Writing is a passion with so many drawbacks- Writers block, constantly thinking of ideas, dealing with rejection and failure. So what makes us continue? There are many reasons, such as wanting to tell an important story, wanting to show commitment and dedication to a hobby and wanting to get published. For many, its a way to gain self-appreciation and satisfaction. By demonstrating to yourself that you can commit to a task for many months, it's like the literary equivalent of running a marathon. For others, it's about proving a talent to the world. It's about declaring 'I've got something to say and I'm going to say it'. Regardless of the limitations of being a writer, the benefits outweigh the negatives.
I agree with everything you have said. I also think that we continue to write to express our thoughts and opinions and to jot down our experiences. Some also write as a way to escape from reality, there troubles and worries. It is therapeutic I suppose for some. In regards to your last statement, if you love writing with a passion the benefits will always outweigh the negatives because you love it so much. – claraaa7 years ago
I see the point about all the negative aspects of writing, whether for work or for hobby. I suppose in my case, the human mind has such endless and boundless capacity for creativity that writing is only one way for expression of that creativity, others being dance, song, painting. In the end, the writer is the 'prophet' of what so many people overlook. The writer is not much different than a teacher because a teacher has the motivation and ability to impart valuable words unto the right people. People have been writing things down since the earliest times. My curiosity is constantly piqued by what others create and the form in which it is expressed. – lofreire7 years ago
I totally agree with this. I think writing is an art and it is challenging to continue. I sometimes find it discouraging when I am out of ideas or when other people's writing are better than mine. However, what keeps me going is that writing is a way for me to express myself. It also helps me get my thoughts. Another beautiful thing about writing is that it can be kept and you can always go back to it. It almost preserves how you once thought or felt. It is fun to read things you have written several years back and see how you've grown. – birdienumnum177 years ago
I think we all have our own reasons for writing, even if we know we probably won't be the next big thing. Yes, rejection is a toughie and I have enough rejection slips to wallpaper my bathroom (OK, it is a very small bathroom), but my attitude to rejections is chalk it up to experience and keep slogging away regardless. I write as a hobby, to express myself and to explore some of the weird ideas that bubble to the surface from whatever dark corner of my mind they were previously lurking in. For instance, I recently underwent an operation to remove a cancerous growth from my bowel, but my gallows sense of humour kicked in almost as soon as I left the recovery area - because the doctor who operated on me was named Dr.Disney. Honestly, you can't make these things up! A few frantic scribblings later and I've got the beginnings of a black humored comedy sketch that might lead to something...or it'll sit on my hard drive until I find a way to use it. Whatever the case, at least I have a short character study that might well pop up in something else I write. Benefits definitely outweigh the negatives and we write because we need to write in much the same way as a musician, poet, painter or film maker follows their passion. The creative side of humanity is our best feature and it should be nourished in all of us. – Amyus7 years ago
All of these comments are exactly what I had in mind- The individual thoughts and experiences of each person are unique and different and this topic can really embody that. It's also refreshing to hear that we have all had moments of rejection and disappointment (and even though most of us try to brush it off and say 'it makes us better writers-which is true- Rejection is AWFUL!). – Courtney7 years ago
I agree with what you have said, along with the notes posted. It is interesting to think about, why writers continue their passion although there are many drawbacks. Most of my pieces of writing are to jot down experiences in a more literary form, however, I completely agree that there are many different reasons why people like to write. But that is like any other form of hobby or career, the reason why people choose them and continue to evolve with them are endless! The benefits definitely outweigh the negatives as a writer. – caitlinm7 years ago
I agree. Writing as a medium has evolved and become extremely accessible due to the other existence of other mediums. Even in this site, with the possible exception of the arts (i.e. sculpture, painting, etc.) and gaming (which depends on the games that are being talked about), all of the mediums are partially what they are thanks to strong writers contributing to the projects. Writing is not only a healthy way to vent and express opinions, especially for those of us who are more introverted and/or shy, but it gives people an opportunity to experience working in several creative industries. I think the endless possibilities ultimately make up the beauty of this hobby that we all have. – mrheckleton7 years ago
Writing helps me to clear my mind and put out things and ideas whivh would not have been able to in the course of any conversation. It is a basic right of my freedom and something which has even been proven to be psychologically benefecial. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
In many of Virginia Woolf's novels (such as "The Voyage Out", "Night and Day", "Mrs Dalloway", "To the Lighthouse" and "The Years"), the concept of family, and in particular family breakdown, appears. Considering her own life (her parents, brother, and half-sister all died when she was relatively young), does her family influence this portrayal of families? Obviously, one would have to give biographical information about Woolf and a description of the principle families in some of the novels (Mr and Mrs Ramsay in "To the Lighthouse", the Dalloways in "The Voyage Out" and "Mrs Dalloway", etc.)
Time travel is a frequently revisited topic in both popular and literary fiction. What is the philosophical appeal of time travel? Does it simply speak to our personal regrets or to large global/political/social issues that we wish to undo? Is it egotistical to think that 'hight sight is twenty-twenty'; that to know the negative outcome of one event/one decision would allow us to course correct and thereby find success? Can humanity (globally or personally) only learn or develop compassion through disaster?
I personally think that the appeal of time travel stories lies in our flawed nature as humans. The possibility of reversing/changing the outcome of our own mistakes and/or the wider worlds' is very appealing, as well as egotistical (we get to play the hero). However, the appeal also lies in the unknown i.e., what will the alternative outcome be if I go back in time and ensure Hitler wasn't born? Will there be a better outcome or a worse one? That's just my opinion on the topic though! – Ness7 years ago
I think it is a case of regret. Everyone has defining moments in their lives that determined the course of their life trajectory. In those vulnerable moments of self-doubt, it is only human to wonder about the road less travelled. A few suggestions for revisions: Perhaps "hightsight" could be fixed to read "hindsight." I think this is a great topic but would narrow the focus to an individual's life. Most people may not have the clout to decide world events, with all due respect to our readership. Also, examples like the Arrow and Flash and even Quantico have employed the flashback sequence. Would you want to include the examples you have in mind so the writer of this topic can understand your meaning more clearly? – Munjeera7 years ago
I've always loved time-travel stories. The appeal for me is the idea of not being tied down to any one place and not missing out. The ability to travel anywhere, during any time is the superpower that I've always wanted. There are moments in history that I would love to be apart of. And I have this unquenchable thirst to see space, and other planets and their civilisations. Not to mention, time travel means shirking responsibilities. Not being tied down to anything or anyone. For me, it's simple wanderlust to the extreme extent. – KintaW7 years ago
The underlying message within many time travel stories is to live in the moment and places extreme value in the present. I believe this is what draws us to these stories. We cannot time travel, and the spectacle that is time travel is enticing, but the resolution of the story is most commonly a reminder to cherish time that we have, not to wish back the past or anticipate the future. It is a message that is simple to grasp and easy to promise; I will enjoy every day with no regrets.
– GeorgiaParry7 years ago
I think this depends largely on the story in question. There are a lot of different takes on time-travel. It would be interesting to try and find certain themes that seem to pop up within the subject most often, and analyze those, rather than the concept of time travel in general. – Ben Woollard7 years ago
I believe it is our conciseness of being stuck in a moving chronological belt of time, fixated is what makes much of the 21st century so interested in time travelling. The ability to escape this chain and break its control on us is not only embedded in the liberal thoughts of our society, but in human emotion itself. – chackz7 years ago
Comparison between songs that are more recent and ones that are older throw up a large number of differences in terms of lyrics. One prime difference is that newer songs have an increasingly decreasing (heh, see what I did there?) number of lyrics. Examples – 'You a Stupid Hoe', 'Turn Down For What', 'Now watch me whip, now watch me nae nae', 'I know you want me, you know I wan'cha'
Is this constant reduction in the number of words in a song a reflection on a) Our memory – we can't remember words to songs anymore, or it seems like a waste of time to do so. b) Our attention span has dropped so low, that we can't be bothered to listen to music that isn't composed of repititive phrases, we can't be bothered to exert the effort to figure out what longer, more extensive lyrics say. c) Just bad taste.
Is it a combination of all three? Is it a different reason altogether? Is there a more complex reasoning behind this?
I think the simplicity of minimal and shallow lyrics isn't exactly a reflection of our intelligence more so that it's necessary for certain moments. There are several music genres that thrive with complex, poetic lyrics such as Hip-Hop, Alternative and arguably some Pop music and they are highly praised. Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean and Kanye West are insanely successful rappers if for nothing else then for the complexity of their wordplay. All of the songs you listed weren't created with the intention of making people come to profound revelations; they are simply dance songs. The only job they have is to get you to shake what your momma gave you and they do it well. – sastephens8 years ago
I agree with sastephens. I think different genres of music are meant to satisfy different drives and relate to different moods. That's why if someone has an eclectic taste in music, he or she can more easily adapt and access a range of different personas than someone with a more limited musical palette. There are certain songs that are meant to be shallow, but incredibly catchy and there are deeply meaningful songs that aren't designed to get burned into listeners' brains via radio overkill. Obviously, there are those instances where songs are both catchy and deep (and it's really terrific when that happens, but not every song has to do that to be a good song). I do agree that there's a trend recently of repetitive, catchphrase-type songs. It may be an attention-span thing as you mention since our tech-obsessed world is dealing with that problem as a whole. I've heard this trend's been happening with movie titles for that very reason. – aprosaicpintofpisces8 years ago
I think its a combination of bad taste and the fact that it will simply make millions of dollars. Those songs are what dominates the charts. They aren't groundbreaking; they are just meant for a night out. And that's fine, but it would be great to get back to songs with more substance. That's just how our culture is right now. The attention span is decreasing. I like to believe that there are still a lot of people who respect and identify with great lyrics. Right now it's the trend but I think people want more depth in a song. – joshmccann8 years ago
It seems to me that there can be said to be two primary aspects, roughly speaking, that go into any form of writing, but especially fiction writing. First, there is content, which includes everything to plot, to scenery, to dialogue and character development. Then there is style, which refers to how the language is being used in creative ways to express something. Many writers seem to have one down solidly, while the other side suffers. Who are some writers you think do one of these (or both) especially well, and how important to you think each aspect is to creating good fiction writing?
This one's tough. Usually people don't have acclaim for solely doing one aspect well. When I think of style I think of Hemingway and how many sought to mimic his writing for generations to come. And then there's Stephanie Meyers, who people say is a terrible writer with no style, but somehow she creates content that is wildly appealing to a huge audience. Dan Brown might be someone who has content (plot) down, but no style to speak of. – Nate Océan8 years ago
I have definitely encountered this in recent novels. The novel that I am currently reading seems to favour common tropes and lacks fluidity in the writing itself but the plot is constantly moving, hooking me in and forcing me to finish the book. It would be interesting to highlight writers that do both well and try to explain how they manage it. – ReidaBookman8 years ago
This seems to be an idea based around rhetoric. I wonder if the two can be mutually exclusive. Since style is the way a writer uses language, if literary devices such as plot, symbolism, dialogue, etc are lacking or suffering, would it not follow that the style is also suffering. If the use of language doesn't lift the plot, wouldn't both style and plot be suffering? Moreover, wouldn't plot (or whichever literary device) be suffering because of style? I wonder if the strong use of literary devices and/or style are suffering because of the pressure to publish. Does the market cause works to suffer? Does the lack of grammar being taught in schools cause these works to suffer? Is there a larger force causing this issue you've mentioned because I agree it exists. – DKWeber7 years ago
I am a fiction writer and voracious fiction reader, so I like this topic. Yet I feel like I shouldn't write it since it would be in first person, so it's up for grabs.
Do any fiction writers out there find their craft ruins the reading experience? For example, do you catch yourself zeroing in on when an author tells instead of shows, or when characters are undeveloped? Do books you once liked become tedious? If yes, how do you–and we as writers–cope with that? Is there a way to keep one's craft from ruining reading? Conversely, does writing make reading a great book even better, and does it enhance one's taste in literature?
I love the topic! I also write myself and I do often have this issue of honing in one possible mistakes or weaknesses in stories (writing- or even story-wise) that my friends miss. But I also think it's given me a higher appreciation for works I do love and that are written very well. Of course, this would be a subjective topic for anyone to write, but I do think you're onto something. – Karen8 years ago
I love this topic. I think some solutions should be addressed to help writers read without criticizing. – DB752B8 years ago
This is a great questions. Fiction has long been a part of literature and who knows if it has its own downsides. – BMartin438 years ago
I like this topic, and I think it could be written with an open-ended conclusion. I.e. writing might "ruin" reading in some ways, but it vastly improves it in others. I do find that as a writer, I notice weak plot devices or predictable character development far more than I used to or than other readers. As Karen noted, however, I also appreciate some things more, like artfully dropped foreshadowing, beautiful symbolism, or unique scenes. For me, these positive results outweigh the negative, but this could be argued either way. I also think it can relate to tv (I can't stand some shows just because the script is poorly written, while my friends are able to excuse that for high quality acting and cinematography) but it's up to the writers discretion to note this or not. – EmmaBeitzel8 years ago
I definitely agree writing fiction gives you a better eye for good books, although what is "good" remains subjective. I've also noticed it gives me a better idea of what I want my writing voice to sound like, so whoever writes the topic could discuss that if they wanted. – Stephanie M.8 years ago
I love writing fiction too, and I like see it all as a learning experience. I ask myself if these lacking characteristics of the book tie-in to the narrative, and whether or not my dislike of it is just a personal opinion. Then when I write my own works, I am sometimes inspired by these elements and then I deviate or incorporate them in a way that reflects me as a writer. – RadosianStar8 years ago
I think reading fiction will always be food for the imagination. If you are a writer reading the work of others allows you to discover your style. If you are reading a work of fiction and discover something the author could be doing differently you will make a mental note to avoid doing it. Conversely, if you find something you love you can further explore that pocket in your own writing and others. Even what you consider to be bad fiction can be educational. – ReidaBookman8 years ago
I would say that in order to write good fiction, at least in my experience, it's necessary to be constantly immersing myself in other people's work. While I definitely don't think that writing "ruins" reading, it definitely gives me a sharper eye when it comes to how a book is put together and how the language is being used. I start to think about things other than enjoying the story, such as how the author may have crafted it, what works and what doesn't work, and generally analyzing much deeper than many people might want to when reading something. It's the same thing with any art: I used to be really into drawing and I found myself always being extremely critical of other artists mistakes because I became much more able to recognize them. The same sort of thing happens for me with fiction, or writing of any kind, and I often get annoyed by what I consider poor writing, even in authors that I have massive respect for. On the other hand, I now have a grasp of what it means to write a story, and can better appreciate good fiction, especially when I come across something where I have absolutely no idea how the author did it. For some people this analytical mindset might detract from the enjoyment of a book, but I've always found that it does the opposite for me. – woollyb7 years ago
There is definitely an analytical side that kicks in. Instead if just following the story, you do notice the nitty gritty devices being used. I think it also deepens appreciation for the artform. When you realise how difficult it is, you become a little less critical and more understanding about the author's intent, and you don't fixate on the elements that bother you, but try to assess the story; both what works and what doesn't (at least that's how I feel). – AGMacdonald7 years ago
It's happened to us all. We received an email from an editor that dashed our hopes and dreams against the rocks. Rejection is a fact of life and even the most successful of writers have gone through it several hundred times, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, and E. E, cummings to name a few. Today's publishing market is not as ridged as it once was. Now there are other avenues for writers to seek publication such as online-only publishing, self publishing, or paying to publish but the old publishing houses remain and rejection letters are still given out in healthy doses. An interesting topic to explore might be the sudden drop and forced recovery after receiving a rejection. You could use numerous examples of people who have survived and give helpful hints and tips for those feeling discouraged. In the words of Sylvia Plath "I love my rejection slips. They show me I try."
As you say, Stephen King, in his part-memoir part-creative writing course "On Writing", relates how he used to poke his rejection slips onto a nail in the wall above his desk. Eventually the nail bent under the weight. He carried on writing anyway, and with each rejection slip learned something new and to try harder and stretch his talent further. – ThomasB7 years ago
Internet trolling has become an even hotter topic in the wake of the 2016 election and the rise of the "other" Alt-Right. Explore the roots and history of trolling. Is it the legacy of Socratic rhetorical styles meant to expose societal hypocrisy or just plain bullying.
I wonder, however, if there is much history to this phenomenon yet. – mmastro8 years ago
There is. As you will note from the topic it arguably goes back to Socrates. – Christen Mandracchia8 years ago
Whenever someone has an idea, there will almost certainly be people waiting to tear it down...The internet made it worse because it allowed anyone with internet to become a critic. – MikeySheff8 years ago
MikeySheff, true. Opening access causes problems, limiting access causes others. The dilemma recalls Madison's yin-yang-like result of securing specific Constitutional rights: allow gun ownership, reap gun violence; ban gun ownership, risk totalitarianism. True too of free speech allowing far-right and -left perspectives, freedom of religion allowing Branch Davidians, Jonestown, etc. Even the double-jeopardy protection for the monsters who murdered Emmitt Till is understandable vis-a-vis the certain damage that would occur were that protection removed. – Tigey8 years ago
I would love to read an article on this topic. Perhaps another avenue to explore might be the historical appeal of trolling. If we view it as a satirical approach to modern debate then what makes it so appealing? Is it human nature to troll? Does exposing certain societal hypocrisies result in the rise of newer hypocrisies? Another point of interest that I am curious to explore is the advocacy of alt-righters. Often people associate this movement with a new sort of radical dissidence. They call the alt-right a "punk movement." Is it punk though? Or is this indoctrination of supposed punk ideologies merely used as a ploy to appeal to a youthful audience yearning for any form of subversion? – DrownSoda8 years ago
Just because someone says it goes back to Socrates doesn't mean it does. Just like to point that out. Socrates didn't promote trolling anymore than Jonathan Swift did. – wolfkin8 years ago
That's why I said "the legacy of Socratic rhetorical styles" and not "Socrates said so." Hence, writing an article about the topic. – Christen Mandracchia8 years ago
