Friday, March 14, 2014

Are You in There?

I'm over at From the Write Angle today talking about the Non-Autobiographical You. Sounds weird, I know, but if you pop on over, you'll see what I'm talking about!

I've never used a real event from my life in my writing and I doubt I ever will. So far I haven't even taken a real event and twisted it.

My life isn't great fodder for fiction. Thankfully! I don't want or need to live a life where I suffer like Main Characters always seem to do!

But if I had to take one event and use it, it might be my tendency to use swing sets a little differently as a kid. Sure I liked to swing and jump off like everyone else, but I also liked to shinny up the poles and hang upside down from my knees off the top bar. The most fun though was shinnying up to the top and then walking along the top bar as if it was a beam.

Might be a fun scene if I ever decide to write one of those MG ideas spinning around in my head!

How about you - what's something you've done that would make a great scene in a novel?

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've based manuscripts on a strong personality I've met or something odd that I've seen happen.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Love that you used swing sets as a jungle gym...ha!

Nothing I've *done* would really be interesting in a book...sometimes a bit of my personality will rub off into a character, though. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

My life is too ordinary to be in a book...

Dianne K. Salerni said...

I have an idea for a scene in my head, but I'll only get to use it if my publisher fulfills the option for 2 more books in my MG series. If I get to write the 4th proposed book, my protagonist will be taken skiing for the first time by his teenage guardian. Then I'll be calling on my own experiences -- and my favorite ski mountain.

Jemi Fraser said...

Medeia - I keep filing fun incidents - but haven't used any yet!

Elizabeth - that sounds about right for me too :)

Alex - you and me both - and I'm very glad for that!

Dianne - that sounds awesome! I also have a skiing incident I could use ... as a hint I only skied once and it was about as far from successful as you can imagine! :)

Mason Canyon said...

My life doesn't stand out in anyway that would make for interesting reading.

Carol Kilgore said...

Some incidents in my books are based on things that have happened to me or people I know. But they're not lifted whole hog. It's the beginning of something, a reaction to something else, mixed with a healthy cup of fiction.

Jemi Fraser said...

Mason - you and me both! And I like it that way :)

Carol - That's the best way! Real life gives us those sparks and off we go!

DEZMOND said...

funny how you haven't ended up at Olympics :)))

Jemi Fraser said...

Dezzy - I know! Hard to believe ... okay, not even a little bit! :)

Denise Covey said...

When I write, little flashes of my past find their way in. Talking of swing sets, The Fault in our Stars users one so powerfully.

cleemckenzie said...

I've got a few scenes based on "real" life tucked away for some story, some day or maybe never. I can't decide yet.

I used to play on those swing sets and pretended I was an acrobat in the circus. Scared my mom a lot. :-)

Jemi Fraser said...

Lee - my mom never knew - thank goodness! She might have had a heart attack! :)

Leslie S. Rose said...

I hope you were wearing shorts when you hung upsidedown!

Jemi Fraser said...

Leslie - LOL - probably??? :)

Beth said...

I'm looking forward to reading your entry!
And as for using my life in a book, I've never used events from my life, but it's amazing how often bits of my personality show up in my writing….

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Beth. I think my personality definitely shows up in my writing too :)

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Ooh,using the swing set as monkey bars.... Me like!

Sheri at Writer's Alley

Home of Rebel Writer CREED 2014
Mighty Minion Bureau Team #atozchallenge

Jemi Fraser said...

Sheri - it was fun! :)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

poles are good for shinnying.
I use a lot of my experiences in my stories, but it's usually the mundane snippets of my stories ;)

Jemi Fraser said...

Lynda - hmmm. I wonder if I do that too? I'll have to think about it :)

klahanie said...

Hey human, Jemi,

How's it goin', eh?

You have "MG" ideas spinning around in your head, my human friend? Acronym alert! Thought an MG was an old British sports car.

I created an imaginary character named, Gary. Might make for a weird scene in a novel.

Pawsitive wishes,

Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar! :)

Deniz Bevan said...

That's interesting! I've taken a few real live events/moments - heavily tweaked, though. They always change once the characters get a hold of them!

Deniz
http://www.thegirdleofmelian.blogspot.com
Nicole's #atozchallenge Mighty Minion

Kelly Steel said...

Hi Jemi!

Great post! I'm trying a new story, hopefully some of my friends would end in it!

Jemi Fraser said...

Penny - I think Gary would make an excellent character to star in his own story! And how did you know I've always favoured those MGs - nice cars :)

Deniz - I bet! I think we all probably springboard from real life like that a bit!

Kelly - sounds like fun! :)