Anais Nin, a fellow Cuban-American Author, once said, " We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect."
For me since much of my work comes from a place of pain, darkness, repressed feelings...indeed going back through the lives of my characters provides me with an opportunity to visit moments/experiences of my life I had suppressed and finally put the pass to rest.
Does all this make any sense to any of you? Do you relate? Any thoughts....?
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Jorge:
It doesn't need to make sense to me as long as it does to you. I certainly like exploring dark themes but I generally don't take myself too seriously when I do. I can't relate to a lot of what you're saying though. My characters can often do things I only dream of doing but I don't think I've suppressed much of what I write about. If comes from a happier place.
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When I stop writing; I die.
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I don't know if I'd die if I stopped writing - more likely I'd eventually kill someone. :)
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Anais Nin is basically saying you get to relive moments, which seems more about catharsis rather than about imagination. But, to each their own. ;) Me, I try to create an experience for my reader. It's really not so much about myself, although my own interests drive my choices.
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Desires of all kind
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Something similar to what Jorge said. My writing gives me a way to express myself, my pain, and my perspective.
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When I was an engineer in LA, a class was taught titled Interpersonal Communications, and the instructor advised, "Write it out of your system folks."
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I write to encourage!
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I'm certainly happy Nin's complex message was basically explained.
For some, there is no choice but to express.
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In my early days of writing, it was exciting and to write the demons out of the system as I bartended around the world, when I backed packed and ended up in Ireland with a pale skinned, Sweedish woman, where I wrote a screenplay that I will bring back from the depths called "Last Call." Now, I write commercially in hopes to snag the attention of the powers that be that have some GRIT and METAL in there blood bold enough to Produce. 10 pages of rewrite heaven a day.
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Yes I completely agree! I write for the same reasons!
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A BIG heartfelt gratitude to each of you who took the time to leave a comment. Like BETH said it is a sort of "catharsis". I have said it this before here and I will repeated for what is worth, writing saved my life at a time in my teenage years when I was going through some serious, scary, inner personal issues. I was scare to death of who I was, more so of others finding out my secret, so I retrieved, had no friends except for my characters. Like Kem said. Bran that quote is right on point, " write it out of your system" That's exactly what I did thanks to the great people of this community (Stage 32) when I wrote my first ever Blog. Feel free to read it, the link is in my Bio page. Peace familia!
I'm sick of the quality of about 75% of the movies I see. That inspires me...
I'm awestruck by the other 25% of movies (and T.V.) that I see - that inspires me too.
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nobody here writes for money? professionals write because they are storytellers and it's a job.
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Dan: I wrote for money this week. A rewrite and was paid in advance. I write for several reasons but money is always a good one.
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Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique Yep. I saw my car mechanic last week. Nice guy. Passionate about his craft, gave me a bill when he was done.
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I used to write for the money - until I realized that I needed a real profession that could pay the bills. I started writing for 'fun" and for lack of a good provocative hobby when I retired - I thought it would be great to help/mentor young writer wannabes until I realized that that was a pointless endeavor. Now I write with OSCAR in my sights. That's what drives me now.
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To tell a story, I know that sounds really lame, but I think that's the crux of it, we all have stories within us, whether fictional or true and writing them is the definitive way to share them, whether they are published/produced or not. I've just written a screenplay myself and it's a story I've wanted to tell from when I was 11 years old, but couldn't find a way to relay it, but I had a Eureka moment a few months ago and it's virtually written and done.
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I write because there is a story to be told. It may make you laugh. It may make you cry. As long as it gets an emotional response . And it sure beats telemarketing at CARNEGIE HALL.
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Hi Jorge! After reading your post, I realized that I agree with Anais. Many times I've included the personality of my grandmother (who I was very close to) in my stories in some form. Whether it be a main character or supporting character. : )
In my teens I wrote because I had to get everything out of my head onto paper. 'Everything' seemed so important back then. Now I write to challenge myself to create new stories that I haven't seen before.
Fellow Stager's and writers, grateful, moved, laughing, for all your continued comments. Linda, my grandma was a big influence in my writing, her wisdom and sayings I still remember. So yeah...
Rosalind: congratulations on completed your screenplay, my dear lady.
Steven: I'm a fan of your work, as you already know. Thanks for your insight. Bottomline we as writers must have entertaining, engaging, moving stories that connect w/a universal audience. I find myself laughing, crying, heart beating fast with my own characters journey. Every character is a part of me: the lover, the rapist, the cop, the nun, the bully, the teacher, the mother, the victim, all come from me. I don't judge any of them and I try to show why the evil are evil, in hope that if someone sees themselves in my characters, that change can take place inside that person. Cheers. HOPE never quits.