In a post on the Stage 32 blog, John Mezes says joining your personal history and a fantastical world can help you explore and process your experiences and memories. “By translating real-life events into storytelling, you can distance yourself from painful memories for therapeutic benefit and revel in the joys of imaginative storytelling,” he says.
Adding elements of your personal history to the backstory of a magician, star pilot, or superhero can help you explore unresolved experiences from a distance and from a different angle. You can also write yourself a better ending, creating a sense of control over your past. Sharing your personal experiences – even through the eyes of an elf – can help create empathy for your characters and connection with your readers.
Mezes recommends that you first identify what you want to explore. “Whether it’s heartbreak, joy, betrayal, or growth, identifying the core emotion will help shape your narrative,” he writes. Next, consider which genre would best help you explore and portray this experience.
Spend time creating a character that mirrors your struggle within your fantastical setting. “If you’re grappling with feeling unheard, create a character like an outcast inventor in a society that shuns technology,” Mezes says. Your setting should also reflect your theme. Does your hero need to conquer a major obstacle, like a mountain, or explore the caves of his emotions or history? You can also craft antagonists from real-world experiences, and perhaps find resolution by exploring their backstory and motivations. What made that person the villain in your story?
“Writing about yourself in the third person or through an entirely different character can help you see the bigger picture,” Mezes writes. “By fleshing out characters, you might gain insight into the perspectives of people involved in your real-life experiences. Ending your story in a way that gives your protagonist resolution can provide a sense of emotional closure in your own life.”
