Chapter 10: When Author Is Nothing Like The Main Character

When you´re writing a story, you want to have main characters that are appealing in some way. The main characters are often very interesting, courageous, pretty, smart and I could keep going on like this forever.

It´s good to write about things you know the best... It is somehow easier. So it shouldn´t come as a surprise to you that authors often project themselves into main characters. They have the same opinions, same sense of humor, same values and oftentimes they even look a lot like their creator.

But... When I write I simply can´t use myself as an image for perfect and flawless main female character. Why?

For starters, I am not graceful and nonchalant. As a matter of fact, I´m the exact opposite. When I walk down the street I stumble and fall. A lot. If there is one single bump on a completely smooth road you can be damn sure that I´m going to find it and stumble because of it.

I´m not good with make up either. When I put on red lipstick and I flash a big smile at someone I like, there is a 98 % chance that I have red lipstick also on my teeth. Charming...

The main characters are witty and always know what to say and when to say it. I don´t. What I do, is often just keep silent with an awkward smile.

I´m not elegant either. When I get all dressed up it has become some sort of a rule that I have to spill something all over my clothes.

So there you have it. I´m awkward, clumsy and no elegant at all. If I´m not writing about the weird girl with extreme talent for finding herself in awkward situations, I simply have to use my imagination.

What about you? Do you project yourself into the characters in your stories? Let me know in a comment!

Chapter 9: Write and live like Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway is THE legend – obviously. When I was teenager, I dreamed that I would have exciting life as he had. I mean, living in Paris, Cuba, writing all day long, meeting interesting people, drinking coffee and mojito, what´s not to like, right? And being Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winner doesn´t suck either.

And what does MY life look like? I´m 27 years old, I live in the small town in the middle of nowhere, I´m struggling to make a living as a writer – I live from paycheck to paycheck and I don´t have money for literally anything and I´m as far from Nobel Prize for Literature as one can be. Great, I´m living the life of my dreams!

Well, not really. But I´m sloooowly getting there. And I wouldn´t have it any other way! As time went by, I realized that Hemingway´s life wasn´t as idyllic as I´ve aways imagined (Especially the ending was very sad). However we can´t deny that this man lived his life to the fullest. And that´s what I would like to achieve as well. I don´t want to have life like Hemingway. I want to LIVE life like Hemingway. Enjoy every second of it.

When you are trying to become a writer, it´s only natural that you look up to the greatest writers of all time. But everything you see are amazing careers and success stories. And it´s not what you can expect right away. Don´t write for money. Don´t write for fame. Write just for yourself. When you are writing just for yourself you can call it pure passion. And if it is meant to be, success will follow.

And when you want to write exactly like the great Hemingway himself? It can be done! Did you know that there is app that can make you write like Ernest Hemingway? Cool, right? :) How does it work? Throw couple of sentences in the app and in a minute you´ll see how Hemingway would have written it differently. If you don´t believe me, try it for yourself (and have fun!).