A reader asked me to produce a post about how I write fiction. They wanted to know how I came up with ideas and then how I translated those ideas from my head onto the paper or in my case screen. It is a good question and one that I have written about before. It is called:
I Don’t Always Believe In Happy Endings
In an effort to avoid being repetitive I am going to try to cover some things that I didn’t speak about in the initial post. I have been described as being very intense and passionate person. I am not sure that I can provide an accurate assessment as to whether I am any more passionate or intense than the next person.
What I do know is that I have had a bunch of life experience. I have been in love and I have been heartbroken. I have friends that I love, who I would die for. It goes without saying that I feel even more so about my family. In my life I have celebrated great success and deeply mourned my losses.
Heartbreak is not just about loving a person. Sometimes you can be heartbroken about missed opportunities, or at least suffer from severe regret. There is not much that I regret. I have gotten pretty good at just shrugging my shoulders at life, but there are those few things.
I write based upon my gut, it is just instinct. I compose at the computer and the words just kind of show up on screen. I suspect that my best writing comes from my being able to get in touch with certain feelings. Sometimes I can find the old wounds and rip the scab right off of them. Sometimes I can relive those moments of pain and frustration and transfer it to the keyboard.
Sometimes I am surprised to find a tear or two hit the keyboard. It doesn’t happen too often, but sometimes.
Really what I am saying here is not all that insightful. My best writing comes from what I know or at least what I think I know. It is a subjective thing. Some people love my writing and others hate it.
I don’t know if that is a satisfactory answer, but it will have to do for now. It is late and I am ready for bed.
Lailah tov from LA.