Who Are We Writing For Anyways?

Hello again.  Long time, no blog posting.  I would say that I would get better at it, but we all know that's not going to be true.  I did finish a book recently - in my defense, it was a long ass book - so I might write about it later.  Or not.  We'll see how it goes when I want to.  Also, schedule a tangent into the end of today's blog post.  Mostly because I want to and mostly because I'm insane.  Let's go into the first part of that today.  From now on, I'm going to start having an insanity of the day.  If you follow me on Facebook, you'll see it there.  I might spring board it into a blog post or I might just post about it a million times on Facebook.  Depending on where you read, you might care or not care about this at the end of everything.  But moving on.

Insanity of the Day: Who do we write for?  Do we write for ourselves or do we write to impress others?  Do we write to carry on stories that we think need to be carried on?

Before I answer, a bit of history.  When telling a story first started, it started as an oral tradition.  You'd gather around a fire and watch a story being told through dance.  Or listen to someone tell a story through the first bits of language being developed along with visual clues.  As we progressed as humans, stories got written down.  Some of those stories were amazing enough to survive through to today - Chaucer, Shakespeare, so on - and some were lucky enough to get printed when they did (Treasure Island, I am looking at you).  So, bit of history background done.

Now, let's go through the questions bit by bit.  Mostly because there are three questions and we should take them all seriously. 

1. Who do we write for?

Well...that depends on what kind of writer you are.  If you're like me, you say you're writing for yourself, but in reality, you're most writing to get published and to get the voices in your head to shut up.  Also, it is due to the fact that nobody is writing what you want to read.  Like a horror / fantasy novel where vampires rule the world and there's a kick ass female character who doesn't want to fall in love but does so anyways.

Shut up.  I know my character has issues.  And some of them have a full subscription.

But, back to the point at hand - if you can figure out who you want to write for, you're pretty much set.  The other hand is wondering if you can live with the fact that you're writing for yourself instead of writing for others.  If you're being selfish, but in a good way, because in the end, you get what you want.  It isn't a bad thing.  It is what it is.  At least you know that you're writing. 

2. Do we write for ourselves or to please others?

Well, yes, number 1 can answer this question.  But what if you're not writing for yourself?  What if you're writing because you have this wonderful story that you think everyone should read?  Are you really pleasing others by thinking that everyone should read your novel or are you secretly writing for yourself? 

Yes, a question that brings questions.  Annoying, isn't it?  (Don't answer that.)

If you are truly writing to please others, then you can simply answer "yes" and go along your merry way while turning out this fiction that will withstand the tests of time and make people happy.  However, you might be wrong.  Your wonderful novel might bomb.  Or it might only be for one section of the population while you think it is for everyone.  Or people might forget about you by the next week.

Here's a secret - those who write for themselves - yes, they worry about selling but they also worry about what to do next.  What will be the next story?  Will it fit to the story that I just wrote?  Will it make my muses happy?  If you write for yourself, then you write to make yourself happy and hope that people come along for the ride.  And again, you've already answered this question when you answered the first.

3. Do we write to carry on stories that we think need to be carried on?

This is a personal question.  I can only tell you what I feel.  I feel that yes, I write to carry on stories that need to be carried on.  However, most of my stories contain the belief of things that are supernatural in nature or call upon belief in abilities that humans do not think they can use (magic).  However, with all of these stories, there is a tie to real life.  There is love or hope or rebellion or all three tied into one or even more than that.  One story cannot be put into one box and just stay there.  Look at what the big blockbusters of our time have done - Harry Potter isn't just for kids and isn't just about magic.  Hunger Games isn't just about coming of age and rebelling against those who would want your end because it fits into their version of reality television.  Both stories go beyond what the writer thought they would.  Harry Potter became a reason for kids to start reading and hoping again, while setting a standard for young adult fiction.  Hunger Games showed us that apocalyptic fiction is more than just surviving. 

What am I saying, at least for me, is that I write for myself.  I write to read what I want to read and imagine what I cannot find in real life.  When I write fanfiction, it is because I admire the author's works but yet I see what could happen if just one fact was changed or a character stepped up when they did not.  I know I am not selfish.  I just know what I want to read - and for that to happen, I must write.

Homework - Answer the questions and leave a comment with a link to your blog.

Extra Credit - Comment and share your opinion if I am right, wrong, or nothing.