Here is a little list of some things I’ve learned about writing over the years. (That makes me sound quite experienced and wise, which is not at all true, but it certainly sounds impressive, which is important.)
Research. It’s hard to write about a rebellious young cadet in a futuristic military academy if you* (A) don’t know anything about the military, and (B) don’t know the first thing about rebellious young men or, in fact, anybody rebellious whatsoever. Some other things it’s hard to write about when you don’t know a blessed thing about them: tribal tattoos, sparring, sword-making, legal contracts, the complexities involved in ruling a city, the complexities involved in trekking through a tract of mountains, midwifery, cattle branding, and how exactly crop rotation works anyway.
Don’t be afraid of looking like an idiot. One of the best things about writing is learning lots of new things, which frequently means finding somebody who knows a lot about a thing and then asking them a lot of questions. Do enough research to know what to ask, and then don’t worry about looking like an idiot.
Give it soul. This mostly applies to fiction, and this part is terrifying because you are worried what some of the characters you create and scenes you imagine might say about who you really are. But after all, J.K. Rowling created Voldemort and she seems okay, so go ahead and pour your soul in because otherwise it will really be quite dull. In nonfiction, “give it soul” mostly consists of getting in there and experiencing things so that you can write about it with some accuracy. Go to the Museum of Menstruation, but probably with a friend for backup. Help prep for the dissection of the washed up dead whale. Try a recipe for sauteed cicadas au buerre. All of these are examples of what people I know in real life tried in order to give a story some soul.
Imagine and Empathize. Lots of people can imagine their personal fears coming true. The real trick is to be able to imagine someone else’s fears -- and then try to convey that person’s fears and situation to people who are not like that person. True of fiction and nonfiction.
Be Honest. If you’re writing an article about something that particularly affects a certain race of people, you ought to mention that. Even if it means you have to talk about race, which maybe makes you a little uncomfortable. If you leave it out, it’s dishonesty by omission. In fiction, this would encompass similar ideas: don’t ignore something that would be an issue, don’t gloss over important things.
Quirks make people interesting. The person who wears a gun in an area where most people don’t carry guns. The carefully-painted toenails of a poverty-stricken woman struggling to care for a brood of children. The artist who is working on a personal art project based on pictures of cancerous cells. The new diamond tie pin glinting on the chest of a businessman claiming that times are hard. All of these things can tell you something deeper about that person, or at least suggest something interesting.
Research. It’s hard to write about a rebellious young cadet in a futuristic military academy if you* (A) don’t know anything about the military, and (B) don’t know the first thing about rebellious young men or, in fact, anybody rebellious whatsoever. Some other things it’s hard to write about when you don’t know a blessed thing about them: tribal tattoos, sparring, sword-making, legal contracts, the complexities involved in ruling a city, the complexities involved in trekking through a tract of mountains, midwifery, cattle branding, and how exactly crop rotation works anyway.
*By "you," I here mean "me when I was sixteen."
Don’t be afraid of looking like an idiot. One of the best things about writing is learning lots of new things, which frequently means finding somebody who knows a lot about a thing and then asking them a lot of questions. Do enough research to know what to ask, and then don’t worry about looking like an idiot.
Give it soul. This mostly applies to fiction, and this part is terrifying because you are worried what some of the characters you create and scenes you imagine might say about who you really are. But after all, J.K. Rowling created Voldemort and she seems okay, so go ahead and pour your soul in because otherwise it will really be quite dull. In nonfiction, “give it soul” mostly consists of getting in there and experiencing things so that you can write about it with some accuracy. Go to the Museum of Menstruation, but probably with a friend for backup. Help prep for the dissection of the washed up dead whale. Try a recipe for sauteed cicadas au buerre. All of these are examples of what people I know in real life tried in order to give a story some soul.
Imagine and Empathize. Lots of people can imagine their personal fears coming true. The real trick is to be able to imagine someone else’s fears -- and then try to convey that person’s fears and situation to people who are not like that person. True of fiction and nonfiction.
Be Honest. If you’re writing an article about something that particularly affects a certain race of people, you ought to mention that. Even if it means you have to talk about race, which maybe makes you a little uncomfortable. If you leave it out, it’s dishonesty by omission. In fiction, this would encompass similar ideas: don’t ignore something that would be an issue, don’t gloss over important things.
Quirks make people interesting. The person who wears a gun in an area where most people don’t carry guns. The carefully-painted toenails of a poverty-stricken woman struggling to care for a brood of children. The artist who is working on a personal art project based on pictures of cancerous cells. The new diamond tie pin glinting on the chest of a businessman claiming that times are hard. All of these things can tell you something deeper about that person, or at least suggest something interesting.
Now You!
What is something important you have learned about writing or storytelling?
The most important thing I've learned is to just do it.
ReplyDeleteAndrew: this is true.
DeleteI wasn't a rebellious person, but I did know about the military!
ReplyDeleteI've learned to listen to my fans. What they liked and didn't like. And then adjust from that point.
Alex, I could tell you knew about the military. (I won't share with you the short story I wrote when I was sixteen, because frankly the character of Trey Thundercloud is a complete embarrassment and it's painfully obvious I didn't know a thing about the military. ^_^ )
Delete"Listen to your readers" is excellent advice.
I didn't realize how that extremely high-level simplification of one of my old stories sounded similar to your story. O_o I was reading a lot of the old-school scifi at the time and decided to try my hand at it, even though I didn't know anything about what I was trying to write. Which turned out rather hilariously.
DeleteOh, how I enjoyed this post. It made me smile and it made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteI was talking with my writers group today (the in person one) about writing things you're afraid to write because you're afraid of what it might say about you. And by you, I mean me...
And I do agree with what Andrew said. Just do it. But that's the part I have the hardest time with.
Good to hear that, M.J. :) I get that "what does this say about me?" thing pretty frequently, but like I said it doesn't seem to have killed other people, so... just do it! ^_^
DeleteGreat post. So important to put that soul into a piece of work. Not always easy to do, but without it the reading is just flat.
ReplyDeleteL.G. I completely agree -- flat and dull otherwise, and sad.
DeleteHi Callie. I'm visiting from the IWSG.
ReplyDeleteI am very, very insecure.
As one blogger told me a few weeks back - apply the Nike slogan - JUST DO IT! However, it's easier said than done.
I was going to say that white women don't have soul, but I was reminded that Christina Aguilera does indeed have soul. So I guess number three "Give it soul" can definitely be accomplished by white folks. It's just a lot harder.
ReplyDeleteAll kidding aside, great advice :)
Great post, Callie!
ReplyDeleteI especially like to use reserach as a way to combat insecurity. It helps me to write with confidence. But the other thing is just writing. It's like Nike says. JUST DO IT.
Research can be tons of fun. It can also be quite side-tracking. Once I start doing research I often start going all over the place, but darn it's fun.
ReplyDeleteLee
A Faraway View
I LOVE this list. Can you tell how far behind I am that I'm just now getting to September #IWSG posts and it's almost time for the October one (tomorrow!)?! What I've learned, and what I'm writing about tomorrow, is to embrace failure. Being fearful of failure is a sure fire way to never succeed.
ReplyDeleteI promise to be faster on the October #IWSG comments! ;-)