"For myself, I always write about Dublin, because if I can get to the heart of Dublin I can get to the heart of all the cities of the world. In the particular is contained the universal."
~James Joyce
In my opinion, in the end, we all write what we know. We may start with one idea, have a whole story planned, an intended direction, but the life we've experienced, that is what ultimately comes out in the end
I don't know how many times I've gone into a story with ideas about it, only for it to veer off in it's own direction, into something that rings true to the person I am inside, what I know. (And just so you know, I'm a fan of letting the subconscious do some good steering of the story).
Am I the only one who finds that what they think they know about their story doesn't end up being the case after all?
Anyways back to the quote. I think writing is all about writing what we know and letting the universal come out. I've found myself quite often trying to write about someone who worked an occupation that I'd studied, only to find that it didn't come naturally. When I thought about another occupation that I'd had when I was younger, and allowed that for my character not only did it fit better, but it allowed a certain flow to the story that wasn't there before--not only because I knew it from a more tactile and personal sense but because there was something about it that my subconscious seemed to pick up and tie to my story.
I guess what I'm wondering, for those of you out there who delve into areas that you haven't lived, how do you create that intimate portrayal in your writing without having real life experience? I know the imagination plays a big part, and I don't have much problem when it comes to fantasy elements, or creating characters, but when it comes to tying in aspects of the story that are real and others may know better (and in my opinion, should be tied into the/a theme of the story)--how do you do it?
2 comments:
Hi I'm a new follower and absolutely love your blog!!! The picture of the couple about to hold hands is so cute!!! Not to mention I love this picture of Dublin on those post!
Fantastic post by the way! I think you're right, we write what we know. All my stories start in an open field in Iowa, it's my building platform, I feel comfortable there, now later on a new world is created off the coast of an island (in Iowa there are no islands, lol) so as you can see I start somewhere comfortable and let my character guide me the rest of the way.
I am writing a piece that takes place in Englad part of the time, with that being said everything is still very much my own world and rules but it's nice to look at weather changes, locations that really come alive in the fall, yada, yada, yada... google is a God for that sort of thing, as is one of my writing buddies who resides there.
Ooh, I'm definitely a big fan of google.
Also, about using a 'building platform': I read a book called Writing From Where You Dream by Pulitzer prize winner Robert Olen Butler. He talks about having his students, as a writing exercise, write about a special memory then using that in the same way, letting it take off, focusing on whatever sensory details come to your mind and allowing it to take you forward.
I think we all have key things we've experienced that have awesome root for fiction. This is why I am of the opinion that if someone wanted to write, then they should. The material is there. Now whether you get published, that depends on a person's efforts to learn all aspects the craft. IMO
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