“I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I’m afraid of.” Joss Whedon
How appropriate is this quote. In my “Top 5 Witch Stories” video earlier this month, I mentioned one of my favorite works by Joss Whedon- Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And, this quote stood out because so many of his characters fit this. And, it fits with my own writing.
“I write to be the characters that I am not.” That is the whole reason I created Marissa Sanderson in my book series. I’m focusing on her in book 3. I’ll try not to give too much away. (Her pre-book 1 profile is available on my Patreon Page) But, Marissa is the polar opposite of me. She’s outgoing, outspoken, hot tempered. She isn’t afraid to call you a dumbass when she thinks the term applies. She’s confident in her looks and not afraid to throw on a little-too-short skirt and show a little cleavage because she wants to. Not for anyone else but herself. She works hard to bring out the best, most confident in those around her. All of these things I’ve struggled with.
But, it’s not just creating opposite characters. Putting them through situations that you will never have to deal with, or hope you don’t… Or, maybe you do. One of the wonderful things about fantasy is you can do anything. Magic is real. You can wave a wand or chant a few words and you can change the world. You can battle monsters and go on incredible journeys to fairy tale worlds.
Writing is an escape from the mundane. You can time travel to Tudor England. You can be a part of the Knights of the Round Table or Robin Hood’s Merry Men. You can fly on a broomstick or battle pirates. Or be a pirate. Twist the tropes and be the princess rescuing your best friend, the dragon, from the evil prince. I saw a prompt that flips the Hansel and Gretel story where the witch takes in abused children and eats their parents.
So, why do you write? Is it for any of these reasons or is it another? I’d love to hear.