What Feels Like Home

Photo credit: gary.hge on Flickr

From May 10-15, I was in Michigan, visiting family in the house I'd lived in for roughly two years.

I've had a rather migratory life.

In my twenty-six years, I've lived in six homes and two dorms scattered across three states. My late teens and early twenties in particular were especially uprooted—between colleges and family moves I was constantly aware that wherever I was was temporary, that I wasn't going to stay. This made a lot of things awkward—especially relationships—but the most lasting effect was I never really felt at home.

Which, you know, comes with knowing you don't plan to stay. You don't want to get attached to anything—not even a building—if you know you'll be packing up and going elsewhere soon.

But as I flew back to my apartment, in the lovely city that welcomed me back in September, I was struck by a realization. Though I've only been here for about eight and a half months, for the first time in literally years...I really feel at home.

For the first time in ages I'm planting roots. I'm planning to stay. I'm making long-term relationships and collecting things of my own and most of all I feel good here. I can really say it's good to be home.

Which, to put a writing spin on this, has me thinking: what is home to my characters?

The answer, of course, will vary manuscript to manuscript and character to character. But I think it can be an interesting question to consider while drafting—and you never know what insights it might give you into your characters' minds.

What is home to your characters? 

Twitter-sized bite:

After 6 homes, 2 dorms, & 3 states @Ava_Jae considers what feels like home to them—& how to use that question to develop characters. (Click to tweet)