But, apparently, we're supposed to keep the *themes* of our piece in mind as we write. We're supposed to have this level of self-awareness that I clearly lack -- that I always have, because just because I see the themes in a story when it's finished, doesn't mean I had a clue they were there as I wrote -- but I find that stoppig to think about the themes just makes the words dry up. It stops me from writing.
That's the reason I hated and still hate lit and English classes *so much*. But then, I hated the entire cutting of a story into it's seven component parts,too--what was it, theme, mood, setting, characterization, tone, dialogue, and something else. It just--noo. I'd sit and think, it's a *story*. Not a mathematical equation.
(Mind you, the other frightening thing mentioned in this course? The idea that a lot of good writers write down a novel, delete nine tenths of it, and then start again and re-write the entire thing. I think that would be too painful to bear.)
*thoughtful* I wonder how *literal* they're being when that's said, though. I really do. I mean, it just--I don't see it. What's the point of writing it if you're never going to actually use any of it?
What's the point of writing it if you're never going to actually use any of it?
Apparently, it's to clarify the characters and backstory in your mind. It's...
Well, when you're writing original fiction, I think it's taking the place of canon. Like, when you write a good fic, there's all this backstory of canon that you know about the characters (but you don't go through and summarise it all in the story -- because that would make it clunky and boring -- but you write as if it's a known thing). So, for original writing, the theory is that you don't need to spell everything out but as the author, you should *know* those bits of character history.
It's sort of... I don't know. If I think about it rationally, it probably leads to good writing, but it *feels* all pointless.
That's the reason I hated and still hate lit and English classes *so much*. But then, I hated the entire cutting of a story into it's seven component parts,too--what was it, theme, mood, setting, characterization, tone, dialogue, and something else. It just--noo. I'd sit and think, it's a *story*. Not a mathematical equation.
(Mind you, the other frightening thing mentioned in this course? The idea that a lot of good writers write down a novel, delete nine tenths of it, and then start again and re-write the entire thing. I think that would be too painful to bear.)
*thoughtful* I wonder how *literal* they're being when that's said, though. I really do. I mean, it just--I don't see it. What's the point of writing it if you're never going to actually use any of it?
Hmm.
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Apparently, it's to clarify the characters and backstory in your mind. It's...
Well, when you're writing original fiction, I think it's taking the place of canon. Like, when you write a good fic, there's all this backstory of canon that you know about the characters (but you don't go through and summarise it all in the story -- because that would make it clunky and boring -- but you write as if it's a known thing). So, for original writing, the theory is that you don't need to spell everything out but as the author, you should *know* those bits of character history.
It's sort of... I don't know. If I think about it rationally, it probably leads to good writing, but it *feels* all pointless.
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