So as a writer we get that one extra pleasure. That one allowance we love, because it’s often therapeutic and–well–fun. It’s the permission we get to put our ex, worst enemy, bitchy in-laws, or just people we don’t like in our books. Give them the shitty characters. Ex: Villains, Losers, People we laugh-at-not-with in the books. It’s wonderful, it’s an outlet, and it’s kind of funny. A nice, harmless, little way of getting your own sweet revenge.
Well, that’s all been nice and therapeutic for me. But I came to a realization today, a kind of panicky one. What if you and that person who fills in the ‘reject character spot’ make up? What if you, gasp, even become friends?
Now, that hasn’t happened to me. Not yet really. Because I’ve only filled in that character spot with one person: my daughter’s father, my ex. I’ve never been pissed enough at anyone else to put them in. But he managed to take the cake, and landed himself both passing and major spots in more than one book. And my dislike for him diminished a bit today. I learned he was sending my child presents for Christmas….*imagine me keeling over in a faint* This from the man who refused to acknowledge her, started dating another woman while I was prego, and whom I had to drag through the courts to get any child support.
So, yeah, I had good reason to give him the shit spot in my book. But this present for Emma thing has thrown me for a loop. I’m scrounging through every book I haven’t sold and looking to see if I have his name in there. Like maybe it’s over kill by the third or fourth book. Once would have been enough. Sigh. I tend to forgive easily, and never hold grudges. There’s just no point. So maybe I’m just acting like a wench and should pull his name.
Like I said, I rarely do this villain spot with people I know. Actually, I usually use the names and surnames of people I like within the book as hero’s, heroine’s and side characters. As a way to show respect and a silent little ‘hey you made a good dent in my life!’ thing.
So how about you? Has this ever happened? Are you guilty of throwing in the name of someone you know? Good or bad? And what do you think? Should I pull his name where it’s not too late?
December 12th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
Absolutely. Leave HIM in, but take out his name. This is your daughter’s father. Don’t throw any extra problems into the situation.
And remember one present is not much in the face of you raising her alone.
I’ve given the “jerk” spot to old flames or minor characters with unattractive attributes. It’s tempting!
December 12th, 2006 at 7:46 pm
Bwhahahahaha! Nope, I’ve never done that. I don’t think much about my characters and if I am patterning them after anyone.
Great post! Hehehe!
December 12th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
See that’s a good point Grace. But Emma has never met, talked to, or even is aware she has a dad. At some point she’ll know and may read my books (EEK I hope not!)
And I never really pattern the characters off of people I know, just use their names. LOL. Do I have that backwards?
December 12th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
Guilty…once nad only once and I’ll never give my ex husband or any other ex boyfriends a spot in the limelight–it would heave..er leave a bad taste in my mouth.
And if he’s there just change his name. If you had to fight that hard for support, do you think he’ll read your books?
December 12th, 2006 at 11:39 pm
I don’t think it matters if the ex knows. Just Emma. It’s just one of those things that I feel strongly about, but I’m not always RIGHT, for heaven’s sake.
As for patterning/naming, I dunno. When I’ve put people’s names I know, I did it like you did. As a compliment and usually a minor character. But I did make someone (who I KNOW will never read anything I write) gay. I knew he’d be furious, so… I used his name (not his personality) and made him gay. And a slut. heh.
December 13th, 2006 at 12:55 am
LOL that’s great, Grace! Men totally freak about that kind of thing too!
December 13th, 2006 at 3:24 pm
I haven’t used an ex as the villian…yet. But there is always next book. I do however quite often steal partial names from people in my past as characters first or last names.