As a writer, the question I'm asked the most is "What is your preferred writing style?" Usually, the response is: "Realistic fiction" but one glance at Agents Of Chaos reveals this isn't exactly accurate.
So today's entry is an introduction to me as a writer… Things I like, things I hate, but mostly, things that inspire me.
Basically, what makes me tick creatively…
*** Quotes
I quote everyone. I am a firm believer that a person doesn't have to be famous in order for their words to be quotable. This habit allows my conversations to feel more authentic because a lot of the time, they actually occurred at some point
Example: Jan's conversation with Z at the end of Hajimari
*** Inserts
Self inserts! Friend inserts! People I don't like (Especially them) inserts!
If you sit down with a vast majority of writers, their characters are sometimes based on people they know. Be they friend, foe or that messy part in between, developing character arcs feels stronger (For me anyway) when your characterizations are stemming from what you know. As far as self inserts go, I am a huge fan. I've gone so far as to include up to three in one project. Villains are usually people I don't like. Several times I've created a character based off someone I despise just for the satisfaction of plucking their wings
*** Death Scenes
For a long time, my friends would only read my stuff to see how their characters would die. My motto used to be: "If I've never killed you in something, then we aren't friends".
I've always liked writing them; death scenes I mean. Coming up in life as a horror movie buff caused everything about having the ability to write out such scenes and control how gruesome they could become brought out the mad scientist in me. It takes time to set these up. The more elaborate, the more man hours thrown in. Just about everything I script includes at least one death scene. What can I say?
It's a solid hobby and honestly, it helps with my mental health
*** Relationships
My favorite relationships to write are LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ. (Don't look at me like that. I'm sure I got all those letters correct) That's not to say I won't scribble out a hetero relationship. Straight relationships are alright, but I dunno. I like highlighting my community as much as humanly possible. Any chance I get to develop not only a LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ character, but a relationship, it will be taken. End of discussion.
Do all these relationships have happy endings? Not exactly. I hardly ever write endings with a pretty little bow at the end. It's unrealistic. Relationships, be they hetero or LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ, crawl through some sloppy, deep ass mud. I like talking about it
Also, let it be known that I have love/hate feelings when it comes to love triangles. I know these kinds of storylines bring in the eyeballs to see who gets picked in the end, but why can't a relationship just be that: A relationship. Now, I will make an exception for when it's so well written that you can't help but stay invested.
I, however, stopped writing those kind of storylines YEARS ago
*** Villains
Don't you just love a villain who has you questioning yourself?
I write two kinds of villains
The most evilling evil of evils. You know the one… You spend the entire book counting the chapters, paragraphs and sentences 'til they die and it had better be good or there's no justice in this world
You say they're the villain but, are they though? You know the one… Yeah, the book keeps saying they're the bad guy, but everything they're doing makes sense. A part of you starts to sympathize and over time, maybe even root for them
As a self insert, yes, I've cast myself as a villainess little busy body. Truth is, we're all villains in someone's life story and I'm comfortable enough with myself to admit that I'm not always the hero.
Why not write it in?
*** Heroes
I like writing realistic heroes. They're my favorite kind of heroes because you can see yourself in not only them, but their storylines/choices. What do I mean?
I write heroes who/whose…
Don't always make the right choice
Motives sometimes feel selfish
Battle depression and yet, still stand up
Own up to their mistakes (Or not. Yes, I've written heroes who cover their tracks. What? Can't be good all the time)
Agonize over their failures
Fear their successes
Do stupid things (This is so important. You can trip. You can fall. You can forget to turn off a stove or two. Nobody gets to live an entire lifetime without a single embarrassing moment. Let your characters walk into trees)
FAIL
I enjoy a hero vs villain storyline as much as the next artist, but when my characters are cheering, I want it to feel earned. I want to capture their struggles, be they internal or external. I want them to feel like more than just characters… I want them to feel human (Yes, even the ones with magical abilities. Especially them. I want you to be able to see past what they can do and relate to who they are)
*** Conversations vs. Action Pieces
I am a conversation person. It's where I shine. I like writing interactions because as I said, I quote people. It's what I do. As for action, it depends on the type of character. I used to find it hard to write hand to hand combat. Honestly, there's still a struggle at times. I haven't had this issue with Hajimari just yet, but here's the thing: For me, I like to write fights. I just do. If an ass needs to be whooped, sign me up.
I'm writing about it
*** Real Time/Life Situations
ALOT no, I'm lying. THE MAJORITY of things I create start with experiences in my past or present life. From there, I will build a narrative. Be they good, bad or a nasty shade of gray, (Not 50 Shades… This isn't that kind of library. Zing!) I am inspired by situations. Sometimes things will happen and while I'm listening to the tale, (A lot of the time, a tale of woe) I'll start building an outline. I'll decide who is going to head the story because for me, my narratives are only as strong as its star player(s). Whether it be from a first person narrative or not, depending on the importance you place on world building, your characters carry the burden of driving the story. Their stories need to be interesting. Their triumphs need to be worth celebrating. Their failures need to hurt just a little.
Sometimes situations are happy… I want to enjoy it through my words…
Sometimes situations are painful/traumatic… I want to feel it through my craft...
Sometimes situations are in the middle… I want to explore it through my art…
Understand? Do you see now? All these things and so much more are what make me a writer.
At the end of the day, there is no preferred writing style…
It's about the artistry.
Bonus fact: I write fanfiction for my literary works all the time. I'm literally my biggest fan so ships and random side quests... Yup, I'm going to write them
I thought we agreed that you've created your own level 👀👀👀