There can be a lot of concern in writers when you market a book for a generation other than yours. You know that things are different and you may not be able to accurately portray the world as they understand it. But I have found this to be less of an issue.
The same people keep being born. Generation after generation, nothing changes but lingo, technology, and fashions (and even those tend to cycle). The same kinds of people stop being there. Macho guys, macho girls, spoiled princesses, late bloomers, old souls, genuine sweethearts, and so on.
Think of all the people you knew at any given time in your life. If you meet the people who are at that point in their lives, they will be so similar to the people you were around. If you end up talking with kids in high school, they will all know the same kinds of people that you knew when you were in high school yourself.
So don't worry about being relatable. Be real. Be yourself and talk about people how they actually are. Anybody who has been through what you have been through, even if it was 30 years difference, will have the same kinds of stories to do.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Don't Make The Same Mistakes
Mistakes are simply unavoidable. We are imperfect beings. As frustrating as it can be to know that you have made a mistake, it is important to let it go and move beyond it.
What makes mistakes even more annoying is making more than one of them. We feel stupid or incompetent when it happens. We feel like we can't do anything right because we keep making mistakes.
But mistakes are not necessarily bad. Sometimes they're just training tools. Every mistake is a chance to learn. It is a first-hand example of what can go wrong. Learn from it why it happened, how to prevent it, and how to solve it if it is unpreventable.
It's ok to make more than one mistake. Make as many mistakes as you need. Just don't keep making the same mistake. Doing so would mean that you have not learned your lesson.
This is universal advice, which means it happens to apply to writing. Whether it be an unbelievable character backgrounds, stiff dialogue, or using a word incorrectly, these things happen. We learn by doing. It's totally ok. Just remember to fix those mistakes in the first place. That way you can progress in your art.
What makes mistakes even more annoying is making more than one of them. We feel stupid or incompetent when it happens. We feel like we can't do anything right because we keep making mistakes.
But mistakes are not necessarily bad. Sometimes they're just training tools. Every mistake is a chance to learn. It is a first-hand example of what can go wrong. Learn from it why it happened, how to prevent it, and how to solve it if it is unpreventable.
It's ok to make more than one mistake. Make as many mistakes as you need. Just don't keep making the same mistake. Doing so would mean that you have not learned your lesson.
This is universal advice, which means it happens to apply to writing. Whether it be an unbelievable character backgrounds, stiff dialogue, or using a word incorrectly, these things happen. We learn by doing. It's totally ok. Just remember to fix those mistakes in the first place. That way you can progress in your art.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
More On Divorcing Art from Artist
The relationship between art and artist is confusing. On the one hand, the art came directly from the artist and as such it is made entirely of things from within the artist. On the other hand, artists absorb everything around them and are perfectly capable of writing about things, people, actions, and beliefs that the artist may not personally support.
We should not assume that every character is an author insertion, especially the protagonist. Characters can be completely unrelated to the author. But they don't have to be. A character can be very similar to the author. They could even have identical life stories. But as soon as anything happens that didn't happen in real life, the book is fiction, not autobiography, and the character needs to be understood as not the author.
Of course, this doesn't make it any easier for readers. We love patterns and puzzles to solve. If we notice that many parts of a character's life are identical to the author's, then we ill assume that all the parts are real.
Don't feel like you have to choose between completely unrelated characters and literal autobiography. Characters can be as similar or different to you as you like. Of course, if you do make a very similar character, unerstand that you are bringing these assumptions upon yourself.
We should not assume that every character is an author insertion, especially the protagonist. Characters can be completely unrelated to the author. But they don't have to be. A character can be very similar to the author. They could even have identical life stories. But as soon as anything happens that didn't happen in real life, the book is fiction, not autobiography, and the character needs to be understood as not the author.
Of course, this doesn't make it any easier for readers. We love patterns and puzzles to solve. If we notice that many parts of a character's life are identical to the author's, then we ill assume that all the parts are real.
Don't feel like you have to choose between completely unrelated characters and literal autobiography. Characters can be as similar or different to you as you like. Of course, if you do make a very similar character, unerstand that you are bringing these assumptions upon yourself.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Devils Never Cry
When we have a bad guy in our stories, we have to make sure to show that he's bad. Some bad guys become devils. We always see them plotting and planning and entering a violent, blinding rage. That guy is a total jerk and we can all agree.
But is that who the person really is, or is it simply what we are shown? People have hopes and dreams. Sometimes they go too far or lose their focus, but they tend to be brought back to reality eventually. People can only handle so many stresses in their lives. After a breaking point, they have a breakdown. People cry. And nothing makes somebody look more human or more pitiful than true, uncontrollable tears.
To make somebody a devil, simply hide their humanity. To make a devil human, show it.
Writing Exercise:
Write a story from two different perspectives. In the first story, a particular character is shown to be a complete, unlovable jerk. In the second, that character is shown to be an understandable and relateable figure. Have certain actions and scenes universal and present in both, but show how the context between the two of them changes ow the audience relates to that person.
But is that who the person really is, or is it simply what we are shown? People have hopes and dreams. Sometimes they go too far or lose their focus, but they tend to be brought back to reality eventually. People can only handle so many stresses in their lives. After a breaking point, they have a breakdown. People cry. And nothing makes somebody look more human or more pitiful than true, uncontrollable tears.
To make somebody a devil, simply hide their humanity. To make a devil human, show it.
Writing Exercise:
Write a story from two different perspectives. In the first story, a particular character is shown to be a complete, unlovable jerk. In the second, that character is shown to be an understandable and relateable figure. Have certain actions and scenes universal and present in both, but show how the context between the two of them changes ow the audience relates to that person.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Do The Opposite Of What You Do
Right now I am working as the registrar of a summer music camp. I have met several people who I am enjoying thoroughly. I have also gotten to better know many people who I am enjoying thoroughly. I was all prepared to write about how writers need to go out and meet all kinds of new people, but then I realized that this is only partially true.
If you are a naturally outgoing person and meet new people all the time, that advice is meaningless. If you are always on the move, you should try sitting still for a while, staying in one place and just writing continuously. This lead to more realizations.
If you evenly spend your time between meeting people and being by yourself, you should try being extreme in one or the other. Really, whatever you would do normally, you should do the opposite.
Variety is the spice of life. Writers need as much experience as they can get. First-hand is even better. Ruts are comfortable, but rob you of variety. Get out of them and do something different. (Or do something different by crawling into one, depending on your situation).
If you are a naturally outgoing person and meet new people all the time, that advice is meaningless. If you are always on the move, you should try sitting still for a while, staying in one place and just writing continuously. This lead to more realizations.
If you evenly spend your time between meeting people and being by yourself, you should try being extreme in one or the other. Really, whatever you would do normally, you should do the opposite.
Variety is the spice of life. Writers need as much experience as they can get. First-hand is even better. Ruts are comfortable, but rob you of variety. Get out of them and do something different. (Or do something different by crawling into one, depending on your situation).
Monday, August 2, 2010
Not To Inform, But To Affirm
I have a tendency to be short with people, especially when I am asked to repeat myself or if I am being given information that I am already aware of. It's a fault, I admit, though I do try to get better about it. One of the things that helps me is realizing ways that it can be a good thing.
When I am told something, I always make the assumption that the other person is telling me something they believe I don't know (unless explicitly noted). This just isn't always the case. Sometimes people are saying things not to inform, but to affirm.
When your husband or wife says "I love you", it isn't because they thought you didn't know. It's because they are affirming that love, making it no longer an unspoken understanding. Also, when it comes to things that can change (like love, looks, life status), affirming is nice. It makes us sure that things are as they were (assuming you believe that status quo is a good thing).
My writing is also affected by my shortness. I assume that every line of every paragraph needs to further the plot. People who repeat themselves are worsening their own stories. And although here is a limit of how much repetition is ok, the occasional reminder is nice. Affirm that things are as they were (or at least as they should be) and that we haven't glossed over anything important.
When I am told something, I always make the assumption that the other person is telling me something they believe I don't know (unless explicitly noted). This just isn't always the case. Sometimes people are saying things not to inform, but to affirm.
When your husband or wife says "I love you", it isn't because they thought you didn't know. It's because they are affirming that love, making it no longer an unspoken understanding. Also, when it comes to things that can change (like love, looks, life status), affirming is nice. It makes us sure that things are as they were (assuming you believe that status quo is a good thing).
My writing is also affected by my shortness. I assume that every line of every paragraph needs to further the plot. People who repeat themselves are worsening their own stories. And although here is a limit of how much repetition is ok, the occasional reminder is nice. Affirm that things are as they were (or at least as they should be) and that we haven't glossed over anything important.
However Many Words It Takes
I love the English language. I really do. There is so much it can do and there is so much it contains (because one of the things it can do is contain just about anything). We have words that can describe pretty much any feeling or action.
'Awesome' is an awesome word, but some things are not quite awesome. Some of them are spectacular. Some are magnanimous. Some are brilliant. And some are rad. Whatever shade of whatever you need, English has you covered.
But sometimes our brains can't do it. Sometimes we just can't think of that word we want. It's like, we know what we are trying to say and we know there is a word for it, but we simply cannot produce it. What do we do?
Well, you can stop, get frustrated, exclaim that you are frustrated because you can't think of the word you want, and then either pause the conversation until you either find the word or let it die. Or, you could try to use more than just one word.
Crack open a dictionary. Every word can be defined with more than one word. (A thesaurus, in theory, shows that every word can be described with one word, but that's a story for another time.) If you know what you are trying to say, but cannot say it in a single word, then use however many words it takes.
You may not be able to impress people by using 'magnanimous', but you can still explain yourself with "a bright and shining greatness" and still sound pretty eloquent, too.
'Awesome' is an awesome word, but some things are not quite awesome. Some of them are spectacular. Some are magnanimous. Some are brilliant. And some are rad. Whatever shade of whatever you need, English has you covered.
But sometimes our brains can't do it. Sometimes we just can't think of that word we want. It's like, we know what we are trying to say and we know there is a word for it, but we simply cannot produce it. What do we do?
Well, you can stop, get frustrated, exclaim that you are frustrated because you can't think of the word you want, and then either pause the conversation until you either find the word or let it die. Or, you could try to use more than just one word.
Crack open a dictionary. Every word can be defined with more than one word. (A thesaurus, in theory, shows that every word can be described with one word, but that's a story for another time.) If you know what you are trying to say, but cannot say it in a single word, then use however many words it takes.
You may not be able to impress people by using 'magnanimous', but you can still explain yourself with "a bright and shining greatness" and still sound pretty eloquent, too.
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