To a degree, all
writers want to be widely-read, famous authors. Perhaps all writers even have
ambitions like me. Every once in a great, long while, I’ll say something like,
“Yes, such-and-such a thing will happen to me after I write my award-winning novel
which is turned into an Oscar-nominated film, in which I get to act and write
the theme of the music score.”
Of course, I’m joking. Or am I? We all
write for an audience, hoping that it’s a big audience. However, there is a sizable amount of hype about writing for an audience of one: yourself. What
is the balance? What part of art is for us, the writers and creators, and which
part is for the audience?
I’m going to explain a few parts of writing which I enjoy as the writer, without even thinking about the audience.
The part that
the audience doesn't know about: I've already waxed eloquent on the advantages of newspaper poetry, but I have an example of this
“unknown” from a newspaper poem I wrote. The article was actually a
question posed by a person wondering how to best wear the latest style.
The question was boastful; the person proudly lauded his/her personal
youth and beauty and demanded to know how to flaunt the new trend.
Through my
newspaper poem, I turned the columnist’s helpful and kind answer into a
realistic commentary on why pride can pull the wool over someone's eyes when it
comes to physical appearances. Readers of my poem would understand my focus, but they
wouldn't know about the irony behind the blacked-out lines. That’s my own
private smile-maker every time I look at the poem (unless I told my readers,
like I just told you … ironic, right?)
The part where your readers tell you to change something which you know is essential: Recently, I read
a book centering on how we shouldn't be people-pleasers. The book was a
fantastic, deep read with a spiritually-focused line of thinking. I came away
with a better understanding of pleasing God, as well as the understanding that
I can do things that I enjoy without trying to please those who don’t appreciate
or care about those same things. Everybody had unique tastes.
As the writer of your poem/story, you also have
a degree of “omniscience” and “omnipotence.” In a way, you are in control over
everything that happens in your work, and you know what you are going to make
happen (most of the time!) There is no such thing as an omniscient reader. So, the next time someone tells you to change what you
consider a necessary line, just…don’t. Think about it deeply and critically, but if it fits in the end, just … don’t.
The part where
your ideas originate: Over the centuries, readers and critiques discuss how the
author’s personal life is reflected in his/her works. While it is true that the
personal lives of authors surface throughout their stories/poems, nobody really knows where an author’s ideas are
conceived. Sometimes, the author doesn't even know.
One of the silliest
questions an author can be asked is, “Where do you get your ideas from?”
“Um …
from my head?”
In his memoir, On Writing, Stephen King elaborates on how ridiculous this type of question sounds to an author. (Side note: his memoir is a terrific must-read for every writer.) Yes, the idea for The Hunger Games came from flipping channels
between a reality TV show and coverage of the War on Terror, but does that
fully explain the plots, the characters, the strange mix of Romeo and Juliet, dystopian
fiction, “The Lottery,” the love triangle, and the 12 – oopps! I meant
13 – colonies, plus the dozens of other aspects of the books? No way!
Authors are blenders; the delicious (or disgusting)
smoothie of a book that the reader just drank in is the attempted organization of a confused kaleidoscope of years
of thinking and living. The readers don’t get to know all of those interpreted and re-interpreted experiences and thoughts. Those are just yours to enjoy as the writer.
What are some
other ways you enjoy your own writing and the creative process?
Whenever I analysed books in literature classes, I was always blown away by the idea that author had thrown in all these clever motifs, believable character traits and symbolism. I was assuming, at that time, that author knew they had to include all of these things to please he readership. It was only when I started writing for my own pleasure that I realised these aspects came naturally out of my mind without my contriving to put them there.
ReplyDeleteWriting to please others puts unnecessary pressures and expectations on the creativity of a writer, the part that flourishes only when you write for the sheer joy of writing, not to tick someone else's boxes.
I agree. When you write for yourself, you characters do become real and believable, partly because they have an element of you ingrained and partly because they become freed from meeting the reader's expectations.
DeleteMy writing process varies. My writing stays to my blog but often I don't think I am creative to develop a story into a book and have it published. The few ideas that grew in my head I found out had been published in some form.
ReplyDeleteSo I stick to my blog and I write about things that have been wandering around in my head for a few days or more. Sometimes they are light stories and other times they are more intense and politically incorrect. Some inspirations can come from pictures. Sometimes I can take a picture and write a story around it. It is like writing a song. It develops and BAM we have a story to go.
I suppose the only negative to my blog/writing is that it tends to be all over the place and as a result doesn't always fit a niche which tends to draw many people.