The Courage to Get Naked

The Three Graces

There could be a discrepancy between being an acceptable social human being, and being free to be a writer. To be an acceptable social being is to grease the wheels of social interaction, to be considerate of the feelings of others, to avoid speaking up in certain situations, to know when to speak up in others, and to choose one's words and actions with at least some care. It might be said that writing fiction requires some of the same. Choices are made - what to write, what not to write - but there are different rules and expectations. If we are to do our job properly, we have to be prepared to take the risk of being seen without our social costume, or of being such good actors, of the fiction ringing so true, that we appear to be stripped bare. While we might take comfort in the disappearance of the author, I think s/he is often present in the mind of the reader. There is always the question of whether the writing is autobiographical. Does it represent the author's own belief systems and attitudes? I think the answer is that all beliefs and attitudes are possible, and that by taking on an empathetic orientation, it is possible to play with these on the page.  If a human attitude, emotion or belief is possible, then it is possible to try it on within the writing context. It does not mean that we choose this combination of beliefs within our private lives.

 

What lies beneath? I think that as writers we need to be sufficiently courageous to examine what lives below the external social self and to look at conventional wisdom from new and unusual angles, sometimes unflattering ones. This means that if enough people read our work, someone is likely to be offended, so it's best to get that out of the way at the outset. The craft requires an attitude of unflinching observation, objectivity, subjectivity, and above all, a loving commitment to authenticity.    In the intimate relationship between the page and the reader, in the context of the fictional narrative, truths are explored and potential lives examined. In the process, a writer might well compromise his or her persona as a likeable social being. Or s/he might become more authentic. At the beginning of this journey, I think it is likely to be something between the two.