# A writer's dilemma.



## HarryG (May 14, 2010)

Sometimes, not often enough, my writing flows along, the story is being told, the urgency to tell it means that I can't even stop for coffee, and nice words appear that I didn't even know  I knew. 

At other times, far too often, it stutters along, and I sit there scratching my head wondering whether the last adverb should be struck out; whether my comments are homophobic, or even worse, racial.  I realise that if I write about slavery the US will get jumpy, and if I combine that with anything about native Americans, a wall of hate is going to transverse the Atlantic and overwhelm me.

It doesn't stop there  I like a drink and a smoke.  The best sex I've ever had was after inhaling some grey smoke that crackled.  

So, what do I do?  ignore the truth and write banal nonsense?


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## moderan (May 14, 2010)

Go with the truth. Use the controversy to your advantage, if it comes up.


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## Linton Robinson (May 14, 2010)

You got something against gay redmen, pal?????


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## HarryG (May 14, 2010)

lin said:


> You got something against gay redmen, pal?????



No.


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## Sigg (May 14, 2010)

Well I assume you have some target audience in mind, so write for them.  You won't be able to please everyone, and if you are worried about tainting your reputation due to some risque themes, just use a pen name.

Other than that, do what Mod said.


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## Sam (May 14, 2010)

I think you over-worry. Write the story, Harry. If it involves slavery, native Americans, or even slaves that are gay, native Americans -- write it.


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## HarryG (May 14, 2010)

Sam W said:


> I think you over-worry. Write the story, Harry. If it involves slavery, native Americans, or even slaves that are gay, native Americans -- write it.


 Sam, you're right, of course you are, but it doesn't take away the sneaking suspicion that we are too fearful to tell the truth.  I know where you live, you've written about it often enough,  and I'm sure you'll write about it some more.

But, will you tackle the potato famine and the IRA?  Slab Murphy?  I suspect you will, and I will remind the land of the free that they lynched a black man in Georgia as recent as in 1956.

I suspect that this is the wrong time and the wrong place, but I've said my piece.


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## RomanticRose (May 14, 2010)

They've been lynched in other places much later than 1956.  And in some cases, the persecution is so insidious and creeping that a lynch mob would be a cleaner proposition.


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## alanmt (May 14, 2010)

Sam W said:


> I think you over-worry. Write the story, Harry. If it involves slavery, native Americans, or even slaves that are gay, native Americans -- write it.


 
Although I would respectfully suggest that the audience for literature involving gay Native American slaves are likely hoping for sympathetic and erotic treatment of the subject.  Just saying.

If you plan on posting something about which you have such uncertainty here, you may wish to post a tag or note that offensive language or homophobic or racist terms are included as a necessary part of the work as a matter of artistic integrity, and are not intended to violate forum guidelines.  If in doubt, it could be previewed by a mod.


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## The Backward OX (May 14, 2010)

For some reason I had the idea Harry was talking about real publishing, not some online rubbish.


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## Futhark (May 14, 2010)

Harry, it seems to me that a little bit of controversy always helps an author. It's obvious that you can go too far on a tangent (gay Native American sex slaves on a potato farm, maybe?) and alienate 99% of your audience. But if you make your story relatable to a wide enough cross-section of people, the risque elements could, at worst, get you some nasty letters. At best? It will get your book banned. And then sales will go through the roof.


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## Eluixa (May 15, 2010)

Courage. That is what Adrian called for, and I second him. And where is Adrian?

Write it Harry.


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## HarryG (May 15, 2010)

I spent the past year writing an Angela's Ashes kind of story as did Frank McCourt,  In my story I exposed a similar place that I know much better than McCourt knew Limerick.  

It was a painful year and I didn't enjoy writing the story.  Yet I forced myself to complete the unpleasant task, it had been in my head too long not to be written.  After extensive editing, I was ready to submit my time-bomb, but I hesitated.

I felt like a traitor; the things I wrote about happened, but who am I to criticise a whole nation for the behaviour of a few fellow slum dwellers?  Eventually, after much soul searching, I trunked the manuscript.

I got my reward for trunking it only two days ago.

I live in a foreign country in the sun, hiding away is not too far from the truth.  While I was drinking my coffee, I heard an unmistakable accent from a couple at an adjoining table and my curiosity made me turn round and stare at them.  To apologise for my rudeness, I spoke to them and asked where they came from.

They confirmed what I already knew and in the conversation that followed I mentioned that I used to play for a band called the Hawks (not the big one) in a small place called Denny, just outside Glasgow.

I will never forget the look of surprise on their faces, the woman blurted out, 'We used to watch them every week, that's where I met him all those years ago.'

I've never felt more pleased about dumping a manuscript, and it will stay dumped.


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## Linton Robinson (May 15, 2010)

I wouldn't see it as being so much about "courage".  (I mean, what are they going to do to you?)   But as avoiding becoming crippled.
Baseball players use the expression "rabbit ears" to apply to a player who lets the crowd heckling get to them and affect their play.
If you're looking over your shoulder, how well are you going to be able to write?


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## HarryG (May 15, 2010)

I always find courage a difficult concept and consider it relevant.  I'm terrified of cockroaches and I'm not keen on snakes; people don't bother me too much, apart from the obvious nutcases who can run faster than me.

Writing-wise, I'm not sure.  I can't write while looking over my shoulder.  There's not a subject I wouldn't tackle but I hesitate when writing something purely based on research and something I have no personal knowledge of.

On that basis, I wouldn't write about American Indians, I've never met one, knowingly; I wouldn't touch slavery because I don't want enemies for no reason at all; not because I lack the courage, but because I lack the knowledge.

I'm also not going to write about the Spanish Civil War, because I live in Spain and there's an old man at the bottom of my street who sings Franco songs when he gets pissed and throws things at people walking past.  And he's got a gun.


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## Eluixa (May 16, 2010)

I was not suggesting that it is courageous to write something you know nothing about personally. But when you feel a certain way about something, I think it is courageous to say so. You don't have to say you are right, or justified. Personally, I take an authors works as their opinion, even if they do research. Research being subjective.
When Adrian said to be courageous, I took it to mean 'be true to yourself'. As in not pander to a supposed audience or fear to be politically incorrect. Course, maybe that's not what he meant, but that is how I heard it.


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## HarryG (May 17, 2010)

If you get fed up reading the whole piece, at least read the last paragraph.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/16/texas-schools-rewrites-us-history


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## moderan (May 17, 2010)

Oh yeah...we had an acrimonious discussion about that not long ago, Harry. The central issue, that is, not the last paragraph.


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## HarryG (May 17, 2010)

Sorry about that, not paying attention is one of my failings.

The funny thing about the last paragraph is that only the other day I got an email from myself, but it was from another writer with the same name, an American academic who writes textbooks.  

He seemed a bit miffed that an internet search on his name would throw up a web site from a far less qualified writer, writing detective stories of all things.  I haven't replied yet but will try and goad him into buying one of my books.  Perhaps that's what he's doing to me?

He won't succeed though, he's a university professor who writes text books on psychiatry, but, who knows?  I could put the book on my shelf and pretend I've written it, it's got my name on it, hasn't it?


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## moderan (May 17, 2010)

No sweat, Harry. Not everyone reads every forum post, and I don't think you were trying to start anything...it's funny about the name thing. There's a man in Paris, a banker by the name of A_______( first name withheld) Moderan, that I've been friends with since 1998 when I started getting some of his mail. The really weird part is, he knows a cousin of mine, a man I've never met, an astronomer that works in Prague, and got us connected.
The world is a screwy place.
You should trade books with the academic. Maybe that would right the cosmic balance or something.


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## Vulcan (May 17, 2010)

Totally agree with you in terms of losing inspiration to write, whether that be a form of writer's block or a lack of imagination and purpose at the time. But in terms of controversy, be as subversive as you like! That's often where the best ideas spawn from, if you ask me. I love reading something which transcends all ordinary rules, which isn't afraid to voice the thoughts you have in your head. That's what makes writing so good. It's one of the only careers in which you can actually say what you think without having to abide to any real conventions or expectations. The written word is something very different to other areas of language, it gives you much more freedom. So don't worry about whether you will upset this person or that. You are bound to upset some readers if you have a widespread audience, but most people are quite liberal-minded and not so difficult to shock.


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## Linton Robinson (May 17, 2010)

A TEXTBOOK writer thinks a FICTION writer is less qualified??????      Astounding.

Suggest that he change his name to something less confundible.   Cyrus H. Fencewaddler comes to mind.


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## Non Serviam (May 17, 2010)

In the humanities, the main difference between a textbook writer and a fiction writer is that the textbook writer maintains the fiction his work isn't fiction.


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## Linton Robinson (May 17, 2010)

And that the market for it is really a market.


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