I think everyone has a hero somewhere. Whether that hero is a famous civil rights leader, a pop star, or a certain member of your family is up to you. I’ve been asked several times who my hero is, and each time I have dodged the question. For this I have one simple reason; My hero does not actually exist. At least not in the physical sense.
I started writing when I was in fourth grade. I remember becoming addicted to how happy it made me. I became obsessed with creating new worlds and people. I was the one who would decide what they did and how they lived. I was the one who controlled their fate. I created character upon character, and I loved them all. But there was one character who stuck out.
As soon as I started to write about her, I knew she was here to stay. She became the leader, the hunter, the fighter, as well as my secret best friend. When I felt sad or hurt, all I had to do was think of her, and it gave me strength again. The years went by, and I slowly realized I had made her everything I wanted to be. She was like a goddess to me, guiding my path while I guided hers through ink.
Of course it’s easy to be perfect when you’re not a real person. But what I loved most about my hero was that she wasn’t perfect. She made mistakes and had her flaws, just like anyone else. The difference was, she didn’t let it slow her down. She kept going, and I decided that if I could be more like her, I would be a better person.
I was right.
I used my hero to guide my own steps, considering carefully what she would do. It wasn’t always the easiest thing to do, but it was almost always the right thing. Through her and my writing, I became a better, stronger person.
It’s an odd thing being a writer. Especially a fiction writer. For me, writing about my characters is like being a mother breastfeeding her children. It bonds me to them in ways I’m not sure anyone else could understand. They belong to me just like I belong to them. My hero has guided me through hard times that I’m not sure anyone else could have. In a strange, unnatural way, she’s given me life just like I’ve given life to her. It’s because of her that I am the person I am today. This is why she will always be my hero, my goddess, and my creation.