Writing into Gaps: Joshilyn Jackson on Creating a Fictional Sister
Joshilyn Jackson, a writer, grew up as an only child but imagined having a sister named Liz. As a military brat, she had to frequently move and lost close friendships, which contributed to her desire for a sister as a confidant and co-conspirator. Jackson drew inspiration for Liz from literary sisters like the March and Ingalls girls, creating a brave, trustworthy, and loyal companion. The imaginary sister felt so real that she would sometimes take Jackson’s place at the dinner table, with her parents engaging with her as if she were a real person.
- Author’s lack of a real sister led to creation of detailed imaginary sister character in childhood
- Military family background influenced themes of temporary relationships and loss in writing
- New book ‘Missing Sister’ directly addresses author’s feelings of sister-shaped absence
📘 Publisher Take: Writers should mine their personal longings and gaps for story material – unfulfilled desires often generate more compelling narratives than lived experiences, as demonstrated by Jackson’s successful career writing about sisterhood without having a sister.
Source: Crime Reads | Read full article →