There is an old quote: You can choose your friends but not your family. Everyone has
certain choices to contruct in their lives, except for that one initial launch into this world.
We are born and we are who we are - no decision on our part - not even the chance at
some suggestions.

Your entire being - the color of your skin, your grandparents homeland, your entire
genetic generate-up is right there - and now you have a choice - you might do what you
believe you may, or you may carry your sense of pride or shame with you your entire
life and never reach the goals and reap the benefits you could have.

Writing is a career where the choices from the very start are yours. In a sense,
you create your character, give him all his genetic qualities, and then even write the
history for his ancestry. You are in control of who, what, where, and when. However,
as with any choice, there are drawbacks as well as advantages. If your character is
not a member of your particular ethnic, religious, or race group, your ability to relate
and to transmit ideas run into a brick wall, so to speak. Sure, you might put yourself
in their place, but it would be according to your standards, and your beliefs. This
ingrained system of standards and beliefs we are taught to you by your parents, relatives,
environment. and the world itself. Now that you have decided to write, how do you
overcome this stumbling block?

The literary piece you give birth to should be as factual as possible, even though
it is a fictional piece. If you feel you may, just in your own mind, place yourself in
someone elses soul, lose your memory it. You can not because the only person you might reach into
and enter their very being is yourself. Now what do you do? The answer is reach
out, network, and include everything in your research work. Listen to both sides
of the coin, and if you do not agree, the notion to state your carved in stone moral
or otherwise statements are irrelevant. Your readers needs to place themselves in
your characters heart and see the world through his/her eyes. A slight remark made
to one human can be a monumental insult to an individual of another genre. Dont
judge, or build up or belittle the circumstances. State them exactly, as best you might ,
from that literary persons inherited background and generate-up.

Dont ever feel that you will be able to disseminate exactly what it feels like to be
someone else. We all have trouble just trying to be ourselves. However, with your
character, you will have to step back and let what is the truth come forward. Then
you might create the situations, the plots, and the reactions.

Every group of human beings have their particular quirks, beliefs, and moral
systems. Try not to place one groups issues and relate them through your own
eyes.

Every nice literary masterpiece gave credibility to their characters through writing

about them as they are. Write about their individuality, their values, and their
history. Give them the opportunity to voice their contradictions and their
acknowledgements. Let them be themselves and you will be on your way to a
masterpiece that the entire world will cherish.

Trace historical aspects for your character and take into account the evolving
changes to his/her particular heritage. Check items such as foods, livelihoods,
and statistics. Once you have a volume of experience, you will have the
grounds for a sizeably good novel or article. As writers, we are so tempted to always
give our opinions, our views. You are making this character and your storys
success will be on who he/she is. Readers will agree or disagree with your
character but they will learn to respect and value his/her reactions, and choices.
They will, in turn, take into account the circumstances that brought your
character to this particular point in life. The most enduring characters are
those that are real, life-like, and not clones of the writer. Give your characters
room to breathe, and be themselves.

I believe God does not positive need help in generating many people . He gives writers the
fertile ground of diversity and the ability to relate to readers. Give your
readers reliability, authenticity, and an opportunity to decide for themselves,
and you are on your way to successful writing.

Arleen M. Kaptur

Author of numerous articles, e-cookbooks,on-line workshops.
Novel: SEARCHING FOR AUSTIN JAMES
Website:
http://www.rusticliving.info
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rusticliving.index.html