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What is the most challenging writing event you have ever participated in? How did it go?
This week's Action/Adventure is all about exploring new territory...
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After our recent move to Scotland, my cats are exploring their new territory. They’re harness-and-lead trained, and it’s fun to wander around with them. They’ll regularly stop and look up at us for reassurance (and a pet or two), but they’re gaining in confidence. We’re in the countryside, with woods, lochs and streams right around the corner, so there is plenty for them to sniff and process.
In a way, it’s the same for me. I may not stop and sniff at walls and trees, but I was born and raised in the city and even though I’ve experienced village life, this is different. Instead of cars, I have tractors pass my window. It’s a nice change of pace, though the nearest shops are quite far away and the only supermarket that delivers here isn’t the greatest. Like the cats, I’ll have to learn and adapt.
We can face new territory in many areas of life, including in our writing. I remember when I last played "Game of Thrones" [13+] and had a whole bunch of genres thrown at me that I hadn’t even considered before. Some I took to, some I hope to never have to write in again. All of them were an excellent learning experience, because if you don’t step out of your comfort zone you are unlikely to discover your full potential as a writer.
I’ve seen it happen – talented people who’ve produced some amazing works but who, for one reason or another, have not stepped beyond their tried and trusted techniques. As a reader, spotting the same patterns, the same tricks over and over again eventually makes me look for something fresh and different elsewhere. That’s not to say that they’re doing something wrong, but just as I wouldn’t want a studio to keep on filming the same movie, or a recording artist to keep on releasing the same album, with only minor variations, I want to explore and grow alongside my favourite authors. When reading the works of Sir Terry Pratchett you’re right there with him as he grows in skill, and confidence, and vision. He’s exploring new territory, and so are you, as his reader. Another good example is Stephen King – The Institute is a very different read than, say, ’Salem’s Lot.
One series I will always recommend to those who love a good adventure is the DragonLance Chronicles, followed by the excellent and incredibly moving DragonLance Legends. In the annotated Chronicles the reader is told that originally the story was the result of a series of Dungeons & Dragons sessions. That’s where the characters originate from. Putting the game’s story onto the written page is a new and different experience, and it takes time for the authors to adjust. You can also tell when the story progresses beyond the game. The result is a set of books high on my list of best-loved reads. The characters are memorable and I have no doubt that you’ll soon grow to care about them. And the storyline of the two trilogies is engaging and rewarding.
I haven’t always felt comfortable when stepping out of my own comfort zone. I’m currently struggling with my first sonnet. I also want to write a horror story set in the motorsport world, but I’m not that experienced in horror and have never written about motorsport before. Do I know enough to make it feel realistic? Can I inspire the right feelings and emotions in my readers? I won’t know until I try.
I have signed up for Game of Thrones again. I have no idea what I am letting myself in for this time – I am certain that there will be many changes. I do know that it’ll probably be a wild ride. A month of adventure that will leave me with a fuller portfolio. Some of the pieces written next month will be disasters. Some will be distinctly meh – the kind of items you create when you need to meet set requirements but you didn’t experience a burst of creativity. There will be items, though, that turn out better than expected. Items you look back at later in wonder because you have no idea where they came from – you’re just glad that they did. That’s what makes stepping into new territory so worthwhile. It may be a little scary, but there are always new wonders to explore.
What is your next adventure?
NaNoKit
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Action/Adventure: March 27, 2024 Issue [#12476]
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