So a few days ago, I began to ponder the question, 'how much does an author's personality reflect in their book'. You think that the answer would be simple. It would either be, "Yes my personality always shows up in my stories" or "No my personality never shows up in my stories." Well, it wasn't quite that simple for me.
I really started to think about this for myself and then started to wonder about other authors. For example, there are some really sweet stories out there like Thianna D's All They Ever Needed series. After I got done reading that series, it made me think, 'Wow, Thianna must be such a sweet person in real life because her characters were so genuine and sweet.' Is that case? I don't know because I've never met her in real life. I have talked to her on the internet and she seems like a really sweet person though. :-)
Another example is what about people who write stories that have a non-consensual theme. I'm seriously hoping here that those authors don't reflect their personality in their stories because that would mean that we had some pretty mean people out there.
Anyway, I was thinking about this and I came to the conclusion that for me, my book (soon to be books) reflect about half of my personality.
I keep getting the compliment that I'm a sweet writer. My dominants are always there with open arms whenever their submissives need a cuddle. In real life, I'm a sweet person. I'm always the friend who will gladly give you her notes if you missed class, ask how your brother's soccer game went that you went to last Saturday, or around Christmas time, I make little goodie bags filled with candy and a lotto ticket for my friends. I can't help it, I like being sweet to people because you never know what someone is going through and how a simple act of kindness can change their day.
So far, all of my stories are age play themed. I like writing about Daddies who take care of their little girls. I've openly said before that I relate very well to a little. Yet, this does not reflect my personality at all. In real life, I've been told on many occasion that I'm the "mom" of my group of friends. I'm the one when if I was going out partying with my friends, I make sure that no one does anything stupid. I also tend to be the one who reminds everyone else "oh you need to bring that extra textbook or extra assignment to class tomorrow." If anyone who liked my books met me in person, they would have no clue that I would rather act little than big.
I also hate being touched in real life. I have my bubble and people should not penetrate it unless you're my best friend who could give a shit if I keep telling her that I hate hugs. In my book(s), touching is such a huge part of the story. The Daddy always rubs the little's back or her feet. The little loves her cuddles or just holding her Daddy's hand. That so isn't me.
Now that this is all said, I really wonder how much any author's personality reflects in their books. Before I started writing stories, I would have said that the author's personality is what shaped the entire story. After becoming one though, I can see how that just might not be the case. I would love to hear what anyone, author or reader, thinks on this topic.
That's my ramble for the day. I hope that you all have a great rest of the week! :-)
OMG, I would totally be that best friend constantly hugging and pawing at you! :)
ReplyDeleteI am such a toucher. I can't help it. :)
Loved this post.
I think a lot of my personality shows in my writing, but that is bc I am only comfortable writing what I know right now.
But I was really surprised when you mentioned before, being the mom of your group.
LOL, I totally pegged you as "younger".
I am almost always the "youngest" in my groups.
highly creative and sometimes annoyingly energetic and in need of lots of loving attention.
:)
<3
Katherine I love your writing so keep showing your personality in it!
DeleteTechnically, out of all the author friends on FB, I'm like the youngest. I'm just going to be 21 in a couple of weeks so, I know a lot less than you guys. But, in my group of other 21 year old friends, I turn in to the Mom. Thank gosh I do because I have to tell you, most 21 year old people will do the dumbest things if no one stops them.
Totally depends on the specific work, for my own writing, and a million other factors I can't even begin to articulate. Some authors are probably writing pure fantasy, others may be writing from real experience, at least somewhat, and it goes all up and down that scale and no one knows unless an author tells the world specifically, "This is really ME." They don't call it "fiction" for nothing. Heh. The personality you talk about ... I think it CAN come across in fiction (even dark stuff), yes, certainly!
ReplyDeleteSheri I think that you have a point. No one will know if this is what the author really thinks unless the author actually admits it. Like you said, "They don't call it fiction for nothing." :-)
DeleteI would hug you anyway. I have another friend who isn't a hugger either and I still hug her and tell her to get over it. I think it's interesting about the touching and you acting like a mom rather than a little in real life but it also makes sense to me. I think our subconscious is incredibly powerful. Maybe we write what we miss?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've written non-con and I'm totally non-violent. Just FYI. Do not be afraid :)
Natasha you might have a point there with our subconscious might want things that's different than what I really do. Who knows?
DeleteI'm glad to know that non-con writers are nice too! :-)
Haha! Natasha, I can totally see you hugging non-huggers! Lol.
ReplyDeleteI think, in some ways, we definitely bring our personalities to our work, but some characters are more like us than others. The same with relationship dynamics. Right now I'm writing a book in which the way the characters interact and what they love/hate about each other is totally similar to how my husband and I interact. But the characters aren't really that similar to us. It's just the archetypes that are similar.
Also, I think it's much harder to write characters who are very different from your own personality (unless you know someone like that character), because it's just harder to get into the head of someone super different from you. That's when I like to base them off someone I know, at least as a jumping off point. Great post Meredith!
I think that you have a point too Normandie. For me, it would be extremely difficult to write a non-con story because I couldn't get in to the head space to write it. I'm glad that you liked my post! :-)
DeleteI also often wonder how much authors are reflected in their books. Why are authors drawn to certain themes or topics? It's not always as simple as it appears. For instance...noncon. Perhaps it's not about the force, but about the relief of responsibility. If one is forced to engage in an act, one is relieved of the responsibility/guilt/shame of having participated. That's my armchair psychoanalysis.
ReplyDeleteWhat the author writes can reflect one's own life, one's hopes/longing, or one's fantasies, but it's not always a direct connection. There is meaning beneath the act.
What you wrote is very intriguing Cara. I do believe that what an author writes can reflect their fantasies or be a mirror image of their life. In a way, that's what makes writing so therapeutic. The author gets to write about and control a specific situation.
DeleteThe way that you phrased non-con...I guess that I can see why writers write about it. It would be a way for characters to truly give up their responsibilities about what happens. The only problem I have with it is I've found very few non-cons that actually benefits the character. Hmmm...a story just came in to my head. :-)
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ReplyDelete