The Curse of Fan Fiction

As simply amazing as fan fiction can be, I've recently discovered it comes with a price. One word: character. Even though I'm right in the middle of several fan fictions, I got an idea for a novel that just couldn't wait. I started writing. Now, tell me if this sounds familiar: my main character Natalie, who preferred to go by "Nat", is a seventeen-year-old girl who feels out of place where she has recently moved. She's clumsy and sarcastic. She has brown hair. . . Blah, blah, blah. It wasn't until much later that I realized my main character was not Natalie; it was Bella Swan. Unfortunately, I do the same thing to my guys with Edward. They all become mysterious, polite, well-spoken, and virtuoso. The good news? Now that I've realized this, (and vented about it. . .) I've been paying more attention to detail and character. I've changed my main character completely, but I've found she's who needs to tell the story. So maybe the "curse" wasn't so bad.