I’ve been immersed in my story world for such a long time now that in some ways it feels more real than the real world. The characters, though, aren’t old friends. Well, some of them are. Others, though, are a part of me. Or, rather, parts of them are parts of me. Some of their traits and attitudes and idiosyncrasies are lifted from my own experience. And this is where it gets interesting: At the intersection of fiction and life.
Your own gut reaction to any situation you put your characters in tells a story about your own… well… character, if you’re willing to listen. In this way, your characters hold up a mirror to you, and every once in a while it can be eye-opening. Whether you like what you see in that mirror or not – you have an opportunity there. The opportunity to either be proud of how far you’ve come and stay the course, or to stop and reflect whether your actions really express your values.
And that, again, is where our characters can lend a helping hand. Whereas in real life you usually don’t get a chance to do things over, in your stories you can play. You can have fun and try on solutions for size, whether they make sense for your character or not. Maybe they make sense for you, should you ever find yourself in a similar situation. And if that situation arises, you’ll already have put the practice in.
Quite apart from the enjoyment I get out of writing, delving deep into my characters has taught me lot about myself. The lessons haven’t always been comfortable, but they’ve always been worth listening to.