Maunderings of a semi-literary nature

[lassarina]

Often when I read a particularly well-crafted story, it makes me ashamed of myself. I am not so brave as the main characters, so able to drive myself forward based on mere will or faith. Neither am I so deep, I think; there are many things it does not occur to me to think on until I have seen it set forth in print by someone else. I think I am,

Comments

[wrenbow]

You describe the plight of many writers, I think. It is so hard to feel adequate telling a story that one cannot truly take part in, or writing a character when we cannot truly look through their eyes (well we can, but the problem is creating a realistic idea of how this person would act were she living and breathing). Keep in mind that this world does not train us to be as epic as the characters we read about. In fact, it pretty much forces us to be somewhat shallow in order to keep a handle on things. The kind of passion and fire of characters in stories is quickly set aright in the modern world, as that kind of thing can get a person into real trouble in some circumstances. We're a new breed of elite, really. We just have different strengths.

Anyway, it's probably for the best that we have not had to reach so deep within ourselves to survive our circumstances. I mean, that kind of thing usually comes with some serious therapy. =p

[lassarina]

Well, that's fair. And I've enough need for therapy as it is. LOL.

[unclehyena]

Have you ever seen the movie "Fame"? My favorite line is when one of the characters, who has been pursuing self discovery through the movie, declares, "Who cares if I don't have a personality? I'm an actor; I'll make one up."

To be a writer is, at base, to be a fraud; writing is the most fundamental of the trickster's arts. Passion on the page is the result of dispassionate application of linguistic tools to create a transcendant approximation of reality, something that feels more real than actual experience. Experience helps you get the set decoration right, but the focal events are, and must be, fraud.

It is easy to create larger than life characters; the trick is to create real seeming characters in larger than life settings, and a bag full of your own problems is a great resource for providing those crucial limits.

Uncle Hyena

[lassarina]

I rarely think of writing as a dispassionate application of anything. I don't think I have sufficient ability to divorce myself from my work; I don't sit back and say "how do I wish to do this" but instead just type and edit until it looks right. You make an interesting point about fraud, though.

[oberndorf]

I wouldn't worry about it. A protagonist's ability to carry through on will and faith alone through daunting circumstances and endless trials is a relatively rare thing. It's why we call 'em heroes. The rest of us are in the main good and decent folk, we're just not heroes.

As for conveying thoughts, I would remind you that the greatest terror is not something that one is told, but something that is only hinted at in the shadows. In like fashion, the best, most powerful work is typically that work which leaves room for us to insert our own suppositions, our own fancies and emotions, to make it the most meaningful for each individual reader. It's okay to let your reader do some of the work. In fact, it probably works out better that way.

[lassarina]

Even if that's the case, shouldn't I know what they're thinking, just to know? Even if I don't plan to put it into the story?

[oberndorf]

I'm not entirely sure. After all, to know what makes a hero is to reduce him to a set of factors. A hero is X, thinks Y, and does Z. Takes the myth out, y'know?

[celeloriel]

I find it...unreasonable, to use the polite word, that a hypothetical 'good writer' knows what a character THINKS at all times, and if they do not instinctively 'know', then their claim to be a 'good writer' is suspect. It makes me think that the term 'good writer' is invested with something other than the common definition, and that in its turn makes me think that it's being held up as an impossible unattainable goal - which makes me conclude that this may be a product of some bad self-hating thought processes.

Conclusion, as always, worth what you paid for it.

[lassarina]

Not inappropriate at all :) Hmm. Mayhap. I don't always feel this bad about my writing, but I'm very paranoid and shy about it in a lot of ways, and I compare myself to some of my favourite authors and it just hurts me to think of how far I have to go.

I *Heart* Weakness

[kruammitak]

Instead of thinking that something is wrong with me, I blame the Arthur for not being relatable

Re: I *Heart* Weakness

[lassarina]

You'd like Kushiel's Legacy.

Re: I *Heart* Weakness

[kruammitak]

I actually bought the first in the series and was only a chapter through it when someone stole it from me. I havn't had the urge to purchase a new one but with how much you gush over it I might pick it up after I finish some stuff on my ever growing "to do list."

Re: I *Heart* Weakness

[lassarina]

I'm so in love with it, it is crazy. ♥