As a writer -- and this is true only for me, not to be applied to any other writer, unless they also say so -- but as a writer, I see my job as a mission. Im not here to tell the truth, Im here to hold up a mirror to the truth -- a distorted funhouse mirror that will expand some things and shrink others, so as to call attention to this instead of that. My job is to be cynical about things that I think deserve cynicism and inspirational about things that deserve to be celebrated. This is the creation of a writers voice and the soul underlying that voice: Be generous in what you share, be candid, be blunt, be honest, be authentic. Be precise in your thoughts and language. (And dont do faux-zen, if you think youre doing enlightenment, youre probably not. Instead, look for the underlying truths.) My relationship with the audience is irrelevant. Okay thats a little severe -- the audience pays the bills. But I live in the center of my own experiential universe. My job is to be my own toughest critic and produce visions that are both elegant and eloquent -- and also accessible. If I succeed in satisfying myself, then at least one person in the universe had a good time, and because I am such a hard audience to please, its likely that others will appreciate this work when it is finally released. But thats where my obligation to the audience ends. My job is to give the audience the best work I can. What happens after that -- well, what you read, how you react, what impact the work has on you, thats your responsibility. If you like the work, great. Im happy. But Im not obligated to be your friend or your confidante or the recipient of your thoughts. Yes, I know -- you regard the book or the story as a communication. And it is -- but its not a two-way communication. That sometimes it inspires you to rush to the keyboard because you absolutely must reply -- yes, its usually gratifying to the author to receive such notes. It shows hes not working in a vacuum. But dont assume that because the book touched your heart, that the author is now your literary soul mate, and your correspondence elevates you to BFF status. No. A writer sits alone in a room and talks to himself. Mostly, he says, Nope, thats not it either. If he says anything that startles or surprises himself -- if hes listening -- he types it, looks at it a second and a third time, and either says, Naahh, or Thatll do for the moment. Writers, the good ones, are never satisfied. But readers have a strange relationship with writers -- I know this because Im a reader too. My mental image of a writer is a reflection of his/her voice. I was disappointed to find out that Bruce Sterling does not look or dress like Magneto. And I think therein lies a bit of a trap -- that we assume from our perception that we understand who the writer really is. And we speak to that perception, not the reality. The reality is the shlub at the keyboard, pecking away in desperate search for the next right word, wondering how to encapsulate the nascent idea and nail it to the page so precisely that it sparkles. Ha! The best we can do is hold up the funhouse mirror and evoke a little bit of response -- a giggle, a frown, an embarrassment, some sadness, or even a bit of anger. I dont know whats so for other writers -- I know that I love and appreciate the readers because they let me know that the effort was worth it. But at the same time ... I want a boundary line drawn around the work space. Cross it and die. (Unless youre the dog.)
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:15:27 +0000
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