as you go forward with your literary endeavor, creative elements will take over.

As I've posted about in the past, the main characters in The Eye-Dancers were based on friends I had growing up. Specifically, Mitchell Brant was inspired by Matt B.; Ryan Swinton by Rick S.; Joe Marma by, well, Joe M.; and Marc Kuslanski by MattK. The supporting character of Matt "Grronk" Giselmo was also inspired by a Matt--Matt G. A lot of Matts! As for last names, of course I changed them, though I matched the first letter of the fictional characters' last names with their real-life inspirations.

And, honestly, when I set out to write the novel, my intent was to keep the characters relatively close to my real-life friends. I wasn't aiming to incorporate much "separation" at all. Sure, I'd change details and respect their privacy. Of course. But as for their personalities, quirks, inside jokes, nicknames, and even physical tendencies, I was drawing form the real thing.

But then, as I continued to move forward with the story, a funny thing happened. I began seeing the protagonists solely as who they were, and wasn't even thinking of the real-life Matts or Rick or Joe. Ryan Swinton was only Ryan Swinton. Marc Kuslanski was only Marc Kuslanski. At a certain point during the writing process, it was as if the characters weren't inspired by anyone. They had matured, grown, morphed, and become exclusively who they were. Obviously, even with this development, the characters retained elements of their real-life inspirations. How could they not? That's how they were "born." But they had fully and completely become their own entities. As I wrote their scenes, I no longer even glimpsed the actual people they were based on. I saw only the protagonists themselves.

It was a revelatory experience, one I honestly did not expect. At the outset, I was "seeing" them so much as offshoots of the people I knew; I assumed it would remain that way throughout the process. But as so often happens with creative endeavors, the process, the experience, the flow, the wonder takes on a life of its own and leads you where it will. The writing is in charge. Not the author.

So, if you are in a similar circumstance--about to begin a novel or a fictionalized work of some sort and are basing your characters on people you know (or knew), and you're wondering how "close" to cut it . . . you probably have nothing to worry about.

Because as you begin, as you wade through the literary waters, as the bones of the story fill out with muscle and sinew and soul and emotion . . . the characters will become who they decide to become, and the initial inspirations will fade into the background.

So write. Let your characters lead on. It promises to be a journey as exciting as it is unpredictable.