Is it a good idea to say my FMC looks exactly like a celebrity?
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gunhilltrain
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The only reason I've ever done it was when the FMC was supposed to be that celebrity, but with a different name of course. Anybody reading closely could figure out who it was supposed to be.
Otherwise, unless there is some plot point that requires her to be a virtual double, then it's probably best not to make it explicit. You can use her as a "model," but it is not necessary to tell the readers that.
Djmac1031
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There are pros and cons to that.
Pro: easiest way to plant an image of a character in readers heads.
Con: lazy way of planting an image of a character in readers heads.
Worse Con: readers don't know who she is, what she looks like. Or they do, and they don't like her.
No right or wrong. If you think it needs to be done, go for it.
Pro: easiest way to plant an image of a character in readers heads.
Con: lazy way of planting an image of a character in readers heads.
Worse Con: readers don't know who she is, what she looks like. Or they do, and they don't like her.
No right or wrong. If you think it needs to be done, go for it.
Actually, I want to do that with multiple celebrities. In most of the stories I have in mind, I have pictured the FMC as one celebrity or another. Do you think constantly describing my FMCs as celebrity look alikes will harm my image?
Euphony
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Depends on your intent.
If you choose a celebrity, you save readers the mental effort of building a picture of your MC. But many won't like you've taken that ability from them if their preferences conflict with the famous person you've emulated.
Also, you meet the headwinds of any baggage those real-ish individuals have for the reader. Not vibing with that celeb is the usual but there are conflicts that can come from the person's real world stances, charity work, creative choice, etc. etc.
I personally stay away but I also find celebrity disinteresting and want my characters to have the freedom to be the full expanse of who'll they'll be without worrying it may conflict with a real world doppleganger-ish celeb.
I prefer choice, definitely as an author but also as a reader (and extend that freedom to my readers)
If you choose a celebrity, you save readers the mental effort of building a picture of your MC. But many won't like you've taken that ability from them if their preferences conflict with the famous person you've emulated.
Also, you meet the headwinds of any baggage those real-ish individuals have for the reader. Not vibing with that celeb is the usual but there are conflicts that can come from the person's real world stances, charity work, creative choice, etc. etc.
I personally stay away but I also find celebrity disinteresting and want my characters to have the freedom to be the full expanse of who'll they'll be without worrying it may conflict with a real world doppleganger-ish celeb.
I prefer choice, definitely as an author but also as a reader (and extend that freedom to my readers)
SimonDoom
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If you're asking me personally, I would recommend doing this sparingly. Don't make it a thing with every story.
Instead, ask yourself: what are the two or three features that most appeal to you about a celebrity, and then describe your FMC in terms of those features. That way you have the satisfaction of thinking of your character that way but your readers have a bit more leeway to fill in the rest of the details.
Djmac1031
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I definitely wouldn't do that EVERY story.
It's one thing to have two characters talking and one says "Hey, anyone ever tell you you look like ...?"
Another thing for you to do it with every character.
"Hi, my name is Jane. People say I look like..."
Or
"I met this girl named Jane. She looked just like..."
Personally, as a reader, that would annoy me. Especially every story. Or multiple times per story.
For what it's worth.
Voboy
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I tend to be very ambiguous with my descriptions because I think readers like to make their own images about my characters, but my earlier stories were a little more descriptive.
I'd avoid saying she looks like a specific celeb just on general principles, but there are probably times when it might enhance the narrative in small doses. Like the song "Bette Davis Eyes;" the imagery is powerful and immediate, but it's only confined to one physical feature.
So if there's one specific body part I wished to emphasize (I'm thinking eyes, lips, or hair mostly), I can think of narrators who'd use a celebrity comparison pretty readily. But that begs another issue: it depends in part on your narrative voice. If it's FP, the choice of celebrity and the shallowness of the comparison can convey something about that narrator's personality.
I'd avoid saying she looks like a specific celeb just on general principles, but there are probably times when it might enhance the narrative in small doses. Like the song "Bette Davis Eyes;" the imagery is powerful and immediate, but it's only confined to one physical feature.
So if there's one specific body part I wished to emphasize (I'm thinking eyes, lips, or hair mostly), I can think of narrators who'd use a celebrity comparison pretty readily. But that begs another issue: it depends in part on your narrative voice. If it's FP, the choice of celebrity and the shallowness of the comparison can convey something about that narrator's personality.
I would avoid it. You might have readers who enjoy the story, but either dislike the celebrity or have no idea who she is. Don't break immersion or turn readers away unnecessarily.
Same thing when authors name drop song titles. Any time I don't know the song it drags me out of the story. Especially when its a genre I'm not fond of. One author I like does that and it drives me nuts.
Same thing when authors name drop song titles. Any time I don't know the song it drags me out of the story. Especially when its a genre I'm not fond of. One author I like does that and it drives me nuts.
ElectricBlue
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Don't ever assume people are into the same celebrities you are. Most won't be.
It won't "harm your image" (whatever that actually means), but it might limit you as a writer.
Also, it can be a bit dodgy to weave celebrities into your fantasies without their permission. Use them for inspiration, but don't name them, would be my suggestion.
Is it against the rules? Isn't there a whole section about that kind of stories?
https://www.literotica.com/c/celebrity-stories
ElectricBlue
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It's not against the rules, no, but it's not being very original.
My comment still stands on the ethics of weaving celebs into sexual fantasies. It's a form of stalking, if you ask me.
Euphony
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Even conceptually we all have a different idea of what a celebrities' persona is.
Song lyrics are interpreted a multitude of ways (often in conflict with the creators intent) and I'd argue that is far more direct informationally than an persona image is curated.
Like all I know of Seyfried is she was known for an expensive face cream habit even as a very young person.
I am capable of filtering any opinions that causes out but, some aren't, and I may be missing a huge contextual key the author assumes is basic knowledge and pivots narratives around.
So it's not a negative per se but as a reader I still miss out. Is this missing out enough to spoil the experience? Hard to say. Why my risk/reward tends towards the DIY than counting on cultural facts or assumptions.
Were I to want to Sigfried-esq character, I'd write her out and be delightfully surprised by those who make the connection rather than disappoint those who can't by not putting in the work myself.
But if fanfic is the key to keep someone writing, I don't begrudge. It just doesn't work for me.
TheRedChamber
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If you're going to do it, have fun with it...
She looked like Brittany Spears with better grades.
The effect was as if Scarlett Johansson was auditioning for an Abba biopic.
He felt it unlikely that Kate Bush would have applied for a position in middle management at a insurance broker, but there she was guiding him through the onboarding process. He kept expecting her to pull her sensibly restrained hair from her pony tail, rip off her navy blue businesses suit and go running naked on the moors, but instead she continued to explain how he could top up his printing credits.
Funny, he thought to himself. I didn't realize Joni Mitchell was even in the Cure.
She looked like a Bangle. Not any of them specifically. Just if the band had been looking for an extra member she would have fit right in.
She looked like Brittany Spears with better grades.
The effect was as if Scarlett Johansson was auditioning for an Abba biopic.
He felt it unlikely that Kate Bush would have applied for a position in middle management at a insurance broker, but there she was guiding him through the onboarding process. He kept expecting her to pull her sensibly restrained hair from her pony tail, rip off her navy blue businesses suit and go running naked on the moors, but instead she continued to explain how he could top up his printing credits.
Funny, he thought to himself. I didn't realize Joni Mitchell was even in the Cure.
She looked like a Bangle. Not any of them specifically. Just if the band had been looking for an extra member she would have fit right in.
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Djmac1031
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It's not an irredeemable sin. Just an immersion breaking annoyance. I even understand why writers do it. Music is evocative. I just think its a shortcut that fails to reach its destination. If that makes sense.
Euphony
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Guilt implies mistake or fault and I don't believe it is so black and white. (though use as shortcutters tend to employ the same troublesome practice so it can appear so)
Every time I am siren called to do it, my brain indexes all the times musicians have said in interviews how divergent fans interpretations of their lyrics/meaning can be.
There's a certain loveliness to the artist who embrace that sort of " I've released it into the Universe so it can go be" nature of the artform but that misunderstanding happens in the perfect circumstance of a furverent audience wanting to meaning in something.
As a drive by narrative drop in fiction is far more problematic. They don't know or even hate the band. Music is especially subject to time period bias (basically we tend to silo to our teen years with some fringe explorations)
My core being and understanding of the world coming through music, I do do it but I am very deliberate in building full contextual support if the song doesn't/can't resonate the same for the reader.
If the reader shares my affinity, then it becomes a significantly bonding cherry on top.
Either way, I am always careful to be sure there's a full ass sundae to be had for all.
Voboy
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These two are gold.
I do it to suggest something about my characters' age, sensibility, etc. I try not to overdo it. But it's a safe bet that any character of mine who likes Aerosmith is probably not a character I like.
For clarity, I'm not talking about including a snippet of lyrics, or for more developed approaches. Just when they drop a drive-by name of a band and song. And only because my brain locks up the brakes and ejects me from the story. It makes me process out of story information. With lyrics, I'll either absorb it or ignore it. Not as bad. And of course it's totally subjective and the universe doesn't need to conform to my personal preferences.
Euphony
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Your lens and experience is as valid as all others.For clarity, I'm not talking about including a snippet of lyrics, or for more developed approaches. Just when they drop a drive-by name of a band and song. And only because my brain locks up the brakes and ejects me from the story. It makes me process out of story information. With lyrics, I'll either absorb it or ignore it. Not as bad. And of course it's totally subjective and the universe doesn't need to conform to my personal preferences.
My qualm with the drop in/drive by pop culture reference (song, movie, etc.) is how it often runs afoul of Chekhov's gun.
It feels a very specific reference that doesn't get paid off/need inclusion and I *hate* carrying the mental burden of something forward when it ultimately is just a throw in.
I get the world building thing but music is so intrinsically experiential to most it's harder to gloss over than a random clothing brand reference, hair style, of its time slang, etc.
Bramblethorn
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Many readers, probably most, won't know what Amanda Seyfried looks like. If your story's still up ten years from now, probably even less - though there's always the risk that in the meantime your celeb-of-choice has been arrested for child abuse/founded a cult/changed gender, and they now carry very different connotations to what you intended.
If you're willing to wear that, have fun.
If you're willing to wear that, have fun.
AchtungNight
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I like to think I wrote a lot of original celebrity fanfics back in the day. They made sense at the time. Now most of my muses have changed in ways I can accept but I’m not sure the reader can, so even after trying to talk myself back into the genre on the boards it just doesn’t seem right anymore. Oh well, at least it was fun. And who knows, one day better stories might come out of this weary head.
Easy fix: She looked like Amanda Seyfried back in her twenties.
KeithD
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Not to me as I have no idea who Amanda Seyfried is. Others probably do, so, you could do it for them--but then it would be good to include a few descriptors on how they're the same. Not too many, because many readers like to form their own ideas of what a character looks like.
