The Good Stink

Reading Dickens for Christmas gave me something to talk about. Admittedly, most of the time my posts are random ramblings. I wanted to niche, but I haven't found it yet. Til then, it'll be a day by day collection of thoughts on the press of life...on my life.

Swinging back into the writing direction, I mentioned to a friend the other day that I know the reason I find it difficult to go to the next level in my writing. It's because of who I am. Growing up, I was conditioned to say and do the right thing.

No one was encouraged back then to tell their real feelings. Or dig deep into the gritty stuff. Actually, it's in my nature. I am a deep person and I'm very aware of the truth in my belly. Even the ugly stuff. I just don't always acknowledge or share it. People want us happy. They want us positive. No one wants real.

But I'm learning that's where the great writing is. In the yucky stuff or the stink. It's not pretty writing, but it serves a purpose. It wells up out of the depths of despair and hopelessness. Out of brokenness and trials. If done properly, it produces good out of bad...or the good stink. Look at Dickens in A Christmas Carol.

In the first chapter Dickens had me wanting to punch Scrooge. Or at least, trip him on the sidewalk. Maybe even pummel him in the head with a weighted snowball. Why? He described the full depth of his ugliness. He used dialogue and the reactions of others to Scrooge's meanness.

He developed a character that we loved to hate. But not too much, that's only because generations of us are so well versed in the story we know where the man is headed. So, we don't camp out on the ugly side of him. Well, that is a writing trick.

One way to achieve a story people can relate to is to develop a nasty, grimy character and flip them. You have to get real with your character. You show the protagonist going from one way to the extreme other. They have to want or need something and you show the fight to get it. I'm being honest in saying this is my struggle. Getting real in writing. Digging out the good stink. I have to if I want to go to the next level.