Creation... Not Duplication

As a writer, I naturally observe everything, and everyone. While observing, I sometimes find myself inspired to create. So I'll write a story, and set it in the mall... Oh wow. I said create didn't I?

The one problem with fiction is people will use reality as 100% of the basis for people, places, and things. When this occurs, the reader is drawn into a world, then ripped out by their own thought. What do I mean by this?

While reading a story written by an old classmate, I started craving pizza. My mind kept drifting from the story to thoughts of driving to Mellow Mushroom. Why? Because a scene of her story was set in Mellow Mushroom. So instead of finishing her story, I went to experience Mellow Mushroom for the first time. And it was amazing.

It was probably a few months later that I saw the movie Inception. Great movie. And in the movie, there was a scene with one of the characters (Ariadne played by Ellen Page) building the world of the dream that she and Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) were walking through. This one part of the scene stuck with me.

The statements "Never recreate places from your memory. Always imagine new places." and "only use details" are some of the greatest pieces of advice that most writers are never given.

I once wrote a story that was set in San Diego, Ca. A friend of mine, who read the story, criticized my fictional work, because I left out details of a location that I felt didn't matter. But as a native, I should know that the location I left out is one that the locals loved. Of course, when I asked what she thought about the rest of the story, she had nothing to say. She had focused so much on my flawed setting, the story no longer mattered to her. To an author, this can be career ending.

Same can be said with creating characters based on real people. I love watching Benedict Cumberbatch play Sherlock Holmes. He is an incredible actor, and he has brought that character to life for a generation that might never have desired to meet Sir Arthur Connan Doyle's character. But one thing that sometimes happens is a writer will find someone they think would play a character well, and next thing you know, the character looks just like the actor. Not a good thing.

So how does one avoid these mistakes. Start by remembering that fiction is creation. And with creation, you can have inspiration, but avoid duplication.

You can use Arrowhead Mall as inspiration for a story, but change it's name and layout. In the Foothills Plaza, put the food court down stairs and a fountain in the center of the indoor mall. The Foothills 18 movie theater can still be across the walkway from the Silver Dollar coffee shop.  These are little details, and the reader can visualize them. But they won't be the focus.

With your characters, your angel can have eyes like Benedict Cumbatch, that should be the only detail that sticks. Why? Because you want people to fall in love with your angel, Kane. Not Benedict Cumberbatch as Kane. Especially if Kane isn't even being played in a movie.

So next time you are developing your fiction... Remember Creation, not Duplication.