Inspirational people surround us at every turn. To celebrate some of the incredible women who continue to motivate me on my writing journey I have decided to post a Monday Muse – a look at the women/characters who are my artistic inspiration.
Last time I honoured author, Sue Townsend. You can read that post HERE. Today, I’m devoting the Monday Muse to a fictional character who marked an important chapter in my life. Sarah Michelle Geller played the lead in Joss Whedon’s hit TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, between 1997 and 2003.
I was twenty-five when the show first aired but following the release of The Lost Boys movie in 1987 I was already a firm fan of anything vampire related (you can read about my top ten vamp films HERE).
My addiction to Buffy was two-fold. I adored the way Joss Whedon and the other writers created the episodes and even bought a few of the screenplays so I could analyse them to help me to develop my dialogue writing. The other reason behind my fascination was purely personal – I lived vicariously through the TV show, taking strength and hope from Buffy’s many trials and relationship goals, and living by her one-liners.
At the time, I was unhappily married to an overly controlling individual, so my hour with Buffy Summers and her friends allowed me time to let go emotionally. I took great comfort in watching her overcome ordeals and judgements. Yes, it was a show dedicated to exploring the lives of a group of high school/college students. It also blurred the lines between teen challenges and the fantastical, but, it resonated with thousands of people (of all ages) across the globe.
Through this character I could visualise who I wanted to be; not just a vampire slayer with a great wardrobe, but a capable individual who could stand up for herself, stop giving her power away, and learn to embrace changes when they arose.
I have regular Buffy-a-thon binge-watching marathons, where I’ll either start from the beginning and watch all seven seasons or pick out my favourites – even my three children love the show.
I did eventually stand up for myself and leave that abusive relationship. I also embraced every part of that experience so I could learn from it. Now, many years after Buffy Summers closed the Sunnydale Hellmouth for good, I find myself writing motivational books for women and crafting strong, loyal teenage protagonists for my young adult fantasy fiction. I honestly believe the shows influence had a positive impact on my life journey – for that, I will be forever grateful.
I recently stumbled upon a book review on Jade Cranwell’s blog for a hardback guide written by Buffy’s Watcher, Rupert Giles. ‘Demons of the Hellmouth’ is a perfect way to take a trip down memory lane and re-live Buffy’s world. You can read Jade’s review HERE.
Has a TV show or movie ever shaped how you see yourself or feel about a situation in your life? Maybe you were a Buffy fan and can understand the impact it had on the fans? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Shelley Wilson Author 
Yes! Buffy! Out of whom came my Spy Girl Books!
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An inspiration to us all 😉
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My husband has ALL the Buffy series and a still film clip from the original series!
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Yay, a fellow fan! 🙂
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I absolutely loved Buffy, Shelley, and my daughter did, too. The perfect mix of action, relationships, friendship, and humour in adversity. And, as you say, a good role model 🙂
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Absolutely, Helen. It was that perfect mix that kept viewers hooked – and keeps attracting a new generation of fans. 🙂
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omg. When we watched Buffy, you and I were going through very similar experiences and watched it for the same reasons. That is spooky but in a good way. I adored Buffy as I am into all things vampire too, but Buffy was the power that I held onto, that got me through some horrific dark times. My best friend and I had a saying, “No matter what the world throws at us, there`s always Buffy.”
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Very spooky, Adele, but also really lovely. That’s the thing about this show, it helped us, and many others I’m sure, to find strength. Grr argh 😉
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Oh I LOVED Buffy! She was brilliant! And I completely see why she inspired you. I currently adore Agent Carter, she’s definitely one of the best action females on TV at the moment if you haven’t managed to see it yet!
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Ooh, I’ve seen clips for Agent Carter but so far haven’t watched any episodes – I shall have to remedy that now! Thanks for commenting 🙂
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I totally agree, my favourite feisty female character! Thanks for the mention, love your blog 😀
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Thanks, Jade, and no problem re the mention – love your blog too 🙂
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Although I didn’t watch the show when it aired (I was 4 when Buffy came out) I got into it a few years ago. I am thoroughly obsessed with the tv show, film, and comic. I have this thing with strong female leads, so this show was my cup of tea when I finally discovered it. I loved the show because it was hard for me to relate to the character, she had to deal with all of these things at such a young age, and at the same time was expected to keep her cool. I couldn’t imagine being under that type of pressure. This show will always be my favorite.
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Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting, I’m glad you enjoyed the post. That’s what I love about Buffy – the shows appeal to every age bracket and attracts a new audience with every passing year. The characters went through ‘real life’ stuff that many of us could relate to. I agree, Buffy will always be my favourite show too. 🙂
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Yes to this. All hail queen Buffy ❤
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Ha ha, thank you 🙂
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There really are not words enough to praise Joss Whedon and his characters. Personally though, I vote Willow for most inspiring female on BtVS. =D
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I love this post. Buffy means a lot to me too. I watched it when I was at school being bullied on a daily basis and it was one of the first things I watched and truly escaped with. Will ALWAYS love this season
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What?! There’s a guide book? For real??? *squee*
This show was so brilliant, so well-written, it appeared to all ages. It’s one of my favorites (so much so that it’s in my bio, just saying) and I often have binge-watching nights. Great choice. (Though I also admire a few other characters: Willow, Anya, Giles…)
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*sigh* appealed not appeared
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Haha 😉
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I’ve just finished watching a Buffy-a-thon with my eldest son – all seven seasons!! He wants to start on the Angel box sets now 😉
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Yes, I have the Angel boxed set, too. 🙂 Have fun!
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I didn’t get into Buffy until last year, but the impact she has made on my life has been so significant!! I was so addicted I read all the comics, too! Thank God for strong female heroines, now more than ever!
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BUFFY! Yep, my entire family loves the show as well – in fact, our 16 year old still hasn’t watched the series finale because she’s trying to prevent it from “ending” for as long as possible (which, given we used to watch together back when she was a toddler, she’s doing amazingly well ). 😀
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Ha ha, I can totally relate to that!! My 18 year old son and I have regular Buffy-a-thon weekends. I sobbed like a baby during the last show! 🙂
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