The In Fiction Series is about how things relate and how they are and can be converted into fictional stories. If there is anything that I have learned about fiction, it is that fiction is a reflection of real life. Though, it may be a lot more exciting and interesting, fiction only takes from what exists in the lives of the writers. Finding the connections just aren’t always easy to see.
My Life
As a high school graduate I began college wondering what I wanted to focus my studies on. I’ve always known that I wanted to be a writer, at least since I was nine. But I’ve never really wanted to be an English Major, cause I didn’t like writing research papers. I know, a writer that doesn’t like to write papers doesn’t quite make sense. It actually does make sense though, cause I write fiction, I didn’t want to write about what everyone else says about things.
I ended up finding a program in creative writing, because I really couldn’t decide on anything else. But I’ve realized that no matter what I learn, it will contribute to my writing. So I do keep learning, I find and take opportunities to learn more about what I know and to learn new things.
In Fiction
Life fuels everything I write about. Experiences are the source of our imagination. The embellishments are simply our ways of expressing the feelings of the experiences. Riding a horse becomes flying a dragon. A mentor becomes a fairy godmother. Everything learned and experienced in life is the source of all stories.
One of my favorite panels that I’ve ever gone to at a writing conference was Writing the Opposite Gender at LTUE. I actually talk about a lot of the things I learned from this panel conversation. But at about 13:10 to 13:35 is a hilarious portion that I’ve always remembered. Brandon Mull, at 12:03, tells about how his writing is completely based on what he sees and hears in his life.
The In-Fiction Series
Because we all have unique experiences in life, we all have different perspectives to share. I will not claim to be an expert in really anything that I write about, but I do have a perspective. The purpose of the blogs in this series is to point out ways our experiences can contribute to or even spark entire ideas for stories.
Since everyone has different experiences and perspectives, and since I am never the expert, share what you know about things! What has your life taught you about writing or creating? How do you find your inspiration?
