Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Keeping It Real - Tales From the Trails - Fears





Everyone has fears, right?!  Of course they do.  And sometimes those fears can get in the way of things we like. Then again sometimes we can work around our fears and still do things we like.  Take me for example.  I'm not a fan of snakes or heights, but I will still pet a python or hike a trail with a steep slope or even drop off.  Some might say that's not a real fear then.  Okay, whatever.

What about our characters?  Should they have fears?  Of course.  Well, then how much?  Good question.  I guess that depends on your character and your story.  What do I then?   I like talking with my friends to get ideas of fears to use for my characters that way I can really experience the fear, but the internet also has good ideas.

I will even use my own experiences because that helps me to keep it real.  The other day while hiking I had to take the lead.  Not my favorite spot.  I don't like snakes.  Well, Murphy's Law happened (anything that can go wrong, will go wrong) and I saw a snake, but not just any snake, a snake that had been chopped up by another hiker.  YUCK!  Now I have that image in my mind and if I ever need to write about something like that I can. Not sure I want to, but I can.

Still, personal experiences or second-hand experiences from friends are good jumping off places, but for additional layers of the driving factor behind fear check out these sites:

www.ericamidkiff.com/blog/fear

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brainsnacks/201203/the-only-5-fears-we-all-share

www.kidshealth.org/en/teens/phobias.html






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