Six years of ducking it by doing it
January 20, 2008
We’re coming up on six years of Thudfactor (official birthday: February 6, 2002), a project I started with the intention of getting in the habit of writing frequently. I’ve achieved that goal and then some, but here’s the thing: I wanted to write fiction. Despite occasionally toying with graduate degrees in political science and history, it’s fiction that interests me the most. Strangely, though, I’ve been reading less and less of it over the last several years. I’ve been reading more political weblogs, science weblogs, strange weblogs, and — of course — all of your weblogs. But novels? Not so much.
Often my inspirational moment early in the morning will result in a significant weblog post or insight into an issue that’s been irritating me recently. Last week I got up at four in the morning to write a movie review for Anvil and Sprocket. It didn’t occur to me until then to ponder why I wake up in the morning and write half-informed political commentary when so many other people wake up with a new story idea. Perhaps I am programming myself to write more analytically? I’ve probably been doing it since college at least — one of the weaknesses of an English degree with a focus on literary theory. (Analytical, you see: not creative.)
So the question is: how do I change this?
(For those of you wondering if I might not be tempermentally predisposed to writing analytical material: According to Kiersey I am an INFP, which does not strike me as a common personality type for writing non-fiction. Although I could be wrong about that.)
Posted in Art and Writing
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January 20th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
There are quite a few books that describe fiction writing and have exercises. As uncreative as it may seem, one of those may be a good start. I am not sure it matters which one — just read an excerpt and look at a couple of the exercises, and pick one. Dedicate some regular hours to the process, and you will fall into your own rhythm and find your voice.
January 21st, 2008 at 9:43 pm
No, but I’m another INFP and I obsessively soak up nonfiction of pretty much any flavor. (Well, commentary and analysis as well as just information.)
I’ve tried to figure this out for myself and the closest I’ve gotten is that consumption of a broad spectrum of nonfiction appeals to my “N” need to understand the Whole Big Picture, all of it, all at once.
I get bored with fiction very easily. Most of them aren’t doing it right (for highly localized-to-me definitions of “right”, mind you - I’m a demanding reader.)
January 26th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I have no idea what personality type I am (probably depends on the day), but I think practice has a lot to do with anything one wishes to do. Then, too, there is such a thing as “creative nonfiction,” which might be the best of both worlds for you.
I’ve been attending a writing group for several years now, and the exercises that I think spark the most creativity are the ones where we are given a writing prompt and then have to just go with it for 10, 15, or 20 minutes. There is no stopping, no rewriting, and if you get stuck, you are to write “I don’t know what to write” or whatever else there IS in your head, until you get past that. It’s typically only during the first session or so, though, that anyone actually does that.