Bittercon: Limits and Stereotypes - Do they stifle, or spur creativity?

[pdlloyd]

My eldest son and I were talking this afternoon and he brought up the issue of limits, such as censorship, which can sometimes have the effect of increasing creativity, rather than decreasing it, as writers (and other artists) find creative ways around and through the censorship. He commented that he sometimes wondered if such concepts as

Comments

[rosaleeluann]

I don't speak from experience (I have plenty of stories in my head, but I'm too scared that they'll come out awful to actually put them on paper) but I think that it probably has a lot to do with attitude. You can either see the stereotype as a problem, or a challenge. They're very similar... but different as well.

[marycatelli]

You have a million bad words in you. If you write them all out, you will be able to get at the good words under them.

There, now you have an excuse for writing badly.

0:)

[pdlloyd]

A million bad words sounds pretty scary, to me. But, you're right, that all of us must start out as beginning writers and it is only by writing that we can grow and improve as writers.

[pdlloyd]

The cool thing about putting words on paper is that you don't have to show them to anyone until you want to. You don't even have to let anyone know you're writing, until or unless you want to. I know professional authors who write wonderful stories who have admitted that their first drafts always come out so bad they won't even show them to their spousal unit or best friend, and that it may take many, many drafts before they are ready to be shared.

Nobody here wants to force you to do something you don't want to do, but if you want to write, don't let fear stop you.

As for your point about how you see the stereotype, "as a problem, or a challenge," I think you make a very good point.

limits or creative buttons?

[marycatelli]

Anything that catches the muse's fancy can push creative buttons in my experience.

And once or twice I have decided that a colorless character needed a personality trait -- only one, to keep him in the background. Whereupon that trait insisted on his acting differently and even appearing in new scenes.

Re: limits or creative buttons?

[pdlloyd]

Pesky characters, thinking they have lives of their own. ;>

[satimaflavell]

Pema, this Bittercon thing seems to be full of good ideas. Can you tell me more about it, please?

[pdlloyd]

Hi, Satima. bittercon is an online convention being held for those who can't make it to WorldCon. I learned from another friend that sartorias (Sherwood Smith) sometimes initiates one, then the next thing I knew, sartorias posted this. Come on in and join the party. Bring all your friends. Host a topic or two, as I'm doing, or just drop in on someone else's. There's always room for more on the Internet. 8)

[pdlloyd]

BTW, the topic Forgotten Treasures, over on intertext's journal is already going strong, as we discover the children's fantasy and sf that we grew up with, as well as the books we missed, but our LJ friends loved.

[satimaflavell]

Thanks for both responses, Pema. I'll certainly check out some of the discussions!

[dichroic]

I think humans tend to be more creative when given limits, whether imposed or voluntary - when we can do anything at all too often we get overwhelmed by choices and don't do anything. You can't even start writing a story until you put some limits on it - set in *this* culture, with *that* POV and *those* natural laws applying.

Sonnets.

"Nuns fret not at their convents' narrow room."

etc.

[pdlloyd]

Oh. Hello again. Weren't you just here a second ago, wearing a mask? ;->

[dichroic]

Yes, sorry. (And sorry again if this reply double-posted also - I'm on a loaner computer so it's not auto-logging me into LJ.) Could you please delete the original(s)?

Thanks. And good topic.

[pdlloyd]

Not a problem. I had similar issues just this afternoon when I logged on from my sons' house. :)

[time_freak]

Hi, you added me. From the bittercon list? Just wondered.

Nice to meet you.

[pdlloyd]

Hi, yes, from bittercon. Then realized I was responding to very old posts and backed out, but I'm re-friending you. I got a bit confused last night and I'm feeling a bit embarrassed. Not an unusual feeling for me, I'm afraid.

Nice to meet you, too.