OBSCURA – Page 13

Responsible

He didn’t want to go to the funeral. He shouldn’t have been so reluctant to pay his respects, but the guilt that clung to his skin after he got the…

May 15, 2020

Old Work, Uncategorized

The perpetually learning mom…

Dear reader, Students are nearing the end of the semester; it is crunch time. We are writing papers, catching up to unsubmitted work, studying for finals, it can all…

April 30, 2021

Uncategorized

Writer’s Journal Entry Four: It’s Always Hard to Improve

I’ve been watching a lot of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and if you’re unfamiliar with the show, then allow me to explain it’s course. Five people own a bar…

June 18, 2020

Uncategorized

Chapter 11: To the Rescue of Dumb and Dumber

August 5, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

The perpetually learning mom…
April 30, 2021

CONFESSIONS OF A CHARACTER FREAK
March 7, 2021

The Valentine’s Day Murder #MurderMysteryMonday
March 1, 2021
Uncategorized

Writer’s Journal Entry Ten: Acting the Part

July 30, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

Alcapurrias
April 16, 2021

Rock Reading Tuesdays
February 24, 2021

The perpetually learning mom…
March 5, 2021
Uncategorized

Chapter 10: Weird Sandals and Bad Memories

July 29, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

The perpetually learning mom…
March 19, 2021

Puerto Rico’s National Dish of Pernil
May 7, 2021

Rock Reading Tuesdays
March 17, 2021
Uncategorized

Love Me, Gently

July 24, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

Killer Couple pt. 2 #MurderMysteryMonday
April 27, 2021

CONFESSIONS OF A CHARACTER FREAK
March 22, 2021

Puerto Rico’s National Dish of Pernil
May 7, 2021
Uncategorized

Writer’s Journal Entry Nine: Licking the Cosmos

July 23, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

Rock Reading Tuesdays
March 24, 2021

Puerto Rican Limbers
March 26, 2021

12 Pt. II #MurderMysteryMOnday
May 11, 2021
Uncategorized

Chapter 9: Revelations

July 22, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

Arroz con Gandules
April 23, 2021

80 miles From Charlotte #MurderMysteryMonday
March 9, 2021

The perpetually learning mom…
February 25, 2021
Uncategorized

my village

July 17, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

Childhood Creativity Blooming into Adulthood
October 25, 2021

Rock Reading Tuesdays
May 5, 2021

America’s Most Wanted Devil Dad #MurderMysteryMonday
February 22, 2021
Uncategorized

Writer’s Journal Entry Eight: What To Do When Blank

July 16, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

Puerto Rican Limbers
March 26, 2021

Arroz con Gandules
April 23, 2021

Rock Reading Tuesdays
April 7, 2021
Uncategorized

Chapter 8: Close to the Truth

July 15, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

The perpetually learning mom…
March 19, 2021

Puerto Rico’s National Dish of Pernil
May 7, 2021

Rock Reading Tuesdays
April 7, 2021
Uncategorized

The J man

July 11, 2020 / 0 Comments

read more

Erika Lewis

You May Also Like

America’s Most Wanted Devil Dad #MurderMysteryMonday
February 22, 2021

80 miles From Charlotte #MurderMysteryMonday
March 9, 2021

Rock Reading Tuesdays
April 7, 2021

Thomas Benke: Looking Around

In Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott, in the Chapter “Looking Around,” says this:

Now, if you ask me, what’s going on is that we’re all up to here in it, and probably the most important thing is that we not yell at one another. Otherwise we’d all just be barking away like Pekingese: “Ah! Stuck in the shit! And it’s your fault, you did this …” Writing involves seeing people suffer and, as Robert Stone once put it, finding some meaning therein. But you can’t do that if you’re not respectful. If you look at people and just see sloppy clothes or rich clothes, you’re going to get them wrong.

She goes on to speak about empathy for other people and also, as an extension empathy for yourself. So, in a sense as you try to write believable, relatable characters, you will come to forgive people their trespasses—because no one believes they are the villain of their story, so you have to write “bad,” or “evil” characters from a point of view where they rationalize what they are doing in such a way that it is the right or only way they see is possible. By extrapolation, then, if you begin to forgive and withhold judgment from your less-than-desirable, or annoying characters, perhaps you can extend the same courtesy to yourself and forgive your own trespasses and sins. This, for me, starts to enter the realm of “writing as therapy,” and though I am a firm believer in that—I practice it to this very day—I think I would caution anyone who thinks that simply writing through things is going to lead you to a place of light and love. I am not saying it can’t by any means. What I am saying is I have wrote through my thoughts and my problems and my desperation and depression for decades and I still had enough baggage on my shoulders to supply an army platoon with rations for a year.

In any case, when thinking about craft, it is very important to step into the shoes of all of your characters, especially those characters that you see as antagonists and villians. I believe there are very few universal maxims in writing but one thing is virtually certain: every character you write is your version of that human being. Confucius said “everywhere I go, there I am,” and that is never more true than when you are writing. So if you are writing a character that is distasteful to you, it might be effective for you to ask yourself why that is the case. I wrote a blog for Obscura last semester titled, “The Puppy Had It Coming.” The gist of the article was to pose a puzzle to writers. How can you write a scene where an adult human kicks a puppy across the room and the reader at least understands why. I am not saying there is any way to justify the action or for the readers to be on the human’s side unless they are sociopaths. I am saying you need let the reader know how dark the place is in the character’s mind that he is capable of doing that.

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like