The Real-Life Emotions Behind Fictional Scenes

I write a lot of fiction, and I read a lot of fiction. One thing I know about my own books is that every single one contains a little bit of truth. Sometimes it’s a character shaped by qualities of people I’ve known. Other times, it’s a scene tied closely to moments from my own life. And from reading the blogs and essays of other writers, I know I’m far from alone in that.

In many ways, I think it’s unavoidable. What’s the old saying? Write what you know. And we know our own stories better than anyone else. The pivotal moments in our lives - and even the quiet yet still meaningful ones -  naturally weave their way into our work because we’ve already lived them.

Sometimes, while I’m writing, I’ll bounce a scene off someone else. Sometimes it was J, sometimes my daughter, sometimes close friends. A little role-playing, if you will. It helps me shape conversations into something authentic - something people would truly say in that moment. More than once, someone helping me has pointed out when dialogue sounded ridiculous out loud, or helped me explore several different directions until we finally found the one that felt right for the chapter.

It’s really no different from art. Paintings carry pieces of the artist’s life, experiences, and understanding of the world. That’s what each chapter carries for me, too. Manuscripts that become novels give me a place to weave those important moments into something lasting - somewhere they can live outside my heart forever.

Have you ever read a chapter that made you cry? Or sent shivers down your spine? Or made you ache for something long lost, or suddenly hopeful for the future?

I have. So many times, through the words of so many incredible authors.

And every time, I wonder if those scenes carried pieces of them, too. Maybe moments they truly lived. Maybe emotions they were never brave enough to share openly with the world - except through the pages of the stories they created.

Because sometimes, that’s exactly what I do.

If you had to pick a moment from your life to share in a story, which one would it be?