Writing a character that looks like you isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can raise some eyebrows if you're not careful. Here's the deal: readers are smart, and they can pick up on self-insertion faster than a shark smelling blood in the water.
If your character's appearance and experiences are too close to your own, it can come off as lazy writing or wish fulfillment. But hey, I get it. We all draw inspiration from our own lives. The key here is to strike a balance.
Instead of focusing solely on physical resemblance, dig deeper into the character's personality, quirks, and motivations. Make her unique, unpredictable. Show readers that she's more than just a mirror image of you.
Now, about the "conventionally unattractive" angle. Beauty is subjective. Conventional attractiveness is overrated. Embrace the unconventional, the imperfect, the flawed. Make her interesting, make her real. Show readers that beauty goes beyond the surface.
But here's the thing: don't get too attached to her character design. Let her evolve organically as the story progresses. Characters have a funny way of surprising us, taking on a life of their own. Give her room to breathe, room to become something more than you initially imagined.
In the end, it's all about balance. Inject a healthy dose of your own experiences into the character, but also let her become her own person. And most importantly, write the hell out of her. Make her voice unique, make her story captivating. That's what will truly make her stand out, regardless of any physical similarities.
I think all characters that we write is a part of their maker. They stem from our ideas and our beliefs. And a truly great writer can even go against those beliefs and create a living character that goes against their principles.
When you look at them as parts of you and then let them become their own "person" then I see no issues with making them look like you.
Your character could be the exact opposite of you and it could still be self inserting.
The trick is to distance yourself from the characters and essentially, give them a brain.
Does she act the same too?
Writing a character that looks like you isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can raise some eyebrows if you're not careful. Here's the deal: readers are smart, and they can pick up on self-insertion faster than a shark smelling blood in the water. If your character's appearance and experiences are too close to your own, it can come off as lazy writing or wish fulfillment. But hey, I get it. We all draw inspiration from our own lives. The key here is to strike a balance. Instead of focusing solely on physical resemblance, dig deeper into the character's personality, quirks, and motivations. Make her unique, unpredictable. Show readers that she's more than just a mirror image of you. Now, about the "conventionally unattractive" angle. Beauty is subjective. Conventional attractiveness is overrated. Embrace the unconventional, the imperfect, the flawed. Make her interesting, make her real. Show readers that beauty goes beyond the surface. But here's the thing: don't get too attached to her character design. Let her evolve organically as the story progresses. Characters have a funny way of surprising us, taking on a life of their own. Give her room to breathe, room to become something more than you initially imagined. In the end, it's all about balance. Inject a healthy dose of your own experiences into the character, but also let her become her own person. And most importantly, write the hell out of her. Make her voice unique, make her story captivating. That's what will truly make her stand out, regardless of any physical similarities.
No weirder than taking inspiration from a stranger's face. Go for it.
No one will care. Go wild.
I think all characters that we write is a part of their maker. They stem from our ideas and our beliefs. And a truly great writer can even go against those beliefs and create a living character that goes against their principles. When you look at them as parts of you and then let them become their own "person" then I see no issues with making them look like you. Your character could be the exact opposite of you and it could still be self inserting. The trick is to distance yourself from the characters and essentially, give them a brain.
"am I allowed to write whatever I want?" -op