Self-insert fantasy?

[Ireth]

I'm writing a short story in which the MC and POV character is intentionally and blatantly a self-insert thrust into a fantasy world. The story is written in first person, so I haven't yet used my actual name in the text, though I have spelled out its meaning pretty clearly, IMO. This is also intentional, as the meaning of my first and last names are important to the plot. When first encountering the main supporting character, a dragon, I/the MC wisely do not give him my name outright, but weave it into riddles and leaves him to guess (which is harder than it sounds, given that a fantasy world with no linguistic connection to any of Earth's languages would ascribe very different names to the meanings as they're spelled out).

If I do end up stating my name outright in the text, and people see it matches my author name, would that be a turn-off for anyone? In any case, I'm not inclined to use a pseudonym for a single short story. I might publish under my initials and my last name, which admittedly isn't too much better than using my full name, but I'm not sure what other option to take. As I said above, I can't simply change the MC's name to something else, since that would change the entire story away from what I want.

Thoughts? Comments? Thanks!

 

[spectre]

I don't understand what the problem is in terms of relaying your story. granted you aren't talking about making an autobiographical account per se and instead want to write a story, I don't think it matters just given that because people aren't likely to discriminate the txt on the page unless they don't enjoy the content. your topic or character type would be more pertinent to peoples opinions of this self-insertion. examine your character type, flaw, profile, backstory whatever you want to call it and think of whether or not you believe that people will enjoy it as a trend or just a cury. maybe you can find a website where you can post a poll or find polls related to your specific marketed story type. for an answer on the forums you would probably want to be more specific.

 

[Terry Greer]

Sorry, but I personally find that sort of thing self indulgent and a real turn off.
In truth we all put ourselves in some way into a story - it's hard to avoid it, but somehow making it blatant is a step too far for me.
Clive Cussler does this - he always writes himself into his Dirk Pit books as a minor character meeting Dirk Pit at some point in the story - and I always cringe at it.

However, having said that, I know that characters in my stories have been based on how i would react (or how I hope/think I would react) if I lived in that setting - but they're never 'me' or have my name - they're just a parallel me.

I'm intrigued though - why do you need to give the character your name?
Why wouldn't just the knowledge that it's really based on you be enough?

 

[Feo Takahari]

Outside of bad harem porn and worse fanfiction, the authors I see get away with a Direct Line to the Author tend to play it up rather than play it down. Daniel Handler, for instance, really went all out with establishing "Lemony Snickett" as a person and making it clear that A Series of Unfortunate Events is from his POV as well as his pen. If you're going to insert yourself, insert all of your selfhood and personality, and fit the world of the fantasy believably into your real life.

 

[TWErvin2]

I am guessing that the self-insertion will earn more than a few eye rolls from readers. If the writer used some serious self-depreciating humor while doing so, I think it could work, but that doesn't sound to be the direction of the story.

 

[Tom]

I wouldn't mind it in a short story, especially if it has something to do with the plot. If it's informal and obvious enough, I don't really care, as long as the author doesn't try to deny that it's a self-insert.

 

[BronzeOracle]

Honestly I'm not sure if I would like it, I found the scenes with M Night Shyamalan playing a director in Lady in the Water very uncomfortable to watch - it felt indulgent as Terry said. But I can't remember having read this in a novel or short story before so who knows? And its just a short story so why not experiment, you could learn something even it it fails.

 

[Caged Maiden]

For me, I think it could work. I mean, why not? I experiment with all kinds of things to tell stories and if say i had a dream and wanted to express the story I saw, I might use my real self as a narrator. I'm not sure. If we write fictional characters every day, why not use our own persona as a fantasy character? I'm not sure what the story is about, but maybe it would be like fanfic of yourself. And who cares if it's self-indulgent if you have fun. Writing is practice and learning what works and what doesn't. However, publishing something of this nature may be a faux pas, but that's for a reader to decide. I'd tread carefully there, but if someone gave me their work to read and it was a short story of them as the MC, I'd read it and not judge based on that one thing. But it really depends on the story, as others mentioned. I mean, someone who makes their character self into an unrealistic, heroic, caricature runs the same risks as a writer who just writes a terrible character--except if it's yourself, you run a further risk of alienating readers.

I think for me, a humble writer/ artist/ band/ singer is more appealing to me as a consumer.

 

[Ireth]

Well, in my own defense, I am consciously trying not to turn my character-self into a caricature or a Mary Sue. I acknowledge my flaws and don't try to turn them into virtues, nor do I give myself any sort of superpowers, and I try to make sure my actions and reactions in various situations would be realistic (at least as far as fantasy goes. I've never met a dragon, much less a talking one, so I can't exactly work of of personal experience there). It's not exactly a wish-fulfillment fantasy; in fact it turns into the opposite quite quickly, as all I want is to go back to a normal life while one of the antagonistic characters (funnily enough, my muse) tries to keep me in the fantasy world, which leads to some not very nice things. I have yet to figure out just how the story will end, too.

 

[Mythopoet]

I'm curious as to what your reason is for inserting yourself into your story.

 

[skip.knox]

The only way to know is to write it and have some of us read it. I can't comment on the idea, only on its execution. Perhaps by guillotine.

 

[Ireth]

I already have the first part written; it was an entry for a writing contest last year, but sadly didn't place. I can't remember if I've posted it in the Showcase already or not. Now I'm working on expanding the plot beyond that one scene. Time will tell how it goes, I suppose.

 

[skip.knox]

When you get something to show, let us see, ok? I'm intrigued.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

It seems to me that your post is really about the name you use. Your readers won't know you from Adam in all likelihood so unless you use your own name they won't twig it's a self insertion. Having said that I don't know why you would use your own name. Unless its humourous and perhaps some sort of breaking the fourth wall device, I wouldn't do it. I'd make up a name.

However if you don't want to make up a name and don't want to cause your readers a cringe worthy eye roll, you could try not giving your MC a name at all. There was an ecofilm some time ago released as either Epsilon (Australia) or Alien Visitor (US) in which neither of the two lead characters have a name. They are "the man" and "she". But it's done well enough that you don't really notice the lack of names until someone points it out (like me!)

Cheers, Greg.