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I stumbled across this on Pinterest and I’ve always hated Twilight, but this really put some perspective on it.
What literary characters did you look up to growing up? Were there any bad influences you copied?
I really admire the heroine in Single in Suburbia most recently, though I’m not so secretly hoping my life does not mirror hers.
-Eliabeth
Ermilia 
i am too old to be telling characters i grew up with, lol. but some were Mr. Ed, Casper the friendly ghost,,,,,,,,,,get the picture???? lol, i am outdated…….
❤ that's okay. It's good to have someone around who has had influences some of us might not have heard of before.
It’s funny where the focus of each series was.
I think you meant a different brand of heroine. 😉
*shifty eyes* I can’t spell. I should have Googled it. I was seriously sitting there debating using “female lead” instead but that didn’t quite feel like the right word.
“I got married.” LOL! Classic. 😛
I really admire Katniss. She is my favorite.
Mine too. It occurred to me that not everyone will realize those are literary characters as well as movie characters, but I hoped that everyone around here would even if they haven’t read them ;). Katniss is my favorite as well. I don’t remember the Star Wars series, my mom read them to me when I was pretty young, but I have at least been exposed to the books.
I love The Hunger Games. But I still haven’t gotten around to watching the movie. I dunno, somehow all movies based on books I love have always disappointed me (except the first three Harry Potter movies). I hope this one doesn’t.
My greatest role model was is and probably always will be a man. He was my 8th grade science teacher. I avoid admiring literary or movie characters, especially since I started writing.
You just asked about the books on steps, and three of mine were on that list because the characters, Liesel Meminger, Scout Finch and Alice [Liddell], are among the characters I’ve read that I can best related to. I can’t say I admire them any more than I would admire myself.
Male teachers were a greater influence on me than female teachers though I hadn’t realized it until reflecting on your comment. Aren’t those stairs amazing? I love having you around Anne, thanks for being part of our community.
Yay! Thanks for having me!
Scout in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’.
M
I have got to reread that now that it’s no longer an educational mandate. I think I’ll enjoy it more.
🙂
Hahahaha that picture made me laugh so hard. Bella really is useless. I’m trying to think if she accomplished anything … well, she gave birth to demon spawn, that’s gotta count for something, right?
What’s really funny is that one of the characters in the novel Ermi and I wrote was originally named Bella Aniela for Beautiful Angel (before I had ever heard of Twilight). Ermi fought me so hard over the Bella part of the name. I’m glad I eventually stopped fighting her and dropped the Bella.
I burst into laughter when I read Bella’s description. In fact, I am still smiling at that.
I don’t have any particular literary character that influenced me (at least not that I am aware of) but I have always admired Sara Crewe from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess. It started from the movies then the cartoon television series then the book itself.
Ah love this! So great, because it also makes you realize, if you like to write, that your characters really must have some intent, some problem that they need to conquer, some action that reprisents them! Great post :)!
Can not agree more! I hate passive characters. I can’t remember which book review, but I recently whined about that. The female lead didn’t like her life, but made no effort to change it, things kept happening to her rather than her driving the action.
I find passive characters have no point! One of Kurt Vonnegut’s tips for writing is that every chracter has to want something even if it’s a glass of water, it’s funny how he worded this, but it is so true, characters are people, and they must have a motivation :)! Ah so nice to talk to a writer who likes the same books!
Oh I like that quote, I think I’m going to need to turn that into a poster and hang it in my writing space. I would take it a step further though and say they have to act on their desires or struggle against them. In the book I didn’t like, she wanted several life-style changes, she just made no effort to bring them to fruition even though she had basically been told at least one of them was her’s for the taking.
While I realize there are people out there like that who just let opportunities pass them by, they don’t make for good characters in stories.
I’m glad you share my taste in books! Feel free to browse some of the other reviews. They’re sorted alphabetically on the blog and by rating on Pinterest.
Thanks for commenting!