writing

That Which Frightens You

There is a lot of writing advice out there, much of it repeated in texts, lectures, tutorials, workshops, and the like. For the most part, you’ll hear a lot of the same lessons phrased in different ways. This can be great because it may take several different outlooks for a valuable lesson to truly stick, at least if you’re anything like me. It also means a lot of substandard or downright bad lessons are repeated, creating poor habits or, worse, issues of confidence with writers who might otherwise soar.

One of the most common, and maybe one of the most misunderstood pieces of advice is to write what you know.

On the surface this makes sense. How can you write something you don’t know, right? What about sci-fi and fantasy writers though? I won’t swear to it in court but I’m confident George R.R. Martin has never actually seen a dragon, just as I’m sure Michael Crichton never visited an island of dinosaurs, and Stephen King has never…well…take your pick.

Taken literally, write what you know is a bit of a fallacy.

What I think the advice is meant to convey, or what it should convey, is to write the truth, or what you know to be true. Don’t lie to yourself, your audience, or your characters in the context of the story. On its surface, fiction is confabulation. Many of us know however that fiction can tell deep, ancient truths. Fellowship of the Ring may be filled with literal malarkey (I say this with the utmost respect for Tolkien’s work and only to make a point) but profound truths can be gleaned from its pages.

One of the best, and toughest, pieces of writing advice I’ve been given is to write what scares you. I believe effective writers of every ilk do this in all their best works.

Let’s look at Mr. King again, inarguably the modern master of the horror genre. He may have legitimate concerns about obsessive fans, but I’m reasonably confident he doesn’t lose sleep at night for fear of waking up in Annie Wilkes’ guest bed. Nor do I believe he’s frightened of an ancient cosmic being dressed up as a clown who lives in the sewers. But perhaps he does have some real concerns about obsession, addiction, alcoholism, vulnerability, the unknown, abuse. The reason he’s such an effective writer isn’t because he makes clowns or fans or cell phones scary, but because he uses these devices to deliver deeper truths about the human condition and the state of our world.

If nothing else, writing provides an effective outlet for confronting things we may otherwise be too scared, anxious, or nervous to face. It’s a hard thing to do, writing what scares you, confronting your fears. Not only that, it’s hard to do in a manner that is relevant to other people. I have a litany of concerns and fears, especially as a husband and father, but very few of them would make an interesting story to the average reader, at least the way I might tell it. But the essence of those fears and the potential they hold is what makes them effective story devices.

If you’re not a writer, or not someone who wants other people to read what you write, journaling can be an effective way of confronting your fears. It’s not even about putting the pen to paper, but more about admitting the concern exists. It’s about acknowledging the monster under the bed, understanding why it lives there and what it feeds on, and depriving it of everything that supports its existence. That goes far beyond writing of course and more into self-analysis and actualization.

Write what scares you is not only some of the best writing advice I’ve ever received, especially as a horror author, but also some of the best life advice I’ve ever received.

As always, thanks for reading. Your likes, shares, subscriptions, and greetings are always appreciated. Please consider signing up for my newsletter if you’d like to receive news, updates, special offers, and more regarding my upcoming novel The Boy in the Canvas.

Have a great week!

Back at it

Forty-one days we’ve been here and it feels like we’re starting to hit our stride.

We’ve been working pretty steadily on a daily basis making improvements to the campground and performing general daily maintenance. Some days this means clearing brush, some days it’s chopping wood, other days it’s moving furniture. One consistency is that, at the end of the day, we all feel like we’ve accomplished something. We all earn our supper and rest comes easily because of the work we put in, with is both satisfying and validating.

I’ve yet to figure out a consistent writing time and routine but I’m back to hitting my daily word quota, which is what really counts.

The big challenge is making time for the things I’m less excited about, mainly the whole marketing and publishing process for my upcoming novel. Don’t get me wrong, I am, of course, very excited for the release of my first-ever novel. Like a lot of writers, though, I’m not super comfortable with self-promotion. Nor am I very enthusiastic about maintaining a presence on social media. Blog posts are a different story, probably because they require less finesse, less sculpting of the message. I can just let me brain go on this platform and post what comes out with relatively little editing.

Social media on the other hand, well you know how that can be. Just the word “algorithm” makes me anxious. There are so many things to consider when posting for a platform, it can be overwhelming to the point of exhaustion. Thinking of something worth posting is tough enough without having to worry about how it’s phrased, the placement of keywords, hashtags, the time of bloody day that is most conducive to receiving an optimal amount of views. It’s the way of the world, I know. But I’m allowed to whine a little bit here.

These things are integral to the process though, especially since I’m going the indie publishing route. And the rewards are rich. This past week has been full of little achievements that contribute to the whole: The Boy in the Canvas has been sent to the printers and I’ve ordered proof copies, the first of which I received this afternoon! I also received word that I’ve been approved as a Goodreads Author, something that feels almost as good as the upcoming publication of my book. And I became a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors - my very first alliance!

As they say, nothing worthwhile comes easily. I think they say that. Do they? Someone should.

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Thanks for reading. Share, like, comment, or just say hi if it tickles your fancy. I enjoy hearing from you.

Talk soon,

-Chris