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Editor’s Note: This post has been written by Linda K. Strahl, an editor at the Jet Fuel Review. Her full bio can be found at the end of this post.
Authors have to write outside their comfort zones. At least from this podcast there is a pattern within our group — consisting of Mary, Dan, Howard and Brandon with their guest, Lauren Beukes — of writing outside of what they know. Yes, there may be a hint of research within their work to prevent misrepresentation, but the fact is these authors admit to making things up as they go along, as that is really one of the only ways they can create something. If you ever ask a writer where they got their idea, they might say it stems from one kernel of information (examples found in podcast).
“Writers write about other people all the time,” as Lauren points out. She mentioned Dan’s own character — a sociopath — and there was a pause for witty jokes. But then Dan gave a great answer — that writing a sociopath wasn’t hard, “because sociopaths are basically normal people that can’t filter their emotions and thoughts as effectively as we can.” Dan went on to talk about the need for research in order to get the setting to make sense to the reader. “Touch points,” as he calls them, give the reader a way to relate to the story while keeping the abnormality grounded.
When an author writes a character, there is a specific ideal behind that character’s motivation, which builds the story’s context and through a generalized identifier of different cultures they are encountering the individual. There is a basic way of creating a world through the dynamic lenses of human identity. A culture is a multifaceted lens with rainbows and blurry vision, so don’t write to the stereotype. If you feel lazy or not up to the task, Brandon suggests the easier way is to just create an entirely new kind of society, far, far away. Then no one can tell you that you had the society wrong.
The rest of the conversation draws on Lauren’s research methods. Be sure to turn up the volume because it’s hard to pick out all the nitty-gritty tidbits that made the foundation of her book, “Zoo City,” which is not on Audible, but can still be read in the old-fashioned bound paper version.
Howard has some things to share about his fan story (at the 69 World Con), which is entertaining and something I cannot do justice in this post. And to make you, audience, listen to the podcast further, I haunt you with Brandon’s last brilliant question, “How do you avoid overdoing it?” (ANSWERED ON PODCAST — go check it out!).
Audiobook Pick-of-the-Week: Fangland, by John Marks, narrated by Ellen Archer, Simon Vance, Todd McLaren, and Michael Prichard.
Writing Prompt: Take some aspect of your neighborhood and twist it around, perhaps in the same way District 9 twisted the township of Soweto into an alien reservation.
— Linda K. Strahl
Editor’s Note: Linda K Strahl is a transfer student from University of Wisconsin- La Crosse, where she was studying Archaeology and minoring in Creative Writing. She came to Lewis University in Fall of 2010 to major in Creative Writing. After participating in the production of two plays at Phillip Lynch Theater she has become an enthusiastic dramaturg, and is contemplating a career as a researcher and playwriter.
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