When you work in retail you have a lot of opportunities to people watch, but you never really think about how these people can affect your life. While running a merchandise stand for the Super Bowl recently, I met hundreds of people I may never have met had I not been working there, and how just meeting some of them changed perceptions and notions I have; this is also true of the many friends I've made while working with the company! This makes me think of an element King discussed about developing characters, and how they grow on their own as he writes them. He also wrote that if they change the course of the story, then he knows he has succeeded.
My co-workers have become part of my family, especially because when we work together we are literally spending day and night with the same group of people for various lengths of time. King's writing strategies on character development was the thing that stood out to me the most, because I write my characters the same way. I've always looked at the people in my life as having a major effect on where I go and the choices I make. For example, had I not been friends with Jaime, I never would have started my job working for sporting events, never would have traveled as much as I have or had the experiences I've had, or met all the wonderful people I am now so close to!
Just thinking about these "characters" in my story and how they have shaped the course of my storyline, which I can't imagine it any differently! There's always the question of whether or not life imitates art or vice versa, which in my opinion King seems to use life as his inspiration based on my experiences. Sometimes we don't really think about this because it is just a habit or routine to go to the friends we have, but what if they hadn't been your friends? How would your life be different?
~ Alexis
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Interesting take on "real" characters. We don't really think about people as characters in our lives - at least I know I don't - not enough that is. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhenever someone writes a story they're characters are probably build off of someone they once knew. I work in retail too and I can't tell you how many times I meet someone who had the potential to be a great character. Such a good point, characters are everywhere, and as writers we should be taking full advantage of it.
ReplyDeletelove your layout! beaches are love :)
You make a lot of good points in your post, and it is quite obvious what the most important part of King's memoir. People watching is sooo much fun.. my grandma and I use to go to breakfast every saturday and "people watch". She would look at someone and tell their whole life.. I haven't done it in a while, but nevertheless its a good way to excerise your imagination.
ReplyDelete