Every author has their reasons for putting their thoughts, dreams and sometimes even their nightmares into words for others to enjoy. Sometimes these reasons are simple; in my case, I have often maintained that if I don’t let the voices in my head out to play, my skull will explode. For others, it may be something more complex, like putting bread on the table, following a family career path, using that expensive education, or just for personal enjoyment. Lately, however, I have even started to wonder if there is something more to my reason for persisting in this particular flavor of insanity.

Initially, of course, my motivations were “fun and possible profit”. My very first impetus to write a book-length piece was a byproduct of another of my addictions. I had created a very elaborate world and story line for a role playing game that my wife and I had been playing for some time with another couple. The characters had become very real to all of us, so I asked everyone if they would mind if I put it into a book. Well, my wife and I made it a team effort, and let me tell you, if you can write a book with someone you love, while living in a confined space (we were living aboard a 32 food sailboat at the time) and remain together, you are truly soul mates. One book turned into three, and although I look back at those first works and think of them as primordial, churning out about four hundred thousand words helped me solidify my style, and basically learn to write.

As time marches on, however, the driving force has shifted. Don’t get me wrong; I still have fun at it, and still want to make a profit, but I think I have stumbled onto one motivation that has slept in my subconscious for a long time.

Forgive me for waxing philosophical, but occasionally I think of my work as a mark I am leaving on the world. With no children, I have begun to think of my books as my children, and when you really sit down and think about it, there are several parallels to authoring and parenting: A lot of work goes into making it grow up and take shape. If you ignore them, they will turn out badly. Some are a real pain, and keep you awake all night, while others just happen, growing like weeds and surprising us with their accomplishments. Some have developmental hurdles to overcome, though one advantage to writing is the ability to rewrite, and I don’t know if there is a way to “reparent” your child. Some may not develop into something brilliant (not every child can be a genius, after all) but some have the potential for greatness. The last parallel may take me to another blog, and that is the “after they grow up” metaphor. As we cannot expect even the most brilliant children to reach their full potential without encouragement, after that last chapter is finished we also must encourage our work to reach its fullest potential.

So, treat your children, and your writing, well. Nurture them and watch them grow, but never forget to love them. There are some thoughts are up there for you to knock around. Let me know what motivates you. Is it love? Is it therapy? Is it your dreams? Or is it something I have not touched upon?

Cheers all!

Chris

Some products have recently been brought to my attention that may or may not be of help to writers. Programs have been developed to help the writer create his product; many are freeware, and some are even written by writers. One, in particular, that caught my eye is from Simon Haynes, a successful author in his own right. This one is freeware, and has many functions, from tabs to keep your character outlines and plots consistent, to tools for organization and reorganization of scenes, chapters and even paragraphs. Another from Bartas Technologies appears to be more strictly organizational and reference assistant for the writer. This is not freeware. These are just two of many out there.

My discussion here is on two points: First, I personally feel that writing is art, and that your style is your style. If you have the skill, you should just write. I think it is a bit like telling a painter to use a paint by numbers program to speed up his production. This is not to say that many great artists don’t use computers to create their work, and beautiful work it is. The cover of Weapon of Flesh is completely CG, and… Well… it speaks for itself. The problem arises when hundreds if not thousands of artists not so talented as Noah Stacy use such programs to create “Cookie Cutter” art that looks good, but is not very creative. This has the tendency to flood the market with mediocre product, which, I think, makes it more difficult for truly good artists (and writers) to become recognized. Computer technology has done the same for writers and the publishing industry. There are so many writers out there, that slush piles are becoming a thing of the past. Only two major SF/Fantasy publishers I know of, Tor and Baen, accept unagented submissions.
Second, and having said the first one, there are a number of writers who might get bogged down in the details that many of us take for granted, or truly enjoy, and would like a simple template that would help them organize their thoughts, outlines, plot, characters, etc. So these products are not without merit for some.

So, give me your thoughts: A great boon to writers, or an insulting stab into the creative process of an artist? Or something somewhere in between? If anyone uses any products like this, please let everyone know what you think.
Cheers all!

Chris