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Do you try to remove yourself from your writing?

Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 9:20 am
by lexirexic
I'm not a writer, but this subject really interests me. If you write fiction, especially in 1st person, do you make any effort to remove your personal thoughts & opinions from your language? I guess there are two schools of thought where one method favors a lot of subjective, emotional language (example: Edgar Allan Poe "The Tell-tale Heart") while the other method tries to be objective, avoiding personal perspectives & leaving that up to the reader (example: any of the Sherlock Holmes stories where the narrator Watson is a mostly passive observer of Holmes).

What got me thinking was my recent Camus kick. I read in the introduction to his "Exile and the Kingdom" that he took great pains to remove himself, even though the stories reflect his personal views & autobiographical episodes in his life. In his book The Plague he addresses this noticeably with the narrator refusing to identify himself until the end of the book. I thought that was a really interesting touch.

Like I said, I'm not a writer; I'm actually an artist. But this issue comes up in all forms of self expression, I think. Some artists love to do self-portraits while others conspicuously avoid putting their lives on display. Songwriters also, notice how some lyrics are the "confessional" sort (Taylor Swift) while other lyricists never say the word "I" and instead write in 3rd person, or if they do write in 1st person it's an alternate personality (like Neil Peart, lyricist for Rush, writing futuristic allegories "Red Barchetta" and "2112").

Which type are you? Are you the central character in your works, or do you hide behind the curtain. Is it a conscious choice or does it naturally come out that way?

Re: Do you try to remove yourself from your writing?

Posted: Wed May 15, 2024 7:33 am
by AnneAustin7854
Hello. I do try to remove myself from my characters most of the time. I think writing can be mentally draining at times. If you invest too much of yourself, it might turn the reader off, or it might become an autobiographical exercise rather than a work of fiction.
I think its best to keep a distance from the characters you write and yourself, Though there's no harm in putting some of my expressions into a character every now and then.

Re: Do you try to remove yourself from your writing?

Posted: Fri May 24, 2024 12:17 pm
by marleyg
im CLAY

Re: Do you try to remove yourself from your writing?

Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 1:55 am
by annaAlice
As a writer, I'd say I'm a blend of both. I do attempt to expel my individual considerations and conclusions from my dialect, particularly when composing within the to begin with individual. I accept that as a writer, it's basic to form a sense of separation, permitting the peruser to drench themselves within the story without being impacted by my individual predispositions.

In any case, I too think that a writer's voice and point of view are inalienably implanted in their work. It's incomprehensible to totally expel oneself from the composing prepare, and I accept that's what makes composing so individual and hint.

For me, it's a cognizant choice to strike a adjust between subjective passionate dialect and objective separation. I need my perusers to feel the feelings and sensations I'm portraying, but I moreover need to donate them the flexibility to translate the story in their claim way.

In my composing, I attempt to make a sense of genuineness by drawing from my possess encounters and feelings, but I moreover attempt to step back and watch my characters and story from a more objective point of view. It's a fragile adjust, but one that I accept is basic to making compelling and relatable stories.

Eventually, I think that's what makes composing so captivating – the steady transaction between the individual and the objective, the enthusiastic and the withdrawn. It's a move that requires affectability, empathy, and a profound understanding of the human involvement.