A Sort Of Problem

Introduction

I recently wrote a piece setting myself a task to create a fiction that was entirely positive. I wasn’t sure I could do it, but I did, and the story I am talking about is at the end of this one. So what is my problem?

The Problem

I was going to write a fiction, but because my last one was totally positive my mind and heart are trying to direct me to do it again. As many people have pointed out adversity and jeopardy are required to make a story interesting, you take out those elements and you then are removing some of the basic building blocks of every great story.

Even comedy has its basis in tragedy or things going wrong so you may be laughing but often it is something going wrong for someone else.

Because I have written ONE adversity-free story I am telling myself I should keep going in that direction, and I know that would be driving into a cul-de-sac of blandness, a sort of magnolia-walled room of creation, and nobody wants that do they?

Vocal has just released a new challenge which you can read about below, and the immediate idea is not positive (I have an idea but it will be dark rather than light). You can read about the challenge below.

So A Solution?

I have an interview to sort out with Louise Distras about her new single “Black Skies” and that is fine because I am writing about something that already exists, and I suppose it will be positive. My review of "Black Skies" is at the end of this story.

When you report on something or conduct an interview you have things to work with, they don’t need to come from your imagination although you have to have enough inspiration to provide questions that will result in responses from the interviewee.

Back To Writing

I always tell people I can find something to write about and this is an example of that premise. I always look for things and, in this world, we have a lot to write about. My writing, as I have mentioned several times before, employs a scattergun approach and that puts people off my writing because they don’t know what they are going to get although I always try to give fair warning.

I do sometimes have a problem with others' writing when it continually hits the same subject and eventually, they lose me as a reader but not a Facebook friend and I know they are getting read by people who are interested in their work. If I didn’t think that was happening I would drop in to make sure that they knew they were being read.

Part of this is that our reading time is limited, and I do a lot of reading of others' work and I am always looking to read the work of new creators. This reading actually stimulates me to write and is a great source of inspiration for me. Often we worry that our writing will not be appreciated but generally the people who don’t like it won’t comment or read it, so mostly you will get positive feedback and constructive criticism.

In my eighteen months on Vocal, I have written eight hundred and eighty stories and have had maybe ten people who have really hurt me with their comments, some group administrators who should know better, but I have had thousands of positive and supportive comments and they are the ones that matter.

Conclusion

This story proves that I really can write about anything, and I hope it has given a little insight into me and my creations