Writer's worries

I think about this all the time. After all, I'm living quite an ordinary life. I love it, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't want to live a life with all of the crazy conflict etc. of a novel/short story.

But sometimes as a teacher, mom, wife, I feel as though my experiences in those areas are not really enough to draw from. Or rather, if they are, I personally don't find them interesting enough to draw upon. I'd rather let my imagination soar a little bit and live vicariously through my characters. This is limiting, though, because what do I as a teacher really know about politics, CIA agents, criminal profiling, etc?

The thing is: I can't imagine that every writer has done everything that could be done to make a good novel. Some of the work has to be left to imagination and that kind of vicarious living, right? I mean, isn't that why we begin reading to begin with? To escape for a moment--think new thoughts, dream new dreams?

i guess i came to the right meeting

there is definitely a narrowness to relying on your own experiences for story-telling unless your indiana jones. i totally agree with you in that broadening your living will broaden you writing. you don't necessarily have to cross the world or go on a vision quest, but simply meeting new people will do it. each one is like a ticket into another world from a new perspective

i wonder if every writer weighs themselves between writing and living. tom clancy, stephen king, and many other writers i bothered to read bio's on had either pretty extensive backgrounds or were known for networking with a lot of people to get information for their story. i guess it all boils down to being a seeker of all things great in life

This is a wonderful topic LaGs. I often fantasize about traveling, meeting people, and learning new things. In my fantasies I always think about how these experiences would affect my writing. I guess I can draw a lot of creativity from imagining certain scenarios, but my true belief is that I have to get out and experience in order to be able to portray life properly in my writing. I also understand the beauty of fiction, in that it requires imagination. I am constantly torn between experiencing something for myself, or just making it up as I see it.

There is a lot of meaning to draw from going out and experiencing the world for what it is, but there is also a lot to learn from your own unbiased mind. One example that I often use is learning music. I taught myself how to play music at a young age. I never had lessons and I didn't learn to read music for a long time. I developed my own voice and then eventually took lessons. This combination helped me to become the musician that I am today. I view writing the same way. You must first develop your own voice, and then you can go out and learn about how others do it. I don't know. This is my take on it all.

I am young, and like you I feel like I have a lot of time to learn, but while I wait, I will use what resources I have to develop my own voice. Therefore, when I do go out and legitimatize my writing, I can do it with my own scent of originality.