--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many authors base their main characters…" description: "\"“Many authors base their main characters off of themselves. One may wonder if it's so with Tenny. The answer is no. All the characters have qualities o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/e-j-norris-35920_books_many-authors-base-their-main-characters_1040653.jpg" --- # Many authors base their main characters off of themselves… ![“Many authors base their main characters off of themselves. One may wonder if it's so with Tenny. The answer is no. All the characters have qualities of myself in there somewhere, but as for Tenny he is more of a lens or an outlet. As I continue to write, some of my inner conflicts manifest…” quote by E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/e-j-norris-35920_books_many-authors-base-their-main-characters_1040653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/e-j-norris-35920_books_many-authors-base-their-main-characters_1040653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/e-j-norris-35920_books_many-authors-base-their-main-characters_1040653.jpg) > ““Many authors base their main characters off of themselves. One may wonder if it's so with Tenny. The answer is no. All the characters have qualities of myself in there somewhere, but as for Tenny he is more of a lens or an outlet. As I continue to write, some of my inner conflicts manifest themselves through his struggles. We are friends traveling together, both determined to share a message which many may choose not to hear.”” [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) ## 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 uses a fictional avatar to explore personal conflicts, turning inner struggles into a shared narrative journey. **In simple terms:** The writer projects personal issues onto a character to convey a message. Key Takeaway Use characters as mirrors for your own challenges. Themes self‑exploration creativity identity communication Mood introspective thoughtful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - personal journaling - therapy sessions - team projects Key Concepts psychology literary device narrative therapy Questions to Reflect On - How does embodying your conflicts in a character help you resolve them? - What risks arise when personal bias colors fictional narratives? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex issues or alienate readers who prefer objective storytelling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authors Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authors-base-2431058/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Characters Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-qualities-2431056/) [Main characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/main-characters/) [Qualities Tenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualities-tenny-2431057/) ## Related quotes > [At the end of the day, if you don't identify with the main characters, no television show will work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiro-murai/at-the-end-of-the-day-if-you-don-t-identify-with-the-main-characters/) [Hiro Murai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiro-murai/) > [Conventional forms of narrative allow for different points of view, but for this book I wanted a structure whereby each of the main characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/conventional-forms-of-narrative-allow-for-different-points-of-view/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [Most people are middle class. Most people do wish their lives were better than they are. And I think by making my main characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/most-people-are-middle-class-most-people-do-wish-their-lives-were/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [With all the main characters that I write, it's always very important to me that they have good and bad aspects of their personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/with-all-the-main-characters-that-i-write-it-s-always-very-important/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [All my main characters are people I'd love to sit around having coffee with. They are people who will tell you honestly about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-center/all-my-main-characters-are-people-i-d-love-to-sit-around-having/) [Katherine Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-center/) > [As a hero, you have to play it straight. The audience is going to live through you, so you have to be more neutral.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolph-lundgren/as-a-hero-you-have-to-play-it-straight-the-audience-is-going-to-live/) [Dolph Lundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolph-lundgren/) > [The only way to change the world is to change the main character of our story - the one we believe that we are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/the-only-way-to-change-the-world-is-to-change-the-main-character-of/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [I think we're always trying to avoid tropes. And I think that "Game of Thrones" has almost made killing people a cliche. 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It's just that when the idea for City of Bones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-don-t-think-i-ever-intended-specifically-to-write-for-the-young/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I should love to do a novel, about one abnormal character seeing present-day life, very ordinary life, yet arresting through it, abnormality, until at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/i-should-love-to-do-a-novel-about-one-abnormal-character-seeing/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [Gettting to know your characters is so much more important than plotting. Working out every detail of your story in advance, especially when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/gettting-to-know-your-characters-is-so-much-more-important-than/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Once you're imagining being the main character, and you're having the conversations and actually being there, the magic in fiction writing takes over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hobbs/once-you-re-imagining-being-the-main-character-and-you-re-having-the/) [Will Hobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hobbs/) > [Introduce your main characters and themes in the first third of your novel. If you are writing a plot-driven genre novel make sure all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/introduce-your-main-characters-and-themes-in-the-first-third-of-your/) [Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/) > [I abhor crime novels in which the main character can behave however he or she pleases, or do things that normal people do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-abhor-crime-novels-in-which-the-main-character-can-behave-however/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by E.J. Norris > [“The bars of jail shall make you frail. Now that's poetry for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/the-bars-of-jail-shall-make-you-frail-now-that-s-poetry-for-you/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“You were cowards, useless cowards. Oh it's true you went as fast as you could, but in the opposite direction!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/you-were-cowards-useless-cowards-oh-it-s-true-you-went-as-fast-as-you/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“Over the valley sunlight once shined, Golden and warming over smiles divine, Now comes the moonlight glowing with care, Making soft grasses like silvery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/over-the-valley-sunlight-once-shined-golden-and-warming-over-smiles/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“Go scrounge, shorty! After sitting on my horse all the way here I'm too tired to do it myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/go-scrounge-shorty-after-sitting-on-my-horse-all-the-way-here-i-m-too/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“Our world is peaks and valleys, with rules in great abundance. But in the minds of great thinkers there is power. Think openly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/our-world-is-peaks-and-valleys-with-rules-in-great-abundance-but-in/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“Well Freddie, you were right. It is a rat, a very large rat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/well-freddie-you-were-right-it-is-a-rat-a-very-large-rat/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“As long as you are Abidon's subject and wear his amulet, all that will see in this mirror is yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/as-long-as-you-are-abidon-s-subject-and-wear-his-amulet-all-that-will/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“The world is never what it seems, Leaves are red yet leaves are green, What is water, ice or steam? Is life real or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/the-world-is-never-what-it-seems-leaves-are-red-yet-leaves-are-green/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“Just as these men here are drunk with rum, you can become drunk with hate. The time for vengeance will come, but not today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/just-as-these-men-here-are-drunk-with-rum-you-can-become-drunk-with/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“Let me tell you what it is I believe in so that we better understand each other. I believe in a man thinking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/let-me-tell-you-what-it-is-i-believe-in-so-that-we-better-understand/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“I would not fail and I would not die!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/i-would-not-fail-and-i-would-not-die/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) > [“Live in this darkness and you will perish with it. It isn't too late to come home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-norris/live-in-this-darkness-and-you-will-perish-with-it-it-isn-t-too-late/) [E.J. Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) [Explore all 13 E.J. Norris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-norris/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [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 have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Many authors base their main characters off of themselves. One may wonder if it's so with Tenny. The answer is no. All the characters have qualities of myself in there somewhere, but as for Tenny he is more of a lens or an outlet. As I continue to write, some of my inner conflicts manifest themselves through his struggles. 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