Notes From an Amateur Writer #21 - Writing Myself Out of Existence

Typewriter

This is day 29 for me (I started 1 day late) in @dragosroua's 30 day writing challenge.

WRITING MYSELF OUT OF EXISTENCE

I've been thinking about a new story I wish to write. I've been giving it a chance to gestate in my mind before throwing my arms around it and making a claim of ownership over it. Before regurgitating it onto the page and sticking it to my refrigerator, displaying it proudly like the ghost of past finger paintings that were once there.

It seems to fit into the Nomad story idea that I have shared in the past. It's a short story, perhaps approx 5000 words. I get the sense that perhaps the Nomad character and his world are both a chance for me to explore themes and writing ideas, utilising a series of shorter stories. As opposed to a novel length idea I had originally conceived, where the character travels from A to B, and solves X, Y, and Z along the way. Zoom a bit more into specifics and deal with oddities and idiosyncrasies in a more storied format.

The idea that came to me, and which I have only just started to explore was the portrayal of a sort of Televangelist type of character, and the crowd who go to see him. Taken out of it's usual context of straight Old Testament teachings and Mid West locations and placed squarely into a surreal other dimensional setting. It has a working title; 'The Rules of Polite Society'. It's Speculative Fiction, which could really mean anything. Perhaps a bit fantasy, a bit SciFi.

I just wanted to explore new writing opportunities, practice new ideas, and put in place new things I am learning along the way. As I was developing the idea a second one came to me. Should it be within the context of Nomad's story? I'm still not sure. The idea is too new and fresh and needs development.

I was considering what I wrote in yesterday's post about my characters being aspects of me. This is nothing new to me. I think writers do this. At least I know I do. Either aspects of me, or aspects of the world I inhabit, and of which I am trying to make sense of. The question that rose in my mind though was 'why?'

I think it's to heal those aspects of myself. To make sense of broken, hidden, or discarded pieces. Make them whole, and let them be; let them move on or let them stay. To heal, in other words.

And then I considered the notion of myself as writer using writing to heal. There is a layer of that going on. It's secondary, but it's still there. I think if it were primary then my writing may get too self indulgent. I use humour to try to prevent that.

But back to the idea of an author using writing as a healing mechanism. Could I write a story about that? Could I write a story about an author who writes about his issues, subtly weaving them into his stories? And therefore leading to a healing within the author's life. Where the broken and discarded pieces become whole again, and fly free having been made peace with. And what are we without our broken pieces? Do we cease to exist? Does someone else replace us? A better, shinier version of us? Could I write that story? A story about an author who eventually writes himself out of existence?

And what does this have to do with Nomad? I think his world allows for all sorts of oddities. A place where I can project my own perceived oddities onto.

Time to start writing then.

All images used with permission, and sourced from Unsplash.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you liked it then please like, comment, and follow

@naquoya

Short Fiction:

Bang Bang You're Dead
I Have No Name and I Must Scream
The Last Book Store
The Judge
The Man In The Mirror
The End of the World [Part 1] [Part 2]
The Locked Room
The Gods of Love and War [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]

Notes From an Amateur Writer blog series: