Spent 3 hours trying to write a character who wasn't just me in a different hat

I started a new short story last Tuesday. Main character is a retired marine biologist who lives on a houseboat. By hour two I realized she talked exactly like me, complained about the same things I do, and even used my favorite sarcastic phrases. Deleted the whole thing and started fresh. Anyone else catch themselves doing this and have a trick to break out of your own voice?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan_burns9518d ago

@daniel_walker said it better than I could. I used to think every character was just you wearing a different costume. But your post made me realize that's lazy writing. The marine biologist you started with sounds real, she just needs her own history to feel separate from you. Maybe give her a weird hobby like collecting sea glass or a habit of talking to her fish tank. Little things like that can push a character away from your voice without making them feel fake.

fiona_young17d ago

@daniel_walker really nailed it here. Small details like a weird hobby or a silly habit can make a character feel completely separate from you. It's those little touches that bring someone to life on the page.

daniel_walker18d ago

Honestly I used to think characters were just you in different situations but your post actually changed my mind about that. It makes more sense to build a character from their own history and habits so they feel like a real separate person instead of a copy of you. That marine biologist idea sounds cool by the way, hope you give her another shot with a different approach.