--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My characters seem real because they are…" description: "\"My characters seem real because they are drawn from the realities of my life. I didn't have to research their pain; I just tapped into my own.\" — Charl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/charles-de-lint-1481_character_my-characters-seem-real-because-they-are_635137.png" --- # My characters seem real because they are drawn from the… ![“My characters seem real because they are drawn from the realities of my life. I didn't have to research their pain; I just tapped into my own.” quote by Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/charles-de-lint-1481_character_my-characters-seem-real-because-they-are_635137.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/charles-de-lint-1481_character_my-characters-seem-real-because-they-are_635137.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dde/charles-de-lint-1481_character_my-characters-seem-real-because-they-are_635137.png) > “My characters seem real because they are drawn from the realities of my life. I didn't have to research their pain; I just tapped into my own.” [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author creates authentic characters by drawing on personal experiences rather than external research. **In simple terms:** Personal experience fuels believable characters. Key Takeaway Use your own life as material. Themes authenticity self‑reflection creativity Mood introspective inspirational Type literary creative When to use this quote - novel writing - character development - workshop teaching Key Concepts psychology empathy memory Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance personal truth with broader relevance? - What aspects of your life are untapped for storytelling? A Different Perspective Personal bias may limit perspective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Realities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realities/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) ## Related quotes > [To unlock the future man must be able to face the realities of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justice-ogali/to-unlock-the-future-man-must-be-able-to-face-the-realities-of-life/) [Justice Ogali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justice-ogali/) > [I take judge-made law as one of the existing realities of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-cardozo/i-take-judge-made-law-as-one-of-the-existing-realities-of-life/) [Benjamin Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-cardozo/) > [“We're all stuck between the realm of our desires, their possibilities and the realities of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huseyn-raza/we-re-all-stuck-between-the-realm-of-our-desires-their-possibilities/) [Huseyn Raza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huseyn-raza/) > [For us, we've always felt compelled to talk about the realities of life. That's where we come from, from that first Cypress Hill album…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-real/for-us-we-ve-always-felt-compelled-to-talk-about-the-realities-of/) [B-Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-real/) > [Once I opened my eyes to the realities of life, I couldn't close them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-beart/once-i-opened-my-eyes-to-the-realities-of-life-i-couldn-t-close-them/) [Emmanuelle Beart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-beart/) > [The only realities in life are that you are born, and that you die,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-renta/the-only-realities-in-life-are-that-you-are-born-and-that-you-die/) [Oscar de la Renta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-renta/) > [The harsh realities of life is takin tolls. Even Jesus Christ forsake my soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-pun/the-harsh-realities-of-life-is-takin-tolls-even-jesus-christ-forsake/) [Big Pun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-pun/) > [“The quality that we call beauty ... must always grow from the realities of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jun-ichir-tanizaki/the-quality-that-we-call-beauty-must-always-grow-from-the-realities/) [Jun'ichirō Tanizaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jun-ichir-tanizaki/) > [The realities of life do not allow themselves to be forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-realities-of-life-do-not-allow-themselves-to-be-forgotten/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [We all have something about ourselves that we'd change if we could in a perfect world, be it our body image, our financial status,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-hilson/we-all-have-something-about-ourselves-that-we-d-change-if-we-could-in/) [Keri Hilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-hilson/) > [We need to keep our ears open to the realities of life. If we don't act on life and take action to make things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/we-need-to-keep-our-ears-open-to-the-realities-of-life-if-we-don-t/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [The only realities in life are that you are born, and that you die. We always think we are going to live forever. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-renta/the-only-realities-in-life-are-that-you-are-born-and-that-you-die-we/) [Oscar de la Renta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-renta/) > [“Time makes very little difference to the basic realities of life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/time-makes-very-little-difference-to-the-basic-realities-of-life/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“He thought, in fine, that the dreams of poets were the realities of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-william-polidori/he-thought-in-fine-that-the-dreams-of-poets-were-the-realities-of-life/) [John William Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-william-polidori/) > [Yes, I had cancer. Right now, I am totally clean. The only realities in life are that you are born, and that you die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-renta/yes-i-had-cancer-right-now-i-am-totally-clean-the-only-realities-in/) [Oscar de la Renta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-renta/) ## More by Charles de Lint > [The family we choose for ourselves is more important than the one we were born into; that people have to earn our respect and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-family-we-choose-for-ourselves-is-more-important-than-the-one-we/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Every time you do a good deed you shine the light a little farther into the dark. And the thing is, when you're gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/every-time-you-do-a-good-deed-you-shine-the-light-a-little-farther/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The road leading to a goal does not separate you from the destination; it is essentially a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-road-leading-to-a-goal-does-not-separate-you-from-the-destination/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“Maybe she couldn’t go. Maybe she wanted him to stay. But she knew enough not to try to hold him back if he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/maybe-she-couldn-t-go-maybe-she-wanted-him-to-stay-but-she-knew/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The magic in this world seems to work in whispers and small kindnesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-magic-in-this-world-seems-to-work-in-whispers-and-small-kindnesses/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [You can take the woman outta the trash, but you can't take the trash out a the woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-can-take-the-woman-outta-the-trash-but-you-can-t-take-the-trash/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Fortune-telling doesn't reveal the future; it mirrors the present. It resonates against what your subconscious already knows and hauls it up out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/fortune-telling-doesn-t-reveal-the-future-it-mirrors-the-present-it/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [When you're touched by magic, nothing's ever quite the same again. What really makes me sad is all those people who never have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/when-you-re-touched-by-magic-nothing-s-ever-quite-the-same-again-what/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [There are few joys to compare with the telling of a well-told tale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/there-are-few-joys-to-compare-with-the-telling-of-a-well-told-tale/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [How hard would it be to ask children what they see in their heads? How big should the house be in comparison to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/how-hard-would-it-be-to-ask-children-what-they-see-in-their-heads-how/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [... we chase after ghosts and spirits and are left holding only memories and dreams. It's not that we want what we can't have;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/we-chase-after-ghosts-and-spirits-and-are-left-holding-only-memories/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Writing music uses a whole different process that involves a lot of noodling and just seeing what comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/writing-music-uses-a-whole-different-process-that-involves-a-lot-of/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The real problem is, people think life is a ladder, and it's really a wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-real-problem-is-people-think-life-is-a-ladder-and-it-s-really-a/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Tattoos...are the stories in your heart, written on your skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/tattoos-are-the-stories-in-your-heart-written-on-your-skin/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) [Explore all 237 Charles de Lint quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My characters seem real because they are drawn from the realities of my life. 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