: Re: Not projecting myself onto my characters I have struggled with mental illness for my entire life. Writing has been an extremely helpful and important mode of self-expression for me, since I

@Pope4766717

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Create writing projects for yourself in which you deliberately refuse to write protagonists who have these issues.

Create a list of topics that you ordinarily wouldn't write about but that you have at least a faint creative interest in.

Create a list of the mental illness characteristics your protagonists usually have, then write the opposite qualities next to them. If he's an angry loner, make him happy and popular. If he's depressed and beset by self-doubt, make him a confident practical optimistic person.

Practice writing character responses which are the opposite of the usual responses. Force yourself to write every line, no matter how unnatural it seems, as if your character is peaceful, confident, and has an instinctive feeling that 'he'll think of something' or 'things'll work out.'

Practice writing Mary Sues. Write short pieces about a character who is all sweetness and light, who's great in every way and who everyone loves, but who is also humble, modest, fair, generous, etcetera ad nauseam. No matter how fake or stupid it seems, force yourself to write it as an intellectual exercise.

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