I have a bunch of new coworkers, and inevitably, people ask
about where the ideas for a novel come from.
Ideas are fickle beasts, and I’m lucky (or cursed depending
on your view) to get many ideas and in a whole range of development: everything from a scrap
of an idea to whole novels downloaded into my brain with everything down to
chapter titles. Where does that come from? I know people often point to
something mythical and religious, but I feel like that’s the easy way out.
Also, science. There have been a few studies linking
depression and pain with the part of the brain that creates (I’m too lazy to
look up the studies and direct you, but master Google could help you out if you
just take a minute).
I’m not going to lie, it makes only too much sense to me.
Whenever I’m in pain―physical,
emotional, you name it―a
book comes out of it. If the event is big enough, more than one book.
I wish I could say that my books come from a place of beauty
and grace and that all the good in the world contrived to make me and my books
what they are. Let’s be real: when chased by a predator, it’s not the hope of
surviving that motivates your feet, it’s the fear of the pain. And so to with
my writing. Spear me in the heart, and a book will appear. I’m not saying I don’t
have books written without pain, but I know myself, I’ve never been motivated
by the carrot. I’m all stick, and so are my writings.
And how about you, are your books more stick or carrot? And for
a real can of worms, which do you think makes a better book and why?
My books are both. In fact, it often feels to me that my novel ideas come out of the ether. (NOT the one in Thor 2.)
ReplyDeleteRena, as always I'm going to say we're so much alike. :) I'm the same way… every book I write has been inspired from a dark place… from a time of hardship and hurt… I think that's when I can only write--or when I feel like I have something worthy to say. :)
ReplyDeleteMy books are all carrot, because most of the time, writing is how I stop thinking about the stick. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. O_o
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely a carrot writer, which would explain why I pick up and put down my writing when the whim fades in and out. Sometimes that carrot is just a droopy orange vegetable! Perhaps if I was more stick I'd get more writing done.
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