Long before digital avatars came on the scene, authors were already putting themselves into their books, sometimes disguised or using a different name.
In literature, when an author projects themselves onto a character (whether or not the reader is aware), it’s called an author surrogate.
Many authors use these characters to convey their personal views—whether they relate to politics, religion, or any other matter. Other authors insert these avatars using their own name to create a surreal or metafiction effect, or sometimes just to inject a little humor.
Fan fiction is a common hotbed for author surrogacy, and it’s often newer writers who tend to project themselves onto the characters, simply because it’s easier to be inspired by their own personal experiences.
How to Use an Author Surrogate
Here are some of the most common ways writers use an author surrogate:
1. As the Protagonist
For some writers, the main character is the one who expresses the author’s perspective on things. Maybe they deliver political diatribe, or make comments on the traits, strengths, and weaknesses of all the other characters. This is a great way for an author to express their personal opinion on issues that may be controversial.
However, protagonists in books are not always author surrogates, because many authors also create protagonists who may not exactly have the same views as they do.
2. As the Narrator
Other times, the author surrogate comes in the form of the narrator. The author may have an omnipresent narrator, who gives a personal commentary on whatever is happening, such as the different characters’ choices or actions.
3. Cameos
Sometimes, authors insert themselves into a piece of fiction through quick cameos. This is the style that comic writer Stan Lee used in his Marvel comics.
Many movies also feature little cameos by the director or producer, which often delights dedicated fans.
Examples of Author Surrogates in Literature
Here are some real examples of author surrogates found in literature:
Philo in the Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion by David Hume
In this collection of essays, British author David Hume created his author surrogate in the person of Philo. This book contains essays such as “Of Miracles, “Of the Immortality of the Soul,” and “Of Suicide.”
Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
In this New York Times Bestseller, Crichton puts himself into the main character Ian Malcolm, and expresses his perspective on the scientific failures of cloning, expanding this view through the catastrophe that happens as a result.
Jo March in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Although this classic is a fictional story, the author Louisa May Alcott admits that she saw herself the most in the character of Jo March, the tomboy among the four sisters. She expresses her opinions through the very vocal and opinionated girl.
Emily in Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery
In this second book of the Emily trilogy, Anne of Green Gables bestselling author L.M. Montgomery details a lot of her personal experience in her quest to become a published author.
In the trilogy, she even uses her own grandfather’s story of coming to Prince Edward Island from England as the back story for how Emily’s great-grandfather arrived in New Moon.
Benjamin in Animal Farm by George Orwell
In this satirical dystopian novel told as an animal fable, George Orwell speaks to us via his author surrogate, Benjamin the donkey.
Benjamin is intelligent and knows how to read, and is the one who is visibly upset when the knacker’s van takes Boxer away.
A minor character in One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
In this Latin American modern classic novel, the author sets his story in the midst of the violence in Colombia.
But instead of using the protagonist as his author surrogate, Márquez instead appears as a minor character toward the end of the book.
Bella in Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
In this vampire novel, the author projects herself into the main character of Bella. Unfortunately, because of the way that Bella is portrayed as the ideal character, it drew considerable criticism for Meyer!
We discuss the problem of ideal author surrogates in the next section.
Author Surrogates in Fan Fiction
In fan fiction, authors often create their alter egos as perfect versions of themselves. This phenomenon is called Mary Sue, to refer to female author surrogates in perfect form, or the male counterpart, Gary Stu.
Mary Sue and Gary Stu characters usually come with extraordinary skills and talents, often bordering the genius or savant level.
This enables them to save the day, win the most sought-after man or woman, and positively impact all the people around them. The term Mary Sue came from a parody of these ideal characters in fan fiction for Star Trek in the 1970s.
The Pitfall of Ideal Author Surrogates in Fiction
In novels, however, the use of these types of author surrogates isn’t as welcome. After all, describing yourself as the ideal character creates the sticky situation where you can be called narcissistic or pompous!
In addition, it can take away from the storyline and instead become almost like the author’s fantasy life. As such, experienced writers usually avoid this, except when doing it intentionally for a comical or satirical effect.
One way to avoid this is to make sure you carefully design your characters, giving them weaknesses as well as strengths.
It’s fine to include superior qualities, but you need to make sure the character stands out in their own right. You can do this by paying attention to character development and fleshing out your characters across several facets—definitely one of the most imporant skills you need to improve as a fiction writer!
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 60 Questions to Ask Your Characters
- The Audience Surrogate: Characters That Represent the Audience
- How to Write Character Flaws: The Importance of Imperfect Characters
- Flat vs. Round Characters: Examples and Tips for Writing Them
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
