Identifying With Fictional Characters Part 2: Your Creations

[MysterionMuffles]

I know there are a few out there I've talked to in the chatroom, but I still want to know. Are there any other writers here in FDR, and if so, has the concept of IFS/Mecosystem affected your writing?

 

I can't remember the exact quote, but it was along the lines of "an author is just a bunch of people trying to be one." 

 

I recall learning in writing class that the characters we create are usually just aspects of ourselves that want to be expressed.

 

When I got familiarized with the concept of IFS/Mecosystem, it started to make so much more sense. Yes, some of the characters I write about are based on people I know, but ultimately because they will hold some of my own views, and if not views at least my words put into their mouths, they are still a part of me.

 

Stef also mentions that it's helpful to identify your parts and write out a dialogue between them, and so that just makes me think that any time people go to sit down and write, they're just writing from the place of the Mecosystem, using the IFS to help them trudge along in this crazy world we like to build fictions around.

 

What do you guys think?

[MysterionMuffles]

I swear I thought there were some writers on this board, and naturaly they'd like perusing the forums a lot since it involves a ton of writing and reading lol. Oh well.

[ManDudely]

I'd say there's definately a grain of truth to the idea... until you're aware of it.

 

For example, when you first start writing you might imbue characters with traits you idealise and have the world react to or portray them favourably. They take stances you support and can easily articulate, and thus writing for them becomes easy, and fun. For you, at least. Either way, it's practice. You get to play around with the flow of words and develop new evoking expressions. The story as a whole might not end up terribly deep or unbiased though, as you set up characters with weak arguements for your hero to quash with sharp one liners and look great as they turn and stroll off into the sunset.Now try writing a story wherein the central character is a lying, cheating, murdering psychopath. Presuming you're not one yourself, you've probably encountered these traits in less extreme manifestations and have a vague familiarity of what it takes to perform heinous acts, and the effect or non-effect these actions have upon a psyche. You created that character though, so you know what their values and boundaries are, what interests them, their strengths and weaknesses, and as a person endowed with empathy and imagination you can 'step into' that role and see things from the characters perspective without being a psychopath yourself. The story might end up being completely offensive to your own tastes but find more appreciation in reviewers for not being a world set up just to confirm your own biases.

 

Ultimately, the more you know about people and the wide spectrum of mental behaviours humans can possess, and the depth of your flowery speech, the more 'realistic' your characters will appear and the more vivid you can make them in a readers mind. And if you struggle with that, make up a sentient non-human race. They're your creation, whatever you say goes!

 

Of course, everything I've written about here is in relation to writing fictional stories with fictional characters and fictional events, and may not necessarily be applicable to a 'conversation with your own parts'.