I don't like to have enemies. Who does? Yet I have to admit that they've had an impact on my writing life.
Don't we need conflicts in our stories? Thinking about enemies from my past and what they have done to me has helped me to create realistic stories that captivated readers and made them empathize with the narrator.
We need tension, don't we? Enemies have inspired me to write stories where tension builds up easily. They have led me to craft thought-provoking stories where I exposed the dark side of human nature.
"There's good and bad in everyone" says Paul McCartny's song, so I was able to find something good about some of those enemies unless the character was a psychopath. Enemies have ignited rage, fustration, shame, strength and even wisdom and patience. I put everything to good use and explored those emotions to the best of my ability.
Creative writing has allowed me to see my past under a different light. Don't be surprised if some of the toxic people out there help you create your next popular story.
To a writer, each experience is a gem, a potential treasure of creative endeavors. I prefer to have friends, of course, but life is not always beautiful.
Did negative experiences with people fuel your creativity?
Well said, Julia. The reality is that negative experiences do have the power to fuel our creative juices.
ReplyDeleteYes, we can turn them into something meaningful and grow from them.
DeleteI never thought about it that way. Now that you mention it, I think many people can say it is the negative experiences that made them stronger and helped make them who they are today.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Negative experiences make us grow if we allow them to make us grow. We have the option to become bitter and angry or we can choose to grow as human beings. Enemies may not be people. Enemies can also be tragedies that we have to face. Based on our experiences we can build up stories with meaningful themes, interesting plots and complex characters. Life is an anthology of stories.
DeleteI tend to prefer to forget bad people in my life! LOL! But yes I do tend to use them or at least my experiences of them in my stories! Not just bad people - situations too - even the mundane ones of a train being late - all sorts of scenarios crop up as a consequence of one's train being late!
ReplyDeleteTake care
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Yes, creativity is boundless and opens up a world of possibilities.
DeleteThe yin and the yang, it has to be, that is what makes the circle. The bad really does make the good so much better
ReplyDeleteYou said it all, Jilda. I have nothing to add.
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