Literature Network » Charles Dickens

Was Charles Dickens David Copperfield? Authors, characters, and real life: Charles Dickens used real-life people and experiences to create unforgettable characters. (Author's Craft).

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From: Writing!
Date: 20021101
Author:Geller, Conrad

An autobiography is the story of a life. A novel is a story imagined by a writer. We assume that things that happen in a novel, and the people they happen to, are made up. We assume that an autobiography is more or less true.

But is the line between the two always clear? Writers are advised to "write what you know." Many fiction writers start with people, places, and things from their own experience. They change details to fit the needs of their stories.

One of England's best fiction writers, Charles Dickens (1809-1870), is famous for his vividly drawn characters--some ...

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