Writing characters

[ZeldaQueen]

I guess it would depend on the character, who/what it was based off of, and what traits it shared.

For example, if you're basing your character off of Hitler and have him (the character) engage in a massive genocide, there's a much more obvious connection. If the only shared traits between your character and Hitler is that they both liked spaghetti or something, the two characters are a lot more disconnected.


I'd also think that if you based your character off of a real person, the less well-known they are the more likely the public would assume that the character is fictional. For example, in a story I wrote, I based three characters off of a girl and her two sisters who I was friends with and based the setting off of the township's library. Most people who read the manuscript recognized that the library connection (because they were familiar with it) but didn't get the little jokes and connections to the sisters (because they didn't know the girls). If you use Angelina Jolie as a model for your character and have them share the same habits, looks, etc, people will catch on faster than if you base the character after your great-aunt Mildred.

Of course, people will find connections with anything you invent to pre-existing ideas. The whole "No original concepts" thing and all.

Out of curiousity, why do you ask?