Writing From Life
When people hear that I’m a writer they want to know if I write from my own life. I write mysteries so maybe they’re hoping for a juicy confession, but alas I’ve never offed someone for the sake of my art.
There are certain aspects of my stories though that do come from my life. Every personality trait is directly stolen from someone in my life.
The relationship between Catherine and her husband Gavin so closely resembles mine with my own husband that my sister is refusing to read the series anymore. She says it creeps her out too much, like being a fly on the wall of our bedroom. Though the situations the two get into are nothing like us the interactions between them, the playful banter, is us.
Other characters are amalgams of people I know and some are direct rip offs. Hey Dad, did you see yourself in the chief?
Some conversations and situations (aside from murder) are also filched from my life usually because they were too funny to be forgotten. Catherine’s dorkiest moments come directly from my own stupidest moments.
I’ve said before if you read me you know me. I think you might be able to extend that to if you read me you know some of my friends and family too.
Even though I’ve not (yet) killed anyone there are plenty of chance in real life to plot a murder. It’s no secret that my first Catherine O’Brien mystery A Grand Murder was created because I wanted to kill a former boss, so I did, on paper.
All writers tend to put themselves in their characters or books, even if they don’t want to admit it.
One writer I know says she doesn’t write from life yet when she began to struggle in her relationship with her husband she wrote a character struggling over whether she should divorce her husband or not. It was obvious even to her after it was gently pointed out) that she was writing her way through her problems.
Writing is cathartic, it’s a great way to sort through how you’re feeling about issues. One great author and teacher the late Cheryl Anne Porter once said as a writer you don’t get the luxury of sitting on the fence you must pick a side. That’s why so many people write about atrocities, injustices and tragedies. It’s our way of trying to understand the world and in at least on paper fix what wrong.
So while I still maintain that I’ve only ever killed someone on paper, my answer to the question of do I write from life? Not directly but yes.
Filed under: Writers, writing Tagged: writers, writing, Writing From Life

