Why do you write what you write?

Michael Steven · Mar 19, 2015

I always use a movie quote when asked this question in person:

"No reason. I just like doing things like that." - Luther, The Warriors

We're rational animals and always searching for the 'why' behind the things that happen. We especially like finding the 'why' behind irrational behavior. Usually there is no 'why'; usually we do things simply because it makes us happy to do them.

I enjoy reading fantasy, and the stories I've spent the most time on are fantasy. I enjoy science fiction, historical fiction, as well as simple history. I never tried writing any of those because I like writing the fantasy stories. So there it is.

WeaselFire · Mar 19, 2015

Maze Runner said:
Do you think the genre you write in says much about who you are?

Couldn't tell you. I don't write to a genre. I write for money, which means I write what pays. Fiction, non-fiction, technical manuals, advertising copy, blog posts, business plans, whatever.

The only thing I could tell you about genres is that the writers who write humor generally are also funny in person. But so are many mystery writers, suspense writers, GBLT adult writers, romance authors (never met a romance writer, they all seem to be authors) and sci-fi/fantasy writers. Poets seem to never be that funny in real life. Way too existential I guess.

Jeff

laazy · Mar 19, 2015

Fantasy. It's not even a choice for me. It's not the only thing I read, but all the stories I really love are fantasy. Same goes for writing, I find it much more interesting to have my weird, crazy characters explore a strange world straight from my own imagination. Trying to write something realistic just feels limiting.

sheadakota · Mar 19, 2015

I started out writing fantasy because I was absolutely in love with Tolkien and found out TLOTR was his one and only ( not counting his other works) I was so disappointed and thought- well if I cant read it, I will write it!

Turns out I can't write fantasy to save my life- but one book lead to another both in reading and writing and I discovered Robert Crais and Michael Connelly. I was in love again- turns out I CAN write thrillers- but for some reason they all end up having some sort of supernatural twist to them. I like following the rules, it seems, but only so far. The I like to turn the tables- I like mayhem, I like destruction as long as I stay safe behind my keyboard.

flapperphilosopher · Mar 19, 2015

I write really character-driven stuff, because what compels me about writing is the chance to explore different minds, to get in more deeply than you ever can for real people, even yourself. I love working with nuances of personality and complexities of psychology.

Most of what I've worked on in my adult writing life has been historical fiction as well, set in the early 20th C. It doesn't necessarily need to be--I could probably cover much of the same terrain in a contemporary setting--but I find it fascinating to explore the ways only slight differences in society and culture can sometimes make all the difference to individuals.

gothicangel · Mar 19, 2015

I'll pretty much read any thing. I've just finished a book about the Romans and the Picts War at the Edge of the World, currently reading non-fiction H is for Hawk (which is a brilliant book), and then its back to Roman HF again. I read all genres, in all time periods (even contemporary).

I write Roman HF, and at some point I want to write a series about the early Stewart kings of Scotland. I started off writing psychological crime, but can't see myself writing a contemporary setting again. I've heard other HF writers saying they write HF to escape the modern world, but I don't think I do. I think I like seeking out a different world, and trying to understand it, seeking an experience. I was out on Hadrian's Wall yesterday, and my soul was singing just being in that landscape. It was spiritual. Maybe that's why I write HF, I'm seek that same experience in words.

Fruitbat · Mar 19, 2015

Interesting questions (and answers). What I write isn't what I usually read, at least not until I start writing it. Maybe I'm strange in that way.

I haven't paid any attention to commercial considerations. In fact, that topic annoyed me because the big fun of this, to me, is getting to do what *I* want rather than feeling like I'm going to work. But then I do keep checking my sales numbers and when they rise, that's fun, too! So that may change sometime, I'm not sure.

For some reason, I always thought novels were what "a writer" should write but, so far, my attempts just haven't worked out. Not sure if it's a skill level deficit or just not my thing. I get tired of them before the end.

What I write just might say something about my personality, come to think of it. Flash fiction is immediate gratification, and "how to" nonfiction is easy (to me). So, now I feel bad. LOL.

Then again, next year I could move on to a whole different kind of writing, so who knows.

Jo Zebedee · Mar 19, 2015

Because my mind refuses to stay in the real world. And I like aliens. And space ships.

Maze Runner · Mar 19, 2015

flapperphilosopher said:
I write really character-driven stuff, because what compels me about writing is the chance to explore different minds, to get in more deeply than you ever can for real people, even yourself. I love working with nuances of personality and complexities of psychology.

This is what I most love to read and write, too. I'm always interested in the 'why' behind everything we do. I think, in living, we're not always aware of our motivations - and even if we think we are we could be off or lying to ourselves - but fiction has the advantage of being able to explore that.

I probably have a habit of overdoing it, 'cause it just seems so endless to me, so I'm mindful to keep the narrative going. I think the reason I write about this is I probably had a pretty confusing childhood and so it became necessary, I thought, to understand why people did the things they did. I remember as a kid, listening to what adults said to me and thinking, 'yeah, but what are you really saying? What's your reason for saying this to me?' Maybe we all did, do this to one extent or another, and so maybe it's just a question of to what extent?

guttersquid · Mar 19, 2015

I write all kinds of stories, but I'm primarily driven to write about characters who dwell on the bottom rungs of the societal ladder, and there's almost always crime and violence involved.

What does this say about me? Not quite sure. In real life I hate crime and violence of any kind. Opposites attract, I guess.

Maze Runner · Mar 19, 2015

guttersquid said:
I write all kinds of stories, but I'm primarily driven to write about characters who dwell on the bottom rungs of the societal ladder, and there's almost always crime and violence involved.

What does this say about me? Not quite sure. In real life I hate crime and violence of any kind. Opposites attract, I guess.

Yeah, my people are lowly types, too. It's what I know best! :roll:

Prizefighters, low level mob guys, jazz musicians. You know, the dregs.

Present co. of any of the above are excluded of course.

Thunderclap Harrier · Mar 19, 2015

It began as a mental break from my studies in organic chem, bio chem etc. Sadly, I ended up taking virology, immunology and dragged some concepts from these into my fantasy writing. So then it became more me playing with ideas from academia that I enjoyed studying. I guess that is still a mental break?

kkbe · Mar 19, 2015

Interesting thread. I grew up without a dad and keenly remember that sense of vulnerability as a kid, the feeling that bad stuff was out there just waiting to get us. Our hold on 'normal' was tenuous at best. We had to be smart and tough or we were bound to perish because we were pretty much on our own.

At least, that's how it felt.

A lot of my stuff is suspense/psych. suspense with themes of good v. evil and all that. Or innocence and the opposite thereof. I tend to write about people on the fringe. Children. People who are vulnerable, or naïve. Then I put them in situations that exploit that vulnerability, so what does that say about me? Maybe I do it to give my characters a chance to prove they can prevail. They can do it, I can do it. A strength-by-proxy kind of thing.

Makeshift Bubbles · Mar 19, 2015

I'll read practically anything I can get my hands on, but I exclusively write fantasy. I write fantasy because contemporary is too confining for my imagination. (Not that contemporary can't be imaginative!) Plus, like others have said, creating my own worlds and cultures is fun. And just because my created world borrows stuff from our own doesn't mean I have to constrain myself with some of our world's oppressive notions of gender, race, sexuality, etc. If that makes sense.

Altiv · Mar 19, 2015

lilyWhite said:
I write fantasy 'cause reality is boring. That's pretty much it. I like to create worlds and magic and creatures, and writing a story solely about real-life stuff tends to bore me.

And I suppose what it says to me is that I'm imaginative. I like to fantasize. To distract myself from mundane life.

This

My life is so boring I'm always daydreaming, thinking maybe a dragon will pop up and make things interesting for me.
I also love creating my own worlds, my own magic systems, and drawing the mythical creatures I develop.

Why fantasy and not other genre? well, I grew up watching anime, fantasizing about other worlds and their magic, their magical creatures, and complex story (Full metal alchemist is still my favorite anime). So when I began to write, the genre came to me naturally. I never asked myself why, but every time I've tried to read non-fantasy books, I stare at them thinking, when is the dragon coming? I guess I'm way too used to read fantasy to find other genres interesting (but that doesn't mean they aren't).

Maze Runner · Mar 19, 2015

Makeshift Bubbles said:
I'll read practically anything I can get my hands on, but I exclusively write fantasy. I write fantasy because contemporary is too confining for my imagination. (Not that contemporary can't be imaginative!) Plus, like others have said, creating my own worlds and cultures is fun. And just because my created world borrows stuff from our own doesn't mean I have to constrain myself with some of our world's oppressive notions of gender, race, sexuality, etc. If that makes sense.

I think it makes perfect sense. You have the freedom to create a world of your choosing, and also the freedom to borrow from the one we live in; it gives you the best of both worlds, so to speak.

kkbe said:
Interesting thread. I grew up without a dad and keenly remember that sense of vulnerability as a kid, the feeling that bad stuff was out there just waiting to get us. Our hold on 'normal' was tenuous at best. We had to be smart and tough or we were bound to perish because we were pretty much on our own.

A lot of my stuff is suspense/psych. suspense with themes of good v. evil and all that. Or innocence and the opposite thereof. I tend to write about people on the fringe. Children. People who are vulnerable, or naïve. Then I put them in a situations that exploits that vulnerability, so what does that say about me? Maybe I do it to give my characters a chance to prove they can prevail. They can do it, I can do it. A strength-by-proxy kind of thing.

You've done it. You've prevailed. Some people go through a rough childhood and end up mean and bitter, or one of their nasty relatives. Others end up with an extra dose of compassion and yes, stronger than they would have otherwise been. Maybe some your characters prevail and others don't, but this is the reality of life. Not for you to say of course, so I'll say it for you - you done good.

Beachgirl · Mar 19, 2015

I read Christian Fiction, Historical, Fantasy, SF, YA, Romance, Non-fiction and just about anything else I can get my hands on and have time for.

That said, I currently only write Erotic Romance. I didn't set out to write in this genre, but that's where my first book went. I sold that book, wrote another one and then sold it. Rinse and repeat.

As far as whether this genre says anything about me, all it says is that I like the royalties.

Maze Runner · Mar 19, 2015

Beachgirl said:
I read Christian Fiction, Historical, Fantasy, SF, YA, Romance, Non-fiction and just about anything else I can get my hands on and have time for.

That said, I currently only write Erotic Romance. I didn't set out to write in this genre, but that's where my first book went. I sold that book, wrote another one and then sold it. Rinse and repeat.

As far as whether this genre says anything about me, all it says is that I like the royalties.

Probably the best reason of all. If something I wrote hit, I'd never look back.

ETA: Hit meaning, sold. I've written two books and haven't sold either. Yet.

Beachgirl · Mar 19, 2015

Maze Runner said:
Probably the best reason of all. If something I wrote hit, I'd never look back.

ETA: Hit meaning, sold. I've written two books and haven't sold either. Yet.

I'll admit, it's addictive. My ninth book will be released next month and it never seems to get old.

blacbird · Mar 19, 2015

Because if I didn't, i'd have to write something else. It's easier for me to answer why I don't write the things I don't write:

I don't write epic fantasy because everybody else is doing that, including a lot of really fine writers i couldn't possibly compete with.

I don't write mysteries, even though i read a lot of them, because my brain doesn't seem to process mysteriousy information or ideas in a way that would permit success in the genre. I think I enjoy reading mysteries so much just because I admire the craft, alien to my brain, that goes into them.

I don't write Romance, owing to lack of relevant experience.

My long stuff (novels) are all realistic/satirical, as easy to sell as slide rules. My short stuff, for whatever reason, seems to drift into Twilight-Zonish quirky horror/fantasy having today the market potential of a spittoon.

But I write what I am capable of writing and feeling, at least, that I've satisfied some craft accomplishment, even in the recognition that none of it is likely ever to be read by others.

caw

JB Hare · Mar 20, 2015

My reading life has been a cycle since I was a kid. Fantasy, apocalyptic fiction, science fiction. Several years obsessed with each genre. Repeat.

The cycle was broken a few years ago when I read the Fleming Bond novels and a few from the continuation authors. Enter thrillers. Bam! That inspired me to write. Mainly there were some things I wanted to see an intelligence operative encounter that I didn't find in my reading. I've explored other authors in the genre and still haven't found it.

So I write what I want to read. Hopefully there are readers who would enjoy it. For years I had ideas of writing an epic fantasy spanning centuries on an alien planet, but I never felt motivated.

ap123 · Mar 20, 2015

People. Regular, everyday, the shmos and shmoos you pass on the street every day. I'm fascinated by the decisions people make, and what went into making them who they are. The muck that splatters all (most?) of us, and how we move forward.

I write mostly lit fic, some magical realism.

For a long while I tried with romance, because it seemed like a more practical choice (market), but didn't get anywhere with it, and honestly my heart wasn't in it, so now I write what I love, trite as that sounds.

I wish I had the imagination to write thrillers, or psychological suspense, but I don't.

kkbe · Mar 20, 2015

Maze Runner said:
. . .you done good.

Thx., Maze. :Hug2:

RikWriter · Mar 20, 2015

I write what I like to read. For the most part, I write what I want to read but no one is writing anything I think is any good.

Rebekkamaria · Mar 20, 2015

I've been thinking about this because I don't really write in any genre. I call my genre urban fantasy because it has fantastical elements and happens in Manchester, but it's mostly a story about friendship, figuring out a mystery, and learning things about life and yourself. Before this I've written a lot of erotica. And I'm probably going to write so many different things in the future. But I think urban fantasy is my favorite genre to write even though I haven't read nearly enough of it.

And what is says about me? That I'm finally writing what I love to write. I'm finally letting myself to play with all kinds of ideas and possibilities. It's such a liberating feeling.

Why do you write what you write?

Benefactor Member

Epic procrastinator

part of the human equation

Toughen up.

.

space opera-popcorn lover!

I agree with Roxxsmom.

Huh.

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Chasing the dragon...

Not easily managed

Not easily managed

Twitching

Huh.

Pixie with dust, beware

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