#writing multiples

IDENTICAL MULTIPLES

An IDENTICAL multiple has one or more sibling that shares a majority of their DNA, hence they look the same. This is probably what you think of when you think of twins--two identical people wearing the same clothes with either the exact same personality or polar opposites. In reality, it's not so black and white.

My mom and aunt, for example, have many similar interests--make-up and fashion come to mind--but they have many differing interests as well. My mom loves cooking and baking and while my aunt is capable of it, she doesn't get the same fulfilment that my mom does. The same goes for their personalities: though they share some qualities, my mom is more quiet and less confrontational than my aunt. Although it is possible for your multiples to be complete opposites, try avoid making them exactly the same. Try differing their fashion senses, style and characteristics and play around with them as individuals.

Something to note is that identical multiples will nearly always be the same sex and a set of multiples can have identical and fraternal siblings, for example a set of identical twins and a fraternal sibling in a set of triplets. There are many different multiple 'combinations' (for lack of a better word), and if you'd like more information on that I urge you to research the topic.

FRATERNAL MULTIPLES

Meanwhile a FRATERNAL multiple has one or more sibling that shares (on average) 50% of their DNA with each other. Genetically, they differ from one another the same amount that your average siblings would. This means that you can have multiple sexes, for example a set of boy-girl twins. Like identical multiples, don't make them exactly the same either.

The main point I want to highlight in this post is that the experience of being a multiple isn't about how similar or different we are from one another--it's about growing up together. Having a best friend (or worst enemy) from birth and the pros and cons that come with it. Do your multiples get compared to one another? How does that affect their self-image? Do they enjoy each others company, or do they prefer to be alone?

The best tip I can give you is to write multiples as separate characters, just as you would with normal siblings. Don't make them clones of one another: I promise you, we don't talk in sync or read each others minds. The thing that will connect your multiples are the experiences they've shared, but the thing that will separate them are the way they each perceive those experiences as well as the ones they've been through alone.