I’ve thought about the “suffering for your art” thing a lot. I’m a better writer when I’m happy and healthy. But. But. I don’t know if I’d have as much to say (and the emotions, words, and background to say it) if I had never experienced significant pain, both emotional and physical.
This is a bassackwards way of me asking you whether you think writing compelling fiction is even possible if the author hasn’t experienced a lot of hurt?
I honestly do. I think we'd probably say different things, because we'd be different people if we had different pasts. But part of the creative impulse to tell stories, specifically, has to do with imagining and recreating an entire spectrum of emotions, not just the more difficult ones.
So would you say the most compelling (or “complete,” or “thorough”…not sure of the right word) fiction comes from an author who can tap the full spectrum of human emotion with veracity?
Big question, that. I think what I would say is they should at least be able to do so within the spectrum of emotions they're choosing to put on the page.
That makes sense. I find I’m drawn to fiction that most fully shows the range of human emotion. I’m always interested in why certain authors are able to tap that better than others.
I’ve thought about the “suffering for your art” thing a lot. I’m a better writer when I’m happy and healthy. But. But. I don’t know if I’d have as much to say (and the emotions, words, and background to say it) if I had never experienced significant pain, both emotional and physical.
This is a bassackwards way of me asking you whether you think writing compelling fiction is even possible if the author hasn’t experienced a lot of hurt?
I honestly do. I think we'd probably say different things, because we'd be different people if we had different pasts. But part of the creative impulse to tell stories, specifically, has to do with imagining and recreating an entire spectrum of emotions, not just the more difficult ones.
So would you say the most compelling (or “complete,” or “thorough”…not sure of the right word) fiction comes from an author who can tap the full spectrum of human emotion with veracity?
Big question, that. I think what I would say is they should at least be able to do so within the spectrum of emotions they're choosing to put on the page.
That makes sense. I find I’m drawn to fiction that most fully shows the range of human emotion. I’m always interested in why certain authors are able to tap that better than others.