Putting Yourself Into Your Work

What makes a really great story? For me, it’s depth of character, of detail, of emotion. And how do you get to those? By writing from the gut, from the heart, from the soul.

As we progress in our lives, we all grow as readers, and as writers. The books I used to think were fabulous I now see as slightly shallow, flat, and boring. The writing I used to think was good enough has morphed into something with more meaning, more evocative power; and I’ve discovered that I like challenging myself. I’ve taken up residence in the grey spot between good and evil, in the uncomfortable place where I don’t always know the “right” thing to do, say, or write. I’m fortunate to have friends and colleagues who push me in this endeavor, who support me and keep me questioning and seeking for deeper honesty.

It’s a hard place to be, and it’s a great place to be; scary, and exhilarating. I’m coming to believe that we all need to live there, at least for a while, to really get the stories that need to be told out onto the page. It’s all very well to write of wizards and warriors, of monsters and great treasures, but in the end that’s nothing more than a role playing game session put down on paper.

When asked how to make biscuits, one southern cook answered, “There’s flour, and there’s water, and there’s butter and salt; but it ain’t REALLY biscuits until I throw MYSELF into the batter!”

Similarly, it ain’t really a story until you throw yourself into the mix . . . until you live the pain, see the rich colors, smell the dirt and sweat your characters endure, despair and laugh with them.

Write from the gut, not the head; take each scene and go deeper. Try the book “What Would Your Character Do?” by Eric and Ann Maisel; explore, with a series of tiny “outtakes”, the fringes of your world and the odd corners inside your characters.

Let go of fear . . . but write ABOUT fear, at the same time; master that tricky balance and you’ll find your writing leaping to new heights.