Dear readers,
It seems that the first paragraph took away the post. Yes, I do complain about not writing too quickly, and I thank for Ropi's and Charles's contribution on being a fast or slow handed writer.
But the main issue is NOT time.
Please read further for the more important aspect.
It is about how much you give about into your writing; how much of your own material can you work into your characters - for the sake of being enthusiastic and believable it is all right, but there are serious drawback as well. If I was unclear, I'm sorry.
I don't really wish to debate further on the time I spend with writing a piece.
The other one is THE question.
Now, here's the post:
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I'm at 1400 words with Halo. (Now, don't laugh please. I know some authors write thrice as much during one single afternoon.)
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This project keeps infiltrating into my life. I feel the words and the feelings of the main character within me. However I balance on the line between making Hail resonant with my own thoughts and separating him away from me.
For God's sake, he's not me, is he?
At first I found it hard to give him a complex character. I had the most important features of him right away, when I first thought of him, but later on he showed more of himself. Or was it me, investing more of my own self into him?
Do I make sense here, btw?
Somehow or other, all writings are based on the writer's own experience. But to what degree that mine is deplenishable? Will it ever get empty -
Will that ever happen?
Or will it happen sooner than one thinks?
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???
16 comments:
In my class I have a famous saying which is really hated by others: Jó munkához idő kell. So don't hurry.
Or as the English says: Haste makes waste.
I have plenty of writing projects where the words come agonizingly slowly. As long as progress is made, the end will arrive.
I'm wicked, Charles: I'm gald that other people are able to agonize at least, for some of their time :-P
I am sorry.
I think if you made a perfect job time is not important.
Szelsofa--You might want to check out Lisa Kenney's blog Eudaemonia about your dilemma. Specifically,
http://eudaemoniaforall.blogspot.com/2008/01/one-hundred-paintings-one-million-words.html
Don't give up on writing. You have a unique voice.
Ropi,
that is all right.
Steve,
I've checked that site and ti was quite useful! Thanks for the link.
Also thank you for the encouragement.
You're not alone. I can totally relate to you. Lately I can only write excruciatingly slowly - this depresses me greatly. I don't know why it happens because I love the story, but I just can't find the right words.
As for your character, I think he will be a very "real" one if you're investing so much of you in him. That's a good thing. I also shows that you need to write his story.
I meant "It also shows..." of course :-)
Somehow or other, all writings are based on the writer's own experience.
Gotta disagree. If every character were me, and there experiences were limited to mine, that would be a boring book.
As you evolve, you write more characters who are vastly different from your self and these charcters are more fully realized because you had to put a lot more thought into what makes them tick - how much time do you spend on wondering how you youreslf tick?
The best characters I've written were those with whom I had nothing in common.
Vesper,
thank you for your encouraging words. I guess that unlike many other writers out there, my writings are therapeutical. I do think many writers write for therapy - while other, perhaps more prolific ones write just for fun/exploration/money (??? - for the latter!!)
You know what, my hero has just found a golden coin. I think I have to at least wink a little thank you over to you!
Josephine Damian,
while we can wholeheartedly and friendly disagree, I'm happy to welcome you
1.) to my blog about writing
2.) as one who adressed the core problem of this entry.
That is being 'how much should a writer dig into himself to avoid letting himself devastated and resulting in writing a boring story?'.
It is a tough question for those like me. I just can not imagine writing about someone who's nothing to do with me.
For me, it is very interesting to see how different writers think about this issue.
Sure I want to avoid writing boring stuff and sure sometimes my own self seems to be the most boring creature of all - but...
I'm so glad to have found your blog! I am a beginning writer and I struggle with the question of how much of my protagonist should come from who I am and how much is too much. At this point in my journey (and I expect this to evolve over time -- God, I hope so), I believe that as human beings, we are vastly complex. I believe that Who we are and how we view the world is constantly changing. I used to worry that I was being too autobiographical, but I realized that there is only so much one can say or depict of a character and so to draw from our own emotions and experiences to create a character, knowing that we can only reflect a tiny fraction of what it is that makes us human, is the only way to create a believable character. After all, the only head we live in is our own. Even secondary characters that I create take on bits and pieces of what I know and understand. So if I'm trying to depict the relationship a character has with her sister, for example, I feel like I naturally begin with what I know about that and then expand out to everything I also know about other people and their relationships. Even if the relationship tracks very closely to my own emotions, it doesn't mean that the character isn't completely different in the way she views love, work, religion, politics and the million other things that comprise personality. I've gone on too long, but you've given me the opportunity to try to work this out for myself too and for that I thank you!
Who will know how much of you is in any character apart from yourself?
Life is full of experiences - you will never run out of your own and you can find inspiration in everyone you meet as you go along :)
Lisa,
you don't have to worry about writing long comments - normal comments are welcomed regardless of their length. Talking about a problem, evaluating the situation is part of the solution.
Re: characters.
I agree that we are complex and ever changing. Some parts do remain the same, though.
Myladysa,
I think writers pick pieces of characters from experience. Sometimes a written character is built up from entirely ONE, real (alive or dead) person, but for most of the time, I think most characters are fragments of MANY other people.
The other day my total accomplishment on my MS was four words.
The rhythm of output can vary widely from project to project, from time to time.
Sometimes, characters will be elusive, slow to reveal themselves.
Szelsofa, I don't think your creative well will run dry.
Thank you, Bernita.
It is encouraging to receive such insight from an author.
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