Another writer, lamenting the steep odds to traditional publishing,
told me she doesn’t need to write and will cease writing fiction if her journey
doesn’t make an upward turn in the near future.
I was surprised. This writer is gifted, exceptionally so. She
spends many hours at her craft. I assumed she, like me, writes for herself
first. I told her that the writing process is a way of clarifying thoughts,
and I couldn’t imagine not doing it regardless of what markets open (or don’t)
for my stories.
She responded that Journaling, (=keeping a diary) serves
that purpose for her. Fiction is a craft that is firstly labor, not a gift to
self.
It’s different for me. Because, and this is a confession
that could put me in the loony-bin in some folks’ eyes, my characters always
surprise me with their insights. They say things I never knew, or never knew I
knew. I grow and learn a lot from them.
Another way of putting it is the unconscious mind needed the
conscious self to open a narrow portal and allow insights to slither out into
the space that words inhabit.
Journaling has never served this for me, and I stopped
keeping a diary many years ago. For me, the entries consisted of emotions of
the moment that overwhelmed any chance for deep reflection.
In this blog I write of what I already know or hope to
learn. In fiction, I learn what I didn’t know I knew.
So, to each their own. I am grateful for all that my
fictional characters taught me, and while I’d love to share them with you, I
will not abandon them regardless of who else chooses not to make their acquaintance.
7 comments:
"In fiction, I learn what I didn’t know I knew." This is so true for me. Fiction allows me to explore something from various angles. Sometimes I think I'm forever writing about home and family and what it means. I also keep a journal, mostly to clear my head, pray, mull things--but I don't keep these. I love what Amy Tan said (and I'm paraphrasing) that stories/writing are a gift we give to ourselves and to others.
Blogging is journaling for me. Sometimes it happens. More often these days, it doesn't. I am not good at writing fiction, but I take delight in the work of so many other writers.
Love,
Janie
How heartbreaking that your friend is giving up when she's so talented. It is a hard business and requires a thick skin.
I also only periodically journal. It's mostly where I brainstorm ideas and occasionally write down big happenings (either good or bad).
But writing fiction is more cathartic. I like how you learn what you didn't know. I think you can process your life experiences in a way that you can't do through a journal.
I understand what you mean about getting insights while writing. Your characters unexpectedly divulge them. I write nonfiction and don't have any characters to do that for me. Still, I'm reminded of what a writer (don't remember who it was and I'm greatly paraphrasing) said: that we write to find out what we know. Writing nonfiction has helped me clarify my thinking. It is in the process of putting down words that disparate things can come together and suddenly make sense. Sometimes that happens in my journals as well, but more often that is where I record insights that have arisen.
It's been many years since I've kept a personal journal. All my journals are sounding boards for my ideas and scribblings. I find I learn so much about myself through my fiction writing, and process many of my own emotions through it as well.
It's so interesting to hear your perspective and the responses from others. I think I'm basically not a writer at heart. I may write short things, but the kind of insights you're talking about probably come from longer works. I'm glad I can at least appreciate what the rest of you do.
Good post.
Plus, new stories pop into my head and want to be told.
Am I sad that some of my characters haven't found a publishing home? You bet, but I'm not giving up. They won't let me.
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