Unique You: Writing Part 1

First I’d like to apologize for not having posted for a while, but life has its way of getting in the way, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I have a nice new bunch of stuff, so let’s get started.

Before continuing with more nuts and bolts type info, I’d like to do a few posts about something a little more subjective; the issue of style. We’ll cover the issue of style for both art and writing, but let’s start with writing.

One Voice

There’s an old piece of writing advice that goes: “Write what you know.” This little ditty is perhaps in need of some clarification. It seems to indicate that one should stick to one’s own area of experience and knowledge to some degree. The point being that if you are a longshoreman from New York, you might write most effectively about events taking place on the docks and the characters who inhabit this world. If our imaginary longshoreman/author instead chose to write about Nannies in Beverly Hills, he might be less able to capture the feeling of the milieu. 

This is certainly sound advice up to a point. However, we are talking about writing comics here, and while writing about what you know is useful, it doesn’t encompass the idea of writing about giant space aliens, super powered heroes, zombies, other dimensions and intelligent ape men. No one has any real life experience with this kind of stuff. Or do we?

Perhaps an adjustment to our old saw is in order. Let’s try this: “Write what you are.” Each of us has unique life experiences. We have each encountered interesting people and personalities. No one has lead the life you’ve led, and no one has done it in just the way you have. This is our jumping off point to the wild and imaginary world of comics fiction.

Ed Brubaker and Joss Whedon haven’t met any more superheroes or villains than you have, but they use their own life experiences to inform the character and plot choices they make. Truthfully, the motivations of super-people aren’t any different from the impulses that stir any human being. We are all moved by love, hate, jealousy, anger, empathy, etc. Even the motivations of a crazy, world-eating, giant alien like Galactus are understandable. He wants to eat and survive. He gets pissed at his surfboard riding herald for crossing him. He backs down when he’s outgunned.

So, applying your life experiences to your imagination can help you find grist for your comic book mill.

Write what you are.