Subscribe
Apr
21
In writing, there is a type of story called the “Quest Narrative” where the main character faces and conquers obstacles that change her as she proceeds on a vague quest. The process of transformation becomes the story. It’s a fairly common story type, but I’ve been thinking about it quite a bit over the last few months.
I’ve been told, repeatedly, that I’d make a great fictional character. There’s an implication there that I’d worry about, except I’m usually never alone when things happen, and when I am, there’s a piece of tangible evidence to prove I haven’t lost my mind.
But recently, I admitted to a friend that I probably need to try to write out my story as a fictionalized tale as a form of therapy, and started writing down what I consider to be important events and details. Then, I went to organize my writing notes and drafts form old stories and made a horrible discovery: I have been trying to write my own story.
I’m not a fan of chick lit, but I noticed last year that I keep tying to write it, and I’ve been adding in moments from my life. It’s like I’ve been trying to turn myself into a Mary Sue without ever actually making my characters be a Mary Sue. I can’t decide if my subconscious has been trying to call for help through my fiction, or if I let things get to me so badly that it completely interfered with my ability to create the fiction I’d rather be writing. I’ve been wrestling with this for nearly a year, and still can’t find the answer.
Now that I am aware of it, though, I’m wondering what affect it’s going to have on my writing. Will my characters start expressing more of my past?
Related posts:
- What I’ve learned from NaNoWriMo 2009 2009 marks my seventh year attempting National Novel Writing Month....
- Novel writing for the short story writer Themed/linked short story collections are a great solution for someone...
- Write what you would read Jim Butcher originally read and wrote sword and sorcery fantasy...
- Creating the flow Recently tweeted: As I’m working on this storyboard, I’m going...
- The Heroine’s Journey Last year, one of the io9 editors complained that the...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
