I was going to call this post "on fetishes" but, I figured that might offend some people. Don't worry: I'm still talking about writing.
I find that there are certain things my writing always returns to, certain kinds of scenes I like to write, certain characters I gravitate towards. Everyone has these things, I think--you love reading about them, you love writing about them, they fascinate you. Sometimes for reasons you can't explain.
For example: I love writing about skies. I don't just mean descriptions of sunsets or stormclouds (though I do enjoy those); I mean ANYTHING associated with skies. Cities in the clouds. Characters with wings. Birds, dragons, intelligent bits of lightning. I love the symbolism of sky vs. ground or sky vs. sea. I love writing about wind, about weather, about flight and about falling. Even stories that do not center around these things tend to at least touch on them.
For another example: I love describing broken things. Some people can spend paragraphs waxing poetic about their character's good looks; me, I make pretty metaphors about corpses. Likewise, I prefer ruins to functioning cities. I love describing dead things, and things that are shattered or torn or bleeding. I think possibly this is a response to the overabundance of "beautiful" description in the things I read: I want the ugly stuff to get just as much attention. Beauty doesn't mean anything without ugliness. ...Also, describing dead bodies is really fun.
For a third example: Give me a story--any story--that features a child soldier, or ANY child forced to grow up quicker than they should. I am hooked. It is the same in writing as it is in reading. It's not that I approve of this sort of thing--it's that I find it one of the most tragic situations a character can be put in, and that makes it fascinating. And, well, creepily stoic teenagers >>>>>>>>>> whiny, angsty brats.
So! What are your "pings"? What are the things you can't seem to stop yourself writing about? What things do you think you could write even if you had no story as a backbone? And what are the reasons you love these things--if you know the reasons?
3 comments:
Weird.... never thought about that.
I don't know what my writing "fetishes" are. But, I will say that when I sometimes draw my characters, I love drawing my vampire girls. I think I love drawing them because of their long, shiny hair. I don't know why, but when I draw females, I love to give them long, beautiful hair.
But writing quirks? Hmm.... I'll have to think about that.
cool... I would have to say I love to write about fighting... anything that involves limbs being torn...skulls shattered, blood.... yeah (my mom hates it :P ) but its just one of the weird "pings" I guess... I also love to describe characters...the way they look act.... ect... even though sometimes I overdo it... I just love doing it...
thanks for the post var, really made me think, looking foward to your next one :D
In response to a comment made on my blog:
Dear Vareth;
Thank you for praying for me, may God bless you as well! I just want you to know that I love all people. I believe we are all God's children and that He loves us all very much. Sadly, as children, we all (myself included) tend to do things we think are right despite God's warnings otherwise.
God clearly states that homosexuality is sinful, along with lying, gossiping, glutony, murder, adultry, drunkedness, judging others, and other behaviors we all love to engage in. All of these sinful behaviors have consequences that damage our relationship with God and I am just as guilty of sinful behavior as anyone else.
So thank you again for your prayers and I will be praying for you as well. May we both find salvation in Jesus, our Savior, for he is the only way to Heaven!
Mr. E
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