Friday, May 30, 2014

Why Soooo Serious?

Being a writer is complicated.  Sometimes we have a tendency to boil it down to technique or even just opportunity.  I think the most important aspect of being a writer is knowing yourself.  Like the characters in your story, you need to know your emotions, your attitudes, your weaknesses, your sensibilities, your vulnerabilities and your aspirations.

Like with characters, knowing yourself isn't about answering profile questions.  You have to examine yourself long and hard.  You have to see yourself with total honesty.  Why do you write?  Is it passion?  Is it fame?  Is it respect?  Is it money?*  Are you driven, almost compelled, to write?  What kind of writing are you attempting?  Is it right for you?  What is your sense of aesthetics?  Do you write dark thrillers full of violence and betrayal?  Do you write light romances with only the simplest plot twists?  Or do you write epic science fiction with huge space battles and galactic intrigues?  Why do you write this way?

Finally, ask yourself do you write literary fiction or popular fiction?  Do you write so people will take your work seriously?  Or do you write so that people will find your work entertaining?**  These are incredibly important distinctions.

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll just put it out there: I am not a fan of literary fiction.  Obsessive navel gazing, meandering through the mundane and groveling in the dark emotions isn't my thing.  I am an entertainer.  I write stories that, first and foremost, I think are entertaining.  I write stories I hope other people find entertaining.

Are you the same?  Or do you have a passion for deeply emotional dramas?  There's no right way, here.  Writing is about passion.  Love Star Wars?  Try writing a space opera.  Love Gone With the Wind?  Try writing a historical romance.  Love you some Lovecraft?  Try writing of dark eldritch horrors.  Regardless of whether it is literary or popular, it has value because of your passion.  Readers sniff out frauds pretty quick.  Be real.  Be you.  Your passion matters.

Your plot matters, too.  Next time, let's look at a hybrid method for creating plots in: Calculated Spontaneity.

*     If you are writing for money, stop right now and step away from the keyboard.  You are in the wrong profession.
**   I'm not exactly saying these are mutually exclusive but they are usually exclusive.

No comments:

Post a Comment