Recurring things in your writing
Feb 7, 2021 1:05:12 GMT -6
Post by ScintillaMyntan on Feb 7, 2021 1:05:12 GMT -6
What are some themes or motifs that come up a lot in your writing? Maybe it's a message you willfully build in across your pieces, or an image or plot event you keep accidentally coming back to.
Can't find it now, but I've heard of research that looked at the frequency of nature words in English-language novels. The study found that words for plants and birds have declined over the decades, perhaps showing our gradual separation from nature. I'd hope that I use abundant nature imagery. I should probably think to consciously use it more if I don't, and following that to be more aware of nature myself— I'd think having proper sensitivity to the world around would include having a good sense of nature, considering that it has a very strong emotional effect on us when we notice it enough.
Something I noticed shows up a whole lot in my stories is irrational fear. My characters are scared of all sorts of stuff. I feel like irrational fears work very well as characterization or motivation, but they also just come to me often as spontaneous story ideas. It makes sense because I'm an anxious person myself with lots of fears large and small. Actually you could say many of the 'plots' in my real life have been kicked off by some sort of fear.
I also often have characters taking strange actions that are meaningful to them and use symbols and motifs I've already established in the story. Honestly, that one's kind of a crutch at this point. When I don't want to figure out some sort of actual decision, just have the person behave weirdly, right?
And I guess dreams feature a good amount in my stories, mostly because I find them interesting and are also pretty useful for showing what's on someone's mind.
Oh well, it still makes for fun writing.
You add them to your profile as you do them around the forum.
