#drop them bones notes

22. Does personal experience ever inspire your fics? What about this particular fic?

Personal experience inspires my writing all the time - I think writers are by nature social and cultural magpies! It may not be in a literal sense, but bits and pieces work their way in, from love of another to sarcastic quips to financial considerations, etc.

For Drop Them Bones, it's one long character study, so I think personal experience has influenced my approach to the characters more than any plot points.

Sanji and Nami, I can see the influence of growing up in poverty, learning how to make food supplies stretch, worrying about nutrition, going hungry, learning how to safely forage. Feeling isolated as a child who accompanied adults in their occupations or chores because there was no other child care available and you had to learn to entertain or educate yourself. Figuring out how to get even a little bit of money or barter for something because it might seem like pocket change to others but is the difference between going to bed hungry or not. Always planning with an eye for the rainy days you know are just one bad turn of luck away. Those types of things.

Same with Usopp and his ingenuity - being taught how to look at something and figure out how you can get more out of it, or make it last longer. Learning how to take care of the few things you have because you can't afford to replace them if they break; you can only hope to fix them but even then they won't be the same, so take care.

With Zoro and Sanji, it's that streak of protectiveness- knowing how quickly real life can go sideways, from injuries to just bad luck to deaths, and wanting to stand between your people and the harsh world.

With ZoSan, it's the foundation of being in a relationship for over 25 years with an equally sarcastic/snarky person and (hopefully) knowing what lines you can/can't cross in that type of dynamic.

Luffy is the hardest to write but my approach to him is influenced by my partner, although their favorite character has been Shanks ever since he uttered "It's just an arm" because that truly encompasses their approach to life and both our pragmatic natures. I can see them in how Luffy accepts everyone until they're proven unworthy, how he unwittingly inspires and encourages just by being himself and living his life on his own terms.

Otherwise, my personal experience with food prep and kickboxing, maybe? I can still filet a fresh catch even though I haven't gone fishing in decades; I sous chef for my partner in the kitchen, too. I did kickboxing at an MMA school in my 20s and things like Insanity workouts to stay in shape (now paying for that because Genetics).