Years ago, when I first stepped away from teaching to write full time, I was faced with the dilemma of what to write about. Write what you know, was the adage that came to mind, so I made the grievous error of trying to fictionalize my own story. I found out at my first writer’s conference that this is mistake #1. But before that revelation, I submitted this (doomed) literary work to a writer’s contest only to be told that the trauma my main character experienced was too fantastic to be believable. I guess the saying Life is stranger than fiction is true, because I packed into one story all I’d been dealing with over the past few years. And believe me, it happened.
You might wonder why fictionalizing one’s own life is mistake #1. You’d think it’s the easiest way to write a novel since the research is already done. But what I quickly learned (and was later confirmed with my first face-to-face critique) is that the truth is so tightly ingrained in our psyches that it’s difficult to detach it from fiction. I found myself defending the character’s choices (because they were true to who I was) even when it plagued the story with a poor plot or character development. I was unable to set the characters free to discover their own story.
Hence, I learned how to let life experiences inspire the story. The first novel I completed (scheduled to be released May of 2021) was inspired by my brother’s suicide. It’s not my brother’s story or even his family’s story, but it sparked a lot of “what if?” questions in my mind, which helped me develop the characters so far removed from truth that no one would recognize them. And what I find in every story I write, is that the characters are free to act in a way that often surprises me. I am a plotter, to some extent, meaning that I like to plot my storyline out. But I’m also a seat-of-the-pantser (writing by the seat of my pants), which means that the story flows freely. Being both, I have the flexibility to let changes occur where they will and then readjust to make it work in the end.
My second finished novel (scheduled to be released next May) was inspired by my daughter’s car accident. Again, it’s not my daughter’s story. I used a character near her age at the time of the accident and gave her a brother close to her own brother’s age. I also used my own experiences as a mother living through the realities of watching a child recover from traumatic brain injury to make it as real as possible. But that’s where the similarities end. Cory, the main character, is nothing like me and her story is completely fictional.
Inspiration is key when writing novels, and at one time, I was concerned about where future stories would come from. Would I only be able to write if I experienced more trauma? I prayed not. I took this question to my one-time agent, Karen Ball, and she laughed. “Jennifer,” she said. “You have enough past trauma in your life to write until the day you die.” It’s not the trauma that inspires story—but the emotions that we live through during the trauma that allows a writer to create believable novels.
Of course, I’ve also written several non-fiction stories, too. Chicken Soup for the Soul books are a great vehicle for practicing the art of storytelling in a concise way and (hopefully) getting published. If you have some inspiring true-life experiences of your own, and would like to be published, check out their website at www.chickensoup.com. If they publish your work, you receive $200 and ten free copies in whichever book your story is published.
Comments 4
I think some of this is what you tried to tell me on the phone last time we talked. I still admire the tenacity you have to stick with it to the end. I finished Surrendered last night again. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. While I can tell where you experienced parts, the characters are wholly themselves and not you. That intrigues me. Thank you for the story. As always, I miss you. Love you too.
Author
Love you, too, and thanks for all your encouragement and support!
Thanks Jennifer for the explanation as I’ve wondered about what inspires you to write and develop the characters you develop. I appreciate the insight. Looking forward to your next novel.
Author
Thanks, Corlis!