I’ve been really open about the fact that I love using real people as characters. At least I think I have been. Or perhaps I’ve only said that I like using their names? I don’t remember. Anyway, I think doing so makes for solid characters. Cause at the end of the day you want people to relate to your characters, right? Right. And I’m not saying that my characters are 100 percent biographical when I base a character on a person, but they are a little bit. Maybe I’m just cheating.
For me, we all know that every individual person has their own personality and belief system, so why not transfer that from real life onto the pages of a book? Assuming the person grants you permission, of course. Tell me what could be more fascinating than to have a writer you know ask you if they can base a character on you. It would depend a little bit on the story and a lot on the quality of the writing, but I would be ecstatic. Seeing parts of your odd personality on the pages of a book, how cool would that be? Maybe you have a very distinct laugh. Or maybe you do this thing with your hair in certain situations. Or perhaps you have a shoe obsession. Just small things that anyone can recognize.
The people I’ve chosen to use as characters are all completely different from one another. Gender. Race. Education. Personality. I believe they make for great characters to write, but also to read.
So tell me. have you ever based a character on someone you know?
Johnny Reads 
I often begin with the idea of a real person, but then the characters tends to grow and change as the story progresses and they gradually become their own selves. It makes a difference if you’re doing it because you like the person or you don’t.
LikeLike
Yes. I sometimes base my ‘villains’ on people I dislike. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve based a couple characters on real people. I take their general appearance, and maybe even a part of their name, but the characters always develop into their own personalities. It’s fun, and keeps me entertained with characters I might not have otherwise developed as much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Almost always. Although it often takes two or more real people to make one good literary character. I tend to blend stuff from my own life and a mix of friends into each character.
LikeLike
I tend to base my characters on real people. Or at least characteristics of certain people I know. I sometimes use real conversations as well 🙂
LikeLike
Yeah I so do this!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My trouble is all of my characters seem to have me somewhere in them -_- so they are really aren’t diverse or interesting haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well they have to have you in them to some point, right?
LikeLike