Fantastic Fictional Writers

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Anyone who’s ever wanted to be a writer can tell you it’s difficult to make the dream a reality. It takes plenty of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, and even then there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to pay your bills with just your writing. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile to try! There are plenty of well-known writers in real life and in movies and books who have succeeded and inspired many more aspiring writers along the way.

We often revere writers for their unique ability to craft fiction, whether it’s as a novel, play, or movie script. Some have also made their mark as some of our favorite movie and book characters. Here are some of our favorites.

Anne Shirley

Not only was Anne Shirley a writer, she was also one of literature’s most adorable characters. No one could resist Anne’s eccentricities. She was rather unlike any other young girl in 1900s Nova Scotia, which is why audiences love her so much.

The first book of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s series focuses on Anne’s journey from an orphanage to live with Marilla Cuthbert and Matthew Cuthbert on their farm in Avonlea. She becomes friends with Diana Barry (another writer) and Gilbert Blythe (who eventually wins her heart). The spunky redhead who lived on Prince Edward Island spent much of her time writing stories—usually about plucky orphan girls—and later became an author in her own right.

Throughout the books, we see just how much Anne loves writing by seeing how hard she works at it. She even begins working on a second novel. It never gets published, but it shows us just how important writing is to Anne. She continues to write poetry throughout her life. This passion for words makes Anne Shirley one of literature’s most beloved characters. And what better way to honor her than by showing your own passion for writing?

Atticus Finch

Atticus Finch is one of those special literary heroes who’s become a cultural icon. In Harper Lee’s beloved 1960 novel, Finch is a high-minded attorney defending a black man accused of rape in 1930s Alabama. He’s an ideal father to his kids, always teaching them tolerance and love. He is also determined to set aside his own financial interests in order to defend Tom Robinson, an innocent black man accused of raping a white woman.

Finch was more than just a lawyer. He was also a writer. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, he wrote letters to his children. These letter spoke of the lessons he wanted them to learn throughout their lives, saying

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.”

That sure sounds like good advice for fiction writers as well!

As he’s typing, he’s playing with new ways of describing events in Maycomb County. Writing (and editing) becomes an essential part of how Atticus sees the world around him. He’s always trying to make sense of what he sees by using language. Finch was a writer who used his skills and talents to defend those who were powerless. And isn’t that exactly what fiction writers try to do as well? We tell stories about people who don’t have power—or don’t have enough power—in order to bring them into our readers’ lives and give them a voice.

John Dunbar

The acclaimed 1993 film Dances with Wolves stars Kevin Costner as John Dunbar, a Civil War soldier left for dead by his own side in a dangerous frontier. After finding solace with a Sioux tribe, he stays. Dunbar becomes involved in their day-to-day lives while keeping a journal of his interactions and eventual acceptance.

While not technically a writer himself, John Dunbar is one of fiction’s most memorable characters because of his actions. His words, however, play an important part in his tale. Through the journal he keeps during his time in isolation, he learns to examine himself and the world around him.

The book itself serves as a reminder that all our experiences are subjective. It’s hard to know how much of what we see is real or imagined. It doesn’t matter if it’s true or false, what matters is that it happened. And from those experiences, we learn who we are and where we belong in life. It’s a journey every writer takes at some point; whether you’re writing about your own life or creating something entirely new for your readership.

Kilgore Trout

The character of Kilgore Trout, created by Kurt Vonnegut, is one of his most notable literary creations. As a literary genius, he also shares many similarities with his creator: both are from Indianapolis; both attended Cornell University; both served in World War II; and both published their first novels in 1950. Perhaps not coincidentally, that was also when Vonnegut published his first novel, Player Piano. In fact, Vonnegut’s works often include references to Trout and some note that Trout may be an alter ego for Vonnegut himself.

A down-on-his-luck author, Trout receives little respect and recognition for his work–much like Vonnegut during his lifetime. Despite never attaining fame or fortune for his work, Trout remains steadfast in his love for writing and learning from others who share similar interests. He remains hopeful that we will recognize him for what he has given to literature; if not while he is alive, then perhaps in future generations.

We can say the same about Vonnegut, who is now remembered as one of America’s greatest writers. Both are great examples of how persistence pays off in life. The more you persist through hard times, the more likely you are to achieve success later on. Keep going even when things get tough because your time will come!

Jack Torrance

The psychotic writer in The Shining is just one of many classic examples. Jack’s descent into madness is linked to his isolation and obsession with his craft, though he was battling far deeper demons. He suffered from alcoholism and a family history of violence that haunted him. Taking a new job as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel was not likely the best plan to overcome his writer’s block. The hotel owner needed to fill the job since the previous one died there. The last caretaker murdered his little girls with a hatchet, his wife with a shotgun, and himself the same way.

Jack’s writing, though. Through it all, he’s writing. We don’t know what kind of play he’s working on, but we know how important it is to him—and how much pressure he feels to get it right. As his isolation deepens, Jack becomes increasingly unhinged.

Bear Bridge

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Many writers have felt this was at one point or another. Words just won’t go to the castle that you’ve built for them. That and the angry spirits that haunt your every waking hour are bad for concentration and wreak havoc on your word count. Jack’s battles play a large role in The Shining. Alcoholism runs rampant through American literature. It’s an unfortunate part of our culture and one that writers shine the light on often. Jack is no exception.

Dr. Watson

Who is Sherlock Holmes without Dr. Watson? Without his right-hand man, there would be no crime-solving duo, no mystery to solve. The famous fictional detective first appeared in 1887 in A Study in Scarlet, but he was only a minor character—mostly acting as a foil for his colleague and friend Dr. John H. Watson. But it wasn’t until Sherlock Holmes appeared in The Strand Magazine starting in 1901 that Arthur Conan Doyle realized just how much readers adored Dr. Watson (as well as Sherlock).

Sherlock Holmes’ sidekick’s written accounts of their adventures form much of what we know today about Holmes. Sherlock Holmes regularly called John Watson his faithful friend and biographer.

Holmes can be an understandably difficult subject and on more than one occasion, Dr. Watson tried to remove himself from the toil of cataloguing his friends’ exploits. He would often voice his dissatisfaction with having to recount their adventures, but was always drawn back in by Holmes’ pleas for help or by Sherlock’s own secret machinations.

The Hobbits

The hobbit from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series writes many letters during his adventures—letters to his nephew Frodo, to King Elessar (Aragorn), and even one to Smaug. He also keeps extensive journals during his travels, writing about what he sees and learns along the way. To top it off, Bilbo also writes poetry in secret that reflects on his adventures.

He wasn’t able to spend much time in his home during his adventures with Thorin Oakenshield and company. Upon return, he settled in and continued work on his red leather-bound diary. They eventually expanded these collected memoirs to include the whole of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The book that Tolkien is most famous for, however, was not written by Bilbo Baggins. In fact, it was written by another hobbit: Frodo Baggins.

After Bilbo left Middle Earth, Frodo inherited his uncle’s estate and made Bag End his permanent residence. There, he wrote a detailed account of what happened during his journey with Gandalf and other members of The Fellowship. This record became known as The Red Book of Westmarch or The Red Book of Arda (the latter being an Elvish name for Middle Earth). It was used as a reference point by later writers who chronicled events in Middle Earth history after Frodo completed his own chronicle.

Grady Tripp

There’s always another book. Professor Grady Tripp, while managing a failing marriage and an affair with his boss, is learning to make tough choices. The main character in Michael Chabon’s Wonder Boys takes on student-turned-writer James Leer as his protégé, despite all of his own complications. In doing so, he finds that there are many things more important than writing—at least for him.

He learns how hard it is when you are trying to balance your career and life at once; but it doesn’t stop him from trying again and again. In the little failures, we prepare ourselves for tremendous breakthroughs, or tremendous failures that don’t feel as bad. Grady Tripp teaches us we can always make time for what’s important to us, even if it means giving up something else. It’s a great lesson in prioritizing our lives so that writing becomes more than just a hobby—and less of an excuse.

Ford Prefect

Ford Prefect is Arthur Dent’s friend and saves his life when the Earth is unexpectedly demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Ford is a seasoned galactic hitch-hiker and a field writer for the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. He appears in every version of Hitchhiker’s, including novels, radio series, television series, comic books, a 1981 stage show and feature film.

His name comes from a Ford Prefect car that was sold in Britain in 1951. In many versions of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, it is stated that he has an IQ of about 150 (the same as Douglas Adams). In some versions, it is also stated that he was born on Thursday 16 February 1974 (which was Adams’ own birthday).

The most memorable character from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Ford Prefect is also a struggling writer. He makes his living as a field researcher for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. He has also just finished writing an entry on Earth for that publication when he meets Arthur Dent and saves him from certain death. In fact, it was Ford who wrote much of what appears in The Hitchhiker’s Guide, including its entry on Earth. He remains an important figure in The Hitchhiker’s Guide community.

Jessica Fletcher

Jessica Fletcher, played by Angela Lansbury, is a successful author of mystery novels who uses her detective skills to solve murders on television. One of literature’s most beloved sleuths is best known for her ability to weave together a (very) good mystery from random tidbits of information. If you need inspiration for how to turn your own life into a gripping novel, Jessica Fletcher will be happy to share her secrets with you in Murder She Wrote. The show ran for 12 seasons and garnered multiple Emmy awards and nominations.

In it writer Jessica Fletcher uses her journalism background to solve crimes by interviewing suspects, uncovering clues and piecing them all together until she cracks each case wide open. Her writing skills make her successful as a detective. They also come in handy when she has to write up an obituary or even craft a letter of recommendation for one of her friends.

In fact, she even uses them as an excuse to get out of some social obligations by claiming that she needs more time to work on her next book!

Whether you want to write fiction or non-fiction, there are plenty of lessons that can be learned from Jessica Fletcher’s career as both an author and amateur sleuth.

-R.E.