Do you think its easier or harder using situations you have experienced in your writing?

[[deleted user]]

Recently, I've been trying to write more often, and I came across some great banter between me and a couple of friends the other day and decided to incorporate it into my writing because it genuinely followed the story and gave it a more realistic feel, in my mind. But I'm starting to have some difficulties carrying on with the rest of my novel. So, I was just wondering what your thoughts were on this! :D

[Ann]

Alot of situations I've been in enter my novels. Banter especially :3 Also dangerous situations Ive been in too, but I turn people into monsters etc. I think it would be interesting if we could know what had actually happened to the author and what was completely fiction. Great thread! :3

[Carl]

I can't write about my years as a janitor because I hated that fucking job.

[Karen]

@ Carl
The stuff that serial crime or horror fiction is made of. ;)

[Ann]

Carl that sounds like a super villain back story :p

[J. David]

Harder, much harder. Situations I imagine I can easily stand back from and look at them with an appraising eye to determine what the scene needs. Stuff from real life I can't detach myself from and it ends up feeling wrong on the page somehow. That seems odd, but it's true. The more real it is, the less right it seems to me.

[Ann]

I have a really slow reaction time to things. I witnessed a dangerous situation with a woman and a baby, Viking had already jumped the fence before I realised what the hell was going on lol. I would help, I just get too stunned to realise whats going on lol.

Luckily Viking is a have-a-go hero so I can just provide medical things once he's fainted if there is blood about lol

[J]

Adding to what Carl said, I hated my job at Taco Hell, but I have it included in my novel because I have a character who works at "Spicy Taco" and he hates his job. So it's a great way to rant about your job. >:3

@ J. David--my story takes place at a fictionalized-version of my old college and it does feel weird to me, too. I think on the back of my mind I thought it was weird, but after reading your comment, I have the same feeling with mine. Being a different school now makes me want to recreate the college for my novel. Have my male and female leads live in co-ed residence halls instead of single-sex ones... I don't know. lol

@ Bisky - My dad said I have fast reflexes especially when driving. :3 Fight or flight, I guess. :3

[Ann]

I have the reflex where I will probably get squashed by the car, so i dont know if thats flight, more like 'stay still' :p

[J]

Perhaps not responding is a sign of flight? lol That's a good question. Maybe flight is no response and fight is a response? D8 lol

[Ann]

Maybe its just slow Bisky repsonce lol

[Michael]

If I use something not from my own experience, I have to read a lot about it and I'll still probably get details wrong.

[Jaeme]

It's definitely harder to write from experience. You have to tell the truth or it doesn't work. Often the truth is not what you thought it was at the time.

[Ann]

true :3

[Giulia]

I don't use real life situations. They seem not to fit. I use instead what I've learned from them and fashion that into the story. Things like hope is eternal, but I don't state it quite so cliche-like. If I don't use a "lesson" theist all fiction.

[Carl]

Karen & Bisky, good idea.Argh.

[J]

Sometimes I eavesdrop on others' conversations while eating in the cafe on my campus. It gets interesting. lol - or even hearing my room/suite-mates talk to each other. xD

[Ann]

Best thing about learning this lanuage was the moment I could understand people chatting on the bus.

[Carl]

Josh, I refer to eavesdropping as "research."

[Ann]

Buahaha!