Monday 14 December 2015

Bea-ing Ordinary

Most days of our lives are mundane. Nothing unusual happens. I'm glad that is so and hope that I have many boring days ahead of me. You see, there is an old Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times". At first hearing it sounds a pleasant thing to wish someone, but on reflection, not so.

As writers we have to plunge our characters into interesting situations. It is unnecessary, boring even, to write about the ordinary except briefly and then only to provide a contrast to the main event. Good fiction requires action, inciting incidents, emotional extremes and crises to which the characters react and ultimately overcome.

Of the more disappointing rejections I and other WOMAG writers receive are the ones that read "sweet but no surprises", or "the story was too weak to hold the reader's interest". Too ordinary. Not enough going on for our characters to fight against and the reader to engage with.

Falling in love is the most natural thing, unremarkable and ordinary and yet - it is also the most wonderful. Today is the 15th anniversary of the day that my husband and I were married.


We've had some very ordinary times together. We've also endured some horrendously 'interesting' ones. I'm pleased to say that he stood by me through them all. And the happy consequence of our worst time is that I gave up the boringly ordinary office job and became a writer. Now that is interesting, but in a very good way.
 

8 comments:

  1. Very well put. When I'm writing I keep saying to myself, 'but what if' so hopefully it doesn't get boring. Happy anniversary and may there be many boring days ahead!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Anniversary. Love your stories.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good descision to write full time. I'd like to be able to do that, but my part time cleaning jobs keep the bills paid and I get to meet lots of nice and strange people, and helps me keep fit saving on gym membership:)) And I can still write in the evenings. I love your stories as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a luxury, Susan, and I know I am so lucky to have the opportunity. But you get a lot more inspiration out in the real world. I have to lurk around coffee bars instead.

      Delete
  4. Happy anniversary!

    In real life a lot of interesting goes quite a long way, I find.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Patsy. Yes, I like boring, it's much less stressful.

      Delete