Mike on writing

What is life? Life is a love story, a comedy, a drama. Sometimes it’s even a horror flick or an action movie. Once in a while, it’s even a little sci-fi. The question is: How do you make your story come to life? Character; it’s not just the people involved, but the feelings behind the words on the page. It’s what makes a story relatable. It’s what makes it real. If you don’t care about what’s happening, how do you expect your audience to care? When you write a story, you aren’t creating something from scratch, you’re glimpsing into the lives of the people in your story. They are just as real as you’re willing to admit they are. They have feelings and emotions and free will. It’s is the job of the writer to let them be who they are, to push them, just as you would your own child. Each and every character you create is only as strong as their greatest flaw. Every time they make a decision, they have to deal with the ramifications of that choice, just as you would. The average person watches a movie and is entertained by what they see, not because they want to escape from reality, but because they are looking for things to relate to. They want to see others go through the same feelings and situations that they themselves have struggled through. They may only get a glimpse into the character’s life, but as a writer, it is important to know the complete story, not only what is conveyed to the audience. Emotion is what drives us, and to tap into that emotion and use your characters as an outlet is an ability that writers are blessed with. A good writer can write anything, but a great writer can write anyone. There are no rules when it comes to life, and the same applies when thinking about writing. Find inspiration in the things and people around you. Think outside the box and step back from your day to day life and think about the choices you’ve made to get where you are now. Think about how you felt getting there. Think of the thoughts running through your head, the emotion behind them. If you can channel this creative energy, then you can do wonders. That is inspiration. That is your muse. Life is all around you, all you have to do is pay attention.