By: Mikayla Moss
A writer’s greatest tool is the ability to bring their readers into their story; to so thoroughly immerse them that the real world falls away. And while it may sound contradictory, the best way to do this is to incorporate real world experiences into your fiction stories.
There’s a few different ways to breathe life into your story, but let’s touch on a few.
When in doubt, write what you know. Whether it be an autobiography, or fiction with autobiographical tendencies, your life story is a great place to start. But keep in mind that if this is the type of writing you’re aiming for, you should narrow in on the specific part of your life you want to talk about.
For example, Hulk Hogan would talk about his rise to the top as a wrestler, so every part of his biography should talk about his struggle to become a wrestler, and his childhood influences that pushed him to want that life. Because his main subject pertains to wrestling he wouldn’t talk about his old childhood friend unless it had something to do with his well-known career.
Your life is made up of a billion tiny moments, but to create a good story, pick out the 100 or so best, most pertinent moments. If you don’t, your story will be all over the place. Have a destination in mind: figure out what you want your reader to get from your story, and have every sentence lead to that goal.
Every good fictional stories possess real world parallels. For example, Harry Potter exists in a fantastical society, but his life is intertwined with real life heartaches, like (spoiler alert) losing his parents. Not only does this give Harry depth, it also gives the reader something to relate to. If you’re having trouble infusing real life experiences, there are some tips and tricks for you.
Look at your own life and pull something from there.
Often times, when a novice writer pulls an experience from a secondary source, it comes off as stunted or only half-formed. But when you write about something that you, personally, have lived through? That’s when your writing becomes thoughtful and engaging. Don’t be afraid to give your characters some of your personal challenges. And who knows, this could even be therapeutic for you.
Look at someone else’s life.
Writers are the greatest people-watchers, because that’s how we get our inspirational. I can’t embody the mind of a high school boy, but I can watch how he interacts with the world. Find your favorite public place, maybe it’s a park or a coffee shop or the parking lot of a McDonald’s, break out your paper and pen, and settle in. The best way to create characters different from yourself is to be as engaged with others as possible. Watch what your fellow people do, how they speak, what they wear, their particular mannerisms.
And if all else fails…
Read. There are so many brilliant authors who came before you, and they have so much to offer. Sit down with your favorite book, and really analyze why the characters speak to you so much. It’s time to start reading like a writer.
Creativity
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So much good information that is real and very helpful, thanks for sharing I needed this.
THANK YOU .A REAL GOOD PRACTICAL GUIDANCE TO INITIATE A NEWBEE INTO THE FICTION WRITING SKILL ……. THE SIMPLE UNDERSTANDABLE WAY ITS EXPLAINED INDICATES THE DEPPTH OF EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE AT YOUR BACK!……….. KRANAND