Ethics
Imagine yourself dead.
I know, that's a great way to start a post, but seriously - imagine yourself dead. Imagine that you've lived a fantastic life as a novelist and now you've passed out on the operating table while having open heart sergery at the tender age of 67. Now instead of floating away on a cloud, you're in a tangible place - a room filled with filing cabinets. In these filing cabinets are the statistics of your life. Mostly it's stuff you never knew. It's information about people you influenced with your writing. The room is hot and suffocating, and you knew it would have to be - you were a New York Times Best Seller.
Wouldn't it be disgraceful if after everything was tallied up, you did more harm to society than good?
You see, I was talking to this online writer the other day. She said that she never used bad words in her writing because it would be degrading to herself and to everyone who read her work (that's my short version of what she said). I asked her if there was smut. She said that if there was a love scene it was only implied rather than described. So, I sat there and seriously asked myself about my ethics while writing.
She really got me thinking, but the thing I always think when I write is that my characters are not me. Instead, they are a reflection on how I view everything around me (including other people's storytelling). It was a huge barrier that existed in my mind before I could let characters be people that I am not - but only observed (even just characters and not real people at all). Yeah, I don't stab people, but Hitomi did. I don't burn down buildings, but Van does. I don't kill people, but Dilandau did. The list like this goes on. I guess I always thought that my writing was fantastic enough that no one would ever take it seriously. I don't write skank, or at least I try hard not to. Usually, I feel like that translates into 'I can't write romance', but that's beside the point.
As for the bad language in my writing. I remember the first time I used the 'f' word in DM. It was because I didn't think the readers would take the situation seriously if I didn't. Would a person holding a gun to your head have a clean mouth? Probably not. My first boss at a university didn't even have a clean mouth. Nor do I know very many people who do.
Am I being bad? I'm not sure. What I write is entertaining, not enlightening - but is that really so wrong? I haven't been able to decide.
I do plan to keep the language cleaner in 'Ghost Mist', but honestly 'Ghost Mist' is a really clean adventure story. Adding skank/slash/swearing in it would take up valuable time that could be used explaining important stuff. I'll have to think about this some more.
Writing is a reflection of what's truly in your heart, but so is everything else in life that a person does. I'm sorry that I'm not perfect, but who is?
posted by Sapphirefly @ 7:03 PM
7 Comments:
I think you shouldn't worry about what kind of language you put in your writing. Well... you have to worry AT LEAST a bit... but don't fret about it.
Writters who try to put everything too «light» in their writing... can sometimes lack realism. No matter what you write, there'll always be someone who finds something offensive! Seriously... I've seen mothers freak out because in the book their kid was reading the characters kissed! Just that... kissed!
Concentrate harder on what you want to express than rather who you want to impress.
I've just finished a book... "Daughter of the Forest" by Juliet Marillier. The story is awesome... but it's not for kids. There are sexual scenes (though not really graphic), there is rape, violence, etc. But did she worry about who she would offend with those scenes? No. And I congratulate her for it. If it wasn't for those scenes... the book would seem too much like a fairytale and seriously lack realism.
I hope I said something useful. :)
It's not really that I care whether my readers are impressed or offended. The person I'm trying to protect is myself. I want to always be proud of what I write - or at least not shrink in shame. That's all.
But yes, I completely agree that stories that are too sanitized do lack realism. That's why I struggle with how I should write.
But you've still given me courage to continue algelic. I'll try to just write my best instead of agonizing over pathetic details. Cheers!
I think it depends on the style of the story--the setting, who the characters are, the tone you're trying to achieve, etc. Language and sex life, although probably the most telling, are just two things that compose of a whole spectrum of lifestyle for a character. A man can still be sterile and totally despicable (like Pat in Achewood, if you read that online comic). Or in fantasy stories, they don't have the usual cusses, but the culture makes a word or action a huge offense (I guess I'm thinking of Shakespeare's "bite your thumb" thing or Mudblood in Harry Potter).
As for if your work will influence people for good instead of evil--I think that also depends on the content. Wars, fights, clashes between people, and other bad things are what makes a story interesting. There's no stories about people who lead good lives and find fulfilling marriages and have obedient kids and die peacefully.
It's true that conflict is what the story is all about. I remember when I was the youngest of gold fish and they were explaining that stories were about problems and their resolution. So, with that I agree.
As far as fantasy goes - I have learned lately that I sort of lean towards Science Fiction rather than fantasy - but your comment relates to culture and not a genre at all.
Thanks for your support. I've given up worrying about this. I have to write - it's my way.
First of all, GREAT POST, I just had to say that, now, getting to the point, your ethics and opinions, and morale are YOURS, and only yours, it is different inevery person, that is just one of the aspects that make us all unique, someone else's values don't HAVE to apply to you to the dot, I do think it is important to realize where you stand, and how you want to portray your work, and the more layers you put on to a character, the more depth it will have, and laguage is one of those layers, so is violence ( both if there is, or if there isn't ), sexuality, resentment, honor, love passion, everything that a person can have makes them unique, the same with your characters.
So it is up to you to decide how you will portray them, how explicit you desire to be, sometimes not saying much makes for a better scene, sometimes a complete description is the way to go, but if you are true to yourself, and you like what you put down, nothing else matters.
Wow borrego!
That was such an insightful - passionate - excellent response. Thanks for coming and dropping in your two cents. I'm totally invigorated. I'll go write something amazing - just for you!
Love!
Sapphirefly
Well, thank you. And I responded to your question on my page, ( bellow your comment ), and to be honest, now I am thinking about discussing the whole matter on my page, I like the idea, and I will probably write about it soon, I'll be reading yah, bye.
Post a Comment
<< Home