  Short Stories
This week: Fiction as Catharsis. Edited by: Jay's debut novel is out now!  
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I would like to think that, at least on some level, writers use their medium to explore their emotions, deal with real life feelings through expressing grief, anger, pain, and depression. In short stories, we inflict the challenges on our characters and sometimes they surprise us.
January and the first week of February's been a roller-coaster month for me emotionally; the ups of getting my life back in order and my body into a shape other than "round," for starters, and the downs of dealing with my grandmother's death and some minor social life crisis on the other end, have been expressing themselves in subtle ways through my writing. I imagine other writers do the same; we use our characters and their lives to express what's going through our minds.
On some levels, their ordeals mirror our own, and in others, it can be as self-satisfactory as wish fulfillment or even as a way to explore potentials never tapped. Recently I've been working through what I might describe as character grief-- and it's certainly almost as real as the grief I've felt this past week. I've been, perhaps subconsciously, venting many of the feelings I've had into the fiction I've been working on.
I am not quite sure yet how it happens that a 92-year-old woman in South Carolina passes away and it makes me want to tackle the untimely death of a much younger woman in the deepest reaches of space and thousands of light years away from where I am, but at the same time, it's the only fiction that seems to want to come out of me right now. I've been avoiding writing this story for some time, not just because it means that I'm unhappy, but it's... well, I guess it's like I have to deal with the grief of a small horde of fictional characters in my head at the same time. Is it easier to get it all over with at once, maybe? I'm not totally sure.
I feel sort of weird about it. Like maybe I ought to be less flippant about it, or something. I don't deal with death exceptionally well, and so it's always been something that gets vented out in ways that I don't always expect.
We all grieve differently, but for me, it's the way I'm able to make it work.
Until next month,
Take care and Write on!
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From last month's mailbag: "Tying It All Together"
Lothmorwel  writes:
I really like the comment about re-using scenes and locations. Sounds like a very useful tool to help explain changes in the story (plot, character development, etc.) by using a familiar location, or by referring to that location, rather than attacking every scene from a fresh perspective.
well, not so much about perspective, more setting, but yes-- using settings and placement consistently adds layers to the characters and the story; it also makes it easier to keep track of things that happen! We humans are creatures of habit and we certainly like our routines. (Among other reasons why location consistency can be helpful  )
bertiebrite hoping for peace writes:
I re-read constantly and think about the end goal and what the story must contain to make a whole. Without re-reading you most definitely will lose your way in any tale you wish to tell.
I completely agree! I think it's really important to write with plot in mind, especially when you are going for a short story.
Restless Soul writes:
Thank you very much Jay. I needed to read that. You have made a significant difference in my writing already. I cling to details all the time!
Have a great year Jay.
Zubia (Restless Soul)
Thanks, Zubia! Detail is really important-- and doubly important to keep it consistent throughout your story!
JACE  writes:
Sounds like "operator headspace" problems--at least in my circumstances. Sometimes I type so slow that I can't keep up with my mind. Then I get attached with what I write that I just don't see the disconnect. More editing--that's what I need. Thanks for the reminder, ~jay.
Of course, Jace! It happens for all kinds of reasons, but lately I have taken to writing all my tertiary details down, even when I don't know if I will need them later, simply because it does help prevent me from "spacing out" sometimes. |
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Short Stories: February 08, 2012 Issue [#4868]
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