I wrote another short story the other week. I forget the last time I did that, but it must be in the months to almost a year range. Looking back on it, and comparing it to this (that is, blogging), I’m struck by how different the two genres are, how differently I approach them.
The majority of the content of my blog is not intensely personal. I keep it more or less that way because I don’t find my life terribly interesting. What I really started this for was to have a place to express my thoughts on God and life and how the whole shebang is confusing. But, despite all that, what I write is personal in that it comes from me. I can’t really say anything on this site that I wouldn’t say to people in person because, frankly, I’ll have conversations with people in person if I do.
In contrast, when writing a short story, I can have the main character do or say all manner of things, and I don’t have to deal with people trying to link me to my main character. Well, I don’t have to worry too much. That gives me the freedom to ask questions that are difficult to ask otherwise.
For example, the new story I wrote is about a guy by the name of Ben who suddenly gains the ability to see and feel exactly how people feel about him. He gets a visual and emotive look at himself from other people’s eyes. I wrote the story because I’m never really sure how people view me. That’s not an admission of low self-esteem. Many people who know me will tell you that if my self-esteem has a problem, being too low isn’t it. I think, in general, people take how other people see them for granted.
If you’re thinking to yourself that my example really doesn’t make my point at all, then you’re getting ahead of me. Look at what I had to do as soon as I gave my motivation for the short story’s plot. I had to back pedal a little bit because I knew that you’d be thinking more about how I saw myself than what I really wanted you to think about, which is how you see yourself and how others see you. But when you read the short story, I’m not there talking in the first person, so you don’t have someone else to concentrate on. You can’t use me and my problems as a scapegoat for not thinking about your own. That’s the advantage.
The disadvantage, obviously, is that the point I want to make has to fall within the bounds of something that will make an interesting story. Of course, most of the stuff I write on this site doesn’t fit nicely in story format. For example, it’d be difficult to make a good story out of comparing the Old and New Testament; at least, it’d be hard without sounding like a textbook.
My lunch break is over, so I guess that’s it. I just thought it was interesting how different short stories and blog posts are. Looking back on that, I guess that makes me a nerd.
Party on.
The majority of the content of my blog is not intensely personal. I keep it more or less that way because I don’t find my life terribly interesting. What I really started this for was to have a place to express my thoughts on God and life and how the whole shebang is confusing. But, despite all that, what I write is personal in that it comes from me. I can’t really say anything on this site that I wouldn’t say to people in person because, frankly, I’ll have conversations with people in person if I do.
In contrast, when writing a short story, I can have the main character do or say all manner of things, and I don’t have to deal with people trying to link me to my main character. Well, I don’t have to worry too much. That gives me the freedom to ask questions that are difficult to ask otherwise.
For example, the new story I wrote is about a guy by the name of Ben who suddenly gains the ability to see and feel exactly how people feel about him. He gets a visual and emotive look at himself from other people’s eyes. I wrote the story because I’m never really sure how people view me. That’s not an admission of low self-esteem. Many people who know me will tell you that if my self-esteem has a problem, being too low isn’t it. I think, in general, people take how other people see them for granted.
If you’re thinking to yourself that my example really doesn’t make my point at all, then you’re getting ahead of me. Look at what I had to do as soon as I gave my motivation for the short story’s plot. I had to back pedal a little bit because I knew that you’d be thinking more about how I saw myself than what I really wanted you to think about, which is how you see yourself and how others see you. But when you read the short story, I’m not there talking in the first person, so you don’t have someone else to concentrate on. You can’t use me and my problems as a scapegoat for not thinking about your own. That’s the advantage.
The disadvantage, obviously, is that the point I want to make has to fall within the bounds of something that will make an interesting story. Of course, most of the stuff I write on this site doesn’t fit nicely in story format. For example, it’d be difficult to make a good story out of comparing the Old and New Testament; at least, it’d be hard without sounding like a textbook.
My lunch break is over, so I guess that’s it. I just thought it was interesting how different short stories and blog posts are. Looking back on that, I guess that makes me a nerd.
Party on.
Comments
Maybe I should send you mine?
It's pretty awful ....
As for awful short stories, the best part about them is they're short. So, even if they're absolutely terrible, they still tend to be readable.
I doubt it's terrible though. If you feel like sending it to me, I'd like to read it.
stamey_t at yahoo.com
I wonder what manner of spam mail I'm going to get now that my address is online? Hopeful home morgage ones. I love me a good refinance.
At least... I think that's the way that works.
But after starting my blog in March 2006, when November and National Novel Writing Month was here, I joined and found that almost miraculously I could type and create at the same time. It was my first complete novel. It stunk, but I was totally astonished at how the fiction flowed while typing like never before, for me at least.
Something about months of blogging and writing stories from childhood and explaining all the photos I put on my blog, I passed the point where the act of typing was an impediment.
Writing (typing) both fiction and my blog are getting easier by the day too. It's as if one helps with the process of the other.
Great post.