Thursday, November 11, 2010

Toe Jam

Imagine yourself moving to a new town. Or maybe a new job. Or anywhere where you have no friends. No one who knows much about you or you them.

You smile at someone and say, "Hello."

What if this other human blurted out some random fact about themselves rather than replied with the expected "Hi, Howdy, or Hola."

Let's say the person said, "I'm a Republican," "I'm a lesbian," or "I think Lettuce is the Devil."

Chances are you'd smile and move away. Even if you happen to have a Sarah Palin bumper sticker on your pickup, or a rainbow tattoo on your right bicep. The fact itself might not scare you but the blunt delivery of this info would make you think the person was weird.

Now let's say the person has a true character flaw. "What would you do if you spoke a kindly hello to a man in the grocery store aisle only to have him shout, "I am having an affair!"

Now let me say I have friends with a Sarah Palin sticker stuck to their vehicle. I have gay and lesbian friends.  I myself have perhaps the strangest notions on food of anyone you will ever meet. Timberlake brought sexy back. Me, I'm trying to bring carnivorism back. None of these facts are the first thing I knew about my friends or they about me.

Would they have changed things? No. Not for me. These are but things. Labels mostly. They have little to no bearing on a person's true character. They are but the wrapping paper on the Christmas present. 

I have friends incapable of remaining faithful to their spouses. Had that been the first thing I knew about the person I seriously doubt I ever would have became friends with them. To be perfectly honest I've know a few who were justified in their wayward ways. Just as I believe there are times when killing another human is justified. Or a lie is better than the truth.

It is these the gray areas, the moral and social dilemmas that we writers seize on. Create stories and situations out of. Too many times writers (myself included) focus solely on that pretty wrapping paper. We make the gift appealing to the eye, but once our readers rip through that thin layer there is nothing but drab, boring pair of socks inside.

Don't give your readers socks.

14 comments:

Lana Gramlich said...

Good point. ;)

Erica Orloff said...

Great point--about both life and fiction. Main characters have to have flaws.

And Lord KNOWS . . . I know so many eccentrics and criminals in real life . . . and love 'em all.

Teresa said...

Great post, Travis. It really made me think.

And PS: thanks for telling us about the stat button on blogger. I checked it out for my blog, and it made my day!

Charles Gramlich said...

Yes, I like some good meaty characters, with all kinds of depths. They are much more fun to create for one thing.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I was wondering where you were going with this post, Travis, but I liked where it ended up.

Old Kitty said...

I promise never ever ever to give readers socks. Not smelly ones anyway - oh ok if they ask!! :-)

But seriously!! What a great post!! What I truly love about writing stories is how I can live in a complete fantasy world with characters so outlandish and crazy and not be seen as odd! :-)

Timberlake brought sexy back?!?! As in Justin or the clothing company?!?!

Take care
x

Junosmom said...

What about thigh-high hose. Is that okay?

Travis Erwin said...

That of course depends on whether the thigh is still int eh hose.

Travis Erwin said...

Debra, I was beginning to wonder myself while writing it. Still didn't quite achieve what I had in mind I fear.

Cloudia said...

"Too many times writers (myself included) focus solely on that pretty wrapping paper. We make the gift appealing to the eye, but once our readers rip through that thin layer there is nothing but drab, boring pair of socks inside.

Don't give your readers socks."


If I ask myself: "Why am I reading this?" it's a bad sign :)



Aloha from Waikiki :)

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Eric said...

Wow, really good post Travis. And oh so true.

Phats said...

Nice post the only person i'd run away screaming from is the Palin bumper sticker people haha JK!! :)

I took a fun shot at the huskers this week

sybil law said...

Ha! I just used toe jam for a Mad Lib noun the other day!

Barrie said...

So very true. I like eccentrics on the page and in real life. Oh, and in cyberspace, too! :)