Writing Fiction, Like Playing God, is Fun

Captain's Log, Stardate 1424.7. Oh, sorry Trekkies. Got confused there for a minute. Let's try this...

Blog #1 Dinkum Date 363.24. Writing Fiction, Like Playing God, is Fun.

Harken back to your school days. There had to be a few times when you were asked to write a story, kick that imagination in gear and a spin a yarn. You invented characters, set them up in a sticky situation and, depending on what kind of writer you were, either pushed them to do what your story called for, or let them deal with their predicament on their own. Either way, it was a little like you were playing God. For those of you who have a rotten brain and can't remember writing fiction in school, I'll give you an example of how you create fiction in your adult years without even realizing it.

Have you ever been flippantly denigrated by a guy called Farfal, a no-neck, yellow-toothed, cantankerous homunculus, in front of a cluster of cohorts who giggled uncomfortably? And you were so shocked by what the geek said you froze like a dead head in a vat of liquid nitrogen?

Later, you thought, What the hell was that? And you played the scene over in your mind. This time though, you came back with such a snappy, hurtful retort, the homunculus's face crumpled and before he could run away, his eyes spurted tears that would make a Super Soaker water gun jealous. A chorus of laughter from the clump of coworkers filled your ears. Your boss clapped your back and said, "Nice one." The babe in the department asked you to lunch. And all was right with the world. Except you couldn't help feeling guilty for making Farfal cry.

There! You wrote something. Of course, it was only a scenario playing in your head, but that's how it starts. The next step is to find the exact words you need to convey what you'd imagined, and in the proper order, stick them on paper or slam them into a computer and you're actually writing. Well, there's a little more to it than that. But that's another blog for another time. Besides, there are about a billion books, websites, and classes to get you started. And naturally, read, read, read. Although I know that could be tough having to move your eyes back and forth over a page or screen and to have your brain decipher words into images when your peepers could be laser focused on moving pictures and all that hard work would be done for you. Still, some people like that sort of stuff. And for those, writing could be fun. It's fun to me, and scores of other people, too. It must be. Just look at all the freaking books out there.

Anyway, besides being an amusing activity, writing fiction has a lot to offer. It can smooth things over in that agitated brain of yours by helping you escape reality. It can provide the justice you seek (or revenge depending on how pissed off you are) from those miscreants who've made your life hell. Or it can show you how life should be—how you would like to see it played out. You could hookup with that special someone you've been crushing since you were twelve. Or become a superhero and save the world or destroy it. You could rid the world of nasty homunculi if that guilt ever subsides. You could create or uncreate whatever you wanted since it's you who'll be playing God. Such fun!