Battle of the Sexes

Today I went to Boskone 48 NEFSA's (New England Science Fiction Association) science-fiction/fantasy convention. It was my fourth year going and as always I came back energized and ready to pour more energy into my own stuff. Actually, I spent one of the panels taking notes and brainstorming ideas for Guardians of Cornerstone. I've almost reached the halfway mark and Boskone gave me the energy to push forward and finish my first draft. But, the most interesting panel I went to was about whether or not fantasy is becoming a genre geared more towards girls. I guess the question is: do boys even read any more? Well this is probably a vast over-generalization most boys I know do not read, especially not fantasy books. (With the exception of Harry Potter.) My own belief is that so much of the fantasy written by female writers is about strong, powerful, female protagonists doing stereotypically "boy" things and generally just kicking some butt. And I don't know if boys who are in the 12-15 year old age range are prepared to handle that. Well I am definitely for egalitarianism in books and all I can't help but wonder if we girls don't need the help. Even though women aren't oppressed gender roles still exist and in some ways, are encouraged. Girls often feel empowered when reading books about females who break those gender roles and excel while doing so. Boys might not like it, but the truth is that girls are capable of doing whatever they can do. It does disappoint me though to think that as a whole, girls read much more than boys do. But at the same time, when thinking about my own story, I know that boys might not like it. Am I going to change the story to make it more gender neutral? No. I believe that writers should first and foremost write for themselves and whatever else I may be, I am definitely a girl. Hopefully both genders will like my story but if I write something that I can be proud of then I will definitely be happy.

Analysis

I think that to be a good writer you have to be able to be a good analyzer. I think that it's important to be able to understand people and how they feel. I mean, how else are you going to be able to make people relate to your writing. I like to think that I'm good at reading people and understanding how they feel. Hopefully I put that into my characters when I write and it shows. As for my poetry, well that's more raw and personal. But if I can analyze and capture my own feelings then maybe people can relate to whatever I write down from my self-analysis.

One of the Many Reasons I'm Writing This

Ok, long title. But seriously, I tend to think a lot. I mean, I'm sure everyone does because thoughts are part of what makes us human. But I don't know if most people analyze their own thoughts as much as I do. And when it comes to writing, I tend to write exactly what I'm thinking even if I'm not the one doing the talking (a character could be). Since I think so much about writing I figured that I should share my ideas. I don't know if my ideas are revolutionary or anything, but they've helped me so maybe they'll help others.

Subjects

Everyone says to write what you know. For me that kind of just means myself. It may sound sort of selfish or conceited but I think what it actually means is that I'm writing what I know best. I mean, if I don't know myself than what do I know? Maybe that sounds a little too philosophical but in reality it's just easier to write exactly how you're feeling at the moment you pick up the pen. And a lot of the time I'm thinking about my life. Also, I always write for myself first and others second because if I don't like what I've written then why would I expect anyone else to? The down side is that my poems can sound repetitive or the phrases can sound the same sometimes. I think the hardest part of writing is finding a way to create variety and create a solid voice for yourself. But I think that if I write about myself then it helps me find my voice so hopefully I'm doing something right.

Title Explanation

The title "Ink and Paper" seems pretty oxymoronic considering that this blog only exists in the virtual world. But as I writer I almost always hand write my pieces before I type them. To me the experience of putting ink onto paper is very grounding. There is something solid about forming words that way and it makes me feel as if I am creating something three dimensional and very physical, not just a piece based on intangible thoughts.

Creation

This blog was inspired by my senior project. I am attempting to write a young adult fantasy novel in a mere nine months. I don't know how far I'll get but as the old cliche goes: "life is about the journey, not the destination." In this case I agree wholeheartedly. As I write I learn more about writing and myself as a writer. For the past few years I've been thinking a lot about the actual writing process and what creative writing is. Now I've decided that I should record my thoughts because as a writer, I believe in sharing what I think through my words.