F. P. Dorchak

Speculative Fiction (New Weird) Author

Writing

Stage Persona

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Many think you are what you write.

For some, that may be true…but for others it may not be. It may be more of a case that they just really get into what it is they’re writing. Become the story. Or perhaps it’s more that the story is part of the author. Or there are elements of the story within the author. All may be true…and I’m sure other reasons also exist. But in any case, to categorically state that one who writes about evil is evil is a hasty generalization.

Authors write about their topics for many reasons. Some to learn more about a burning issue, some to work out personal issues. Personally, my life is pretty tame…my imagination, on the other hand…not so much. I love to What-if things…play with might be–what might be behind events. To that end, sometimes I take on topics that aren’t pretty…as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, to be true to the story. But in all cases I do try to take on a story that holds some kind of “resonance” with me. I try to only take on topics that have some inherent value to them, because, after all, I am going to be spending a lot of time in that topic, writing that topic, describing that topic.

So, next time you approach an author of a book of something that might offend you, instead of attacking that author…try to understand why that author took on that topic. Why was it important enough for that person to spend so much of their life working that particular story.

After all, we don’t (necessarily!) look down on those actors who act out violent scenes in movies, do we? We look at them in awe of their ability to actually carry out that part not only “on-screen,” but in front of an audience of many actors, camera and stage workers, as well. We may, however, still wonder why they took on such a part….

And that’s what went through my head as I watched Rooney Mara in a pivotal and quite violent scene in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Great Expectations!

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Many say (especially in the writing world, and usually associated with getting agents, publishers, or life-changing advances) that we should keep our expectations low. “Realistic.”

I disagree with that!

I feel that if we don’t keep our expectations high, we don’t reach.

We don’t grow.

I believe that, yes, we understand things may or may not happen for whatever reason(s)…but if you want something, truly want it…why shouldn’t we keep our expectations high?

What does “keep oneself ‘grounded in reality'” mean? What reality? If our reality is not what we want it to be–why the hell would we want to remain “grounded” in it?

Why should expectations be reigned in–be so controlled?

I don’t think all the energy associated with expectations is meant to be stomped into the ground and stifled. Pushed down beneath so many layers of anyone else’s so-called “reality” and I suck and will never go anywhere. I believe expectations are meant to be released, given free–exuberant–expression!

Whether or not the object of our expectations pan out is another matter. I feel that whether or not our objects-of-expectation materialize is based upon our beliefs, when is the best time for them to materialize, or any of a number of other factors of which we may or may not have any idea. That there are things going on in the background that we may or may not entirely understand that directly affects said goal manifestion…but that does not mean we shouldn’t express our expectations in a manner deserving of them!

I certainly don’t want to remain “grounded in reality” when it comes to not attaining any goals I’m striving for. Expectations are not wasted nor useless efforts or energy, but should be used to help propel us toward our goals! Give us hope. The energy to sustain our quest (our journey!) for our goals. Note how athletes get psyched up for events:

We’re gonna kick your ass!

I’m gonna move a ton of weight!

We’re gonna take that Superbowl!

Isn’t that all just another muscled-up way of ramping up one’s expectations?

The goal of goals should be in the journey, not necessarily in just the attaining of goals! Whether or not we get our books published, our scripts produced, or our Superbowls won isn’t necessarily the point. It’s about taking the road to bettering our lives. Improving our abilities. The point should also be in having excitement for life…for the things we want to do (though we don’t all express “excitement” in the same way)! To being happy in our every day life, whether or not we get everything we think we want, and not to be pinned or stomped down by negativity and pessimism…nor grounded in realities we want to change.

Well, that’s my perspective, anyway…it’s what I expect.

How To Read–Read Like You MEAN It!

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You’d think, okay, I think we’re past that now, F. P., considering I’m reading your blog….

But, are you–really?

Sure, there’s pleasure reading, but that’s precisely what I’m not gonna talk about. No, I’m talking about more intellectual reading. How to read like you mean it. How to gain some valuable in-depth insight into what you’re eyeballin and apply it to the world around you.

But I got crib notes.  Yeah. I read this guy’s blog, see, he’s a college instructor, and I like what he has to say.  Though it’s oriented toward the college student, it’s quite germane to the serious reader. It struck a chord in me, because it’s how I write. My writing attempts to get behind the scenes in life, and not only do I attempt to entertain, I attempt to entice. To mentally engage readers on a Zen level. Get you to think about what may be going on just outside your peripheral vision, behind your back, in that dark and oh-so-hidden “back room” ever somewhere. And as I read this guy’s blog, I realized, I was excited there are still people out there instructing on the art of reading–even if it’s for a literature or a college course of study. Pleasure reading is fine and has its place (and I certainly enjoy it when I find something called “free time” [unintelligible utterance]…), but even in my fiction, I always strive for a little more. Layer in some nuances and what I like to call “whatnot.”

I love to get people to think.

To imagine.

Cause, if you–we–don’t…we don’t go anywhere. Advance. Reach for just a little more. We settle for less…remain in the horrendous status quo. And though I’ve just applied this to writing and reading, it most aptly applies to living.

Yeah, most of my musings do.

So, peeps, I introduce you to Marc Schuster, and his blog Abominations. Marc teaches writing and literature at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and is published in a couple places (check the link), but his second novel, The Grievers, is due out in 2012, and I’m hoping to get an ARC for review (love the cover!).

So, enjoy Marc’s posts, be entertained, gain insight, think about your world and the words that flash before your bright and engaging eyeballs to illuminate your mental interior…

And read like you mean it!

Tattered Cover Press—A New “How To Print A Book”!

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Isn’t this just cool?!

The Tattered Cover Book Store, in Denver, Colorado (one of my favorite bookstores) puts on display the newest way to print a book (trade, not hardcover)–the Espresso Book Machine, or EBM!  There are many advantages to print-on-demand over the offset-type printing currently used to print books, not the least of which is immediacy, printing when needed, less physical inventory to warehouse, etc., though (to me, anyway) part of the fun of discovering a book is physically browsing the book.

Anywho, neat to watch! Enjoy!

Fiction! It’s What We’re Reading!

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According to today’s USA Today article, fiction is the go-to dominator!

Fist pump (no, not “bump“)! Into the air!

Some people get down on fiction–it’s not real, what’s it purpose?–but it has it’s place.

Non-fiction, the article says, is being beat out by escapist reads and the Internet. Many are trying to forget about the daily minutiae and uglies (even if reading about nasty stuff, like the Dragon Tattoo series…) around them and are using the Internet to find out about “real stuff.” Apparently, and according to USA Today’s weekly top 150 numbers, fiction went up from 67% in 2007 to 78% in 2011. Wow. That’s just cool!

You can read the short article, so I won’t regurgitate it, but I love that fiction is making a comeback. I write fiction, and think it’s important to read fiction. We all need to escape…to dream…to divert our attention for relaxation. Fiction can help us see “around” events…maybe open our perspectives to other thoughts and considerations we’re not able to in our daily grind, our workplaces. Places where others are constantly pushing deadlines and white noise at us so fast and furiously we just don’t have time to think on our own. In reading fiction, we do have time to ourselves…because in reading, you are thinking. You are by yourself and can even be considered to be doing what I call “active meditation.” Yes, you may be “doing something,” like reading or walking or working out, but while you’re doing these things your mind is freewheeling and chillin, and it’s in these moments we might find our “ah-ha!” moments, not to mention just allowing our minds free range and the ability to unwind instead of always reacting and being inundated by other peoples’ opinions.

Reading gets us away from all the clutter in our lives. Though you can now read on many electronic devices, reading can keep you from all that constant and unrelenting e-everything. Now you just focus on this story in front of you and get engrossed in it!

Fiction also inspires, and in today’s world of “Haveta do this and that,” there may seem to be little room for inspiration of any kind. We’re always marching to someone else’s drummer.

I’m sure I might be missing one or two other reasons for why reading fiction is important, so feel free to drop a comment or two. But if we don’t relax, don’t escape from the stressful, we don’t unwind…we don’t become “better” in any sense of the word. It’s like anything else. Things break after unrelenting stress is applied, they never get better.

So go on, pick up a good–fictional–read…and get lost!

Have To…Have To…HAVE TO…!

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You have to do this, have to do that.

Have to….

I understand that yes, there are some things that “have” to be done to get other things…done. But it seems to me that all these “Have Tos” are really piling up.

I may not have to write a book, but if I do I have to do it right.

I have to outline all I write.

I have to not only do a blog…but have to do it a certain way.

I have to post every day.

I have to be on all social media (not just one or two, but all of them).

I have to be an expert on all social media.

I have to own a cell phone.

I have to have a smartphone.

Have to respond to e-mail within a certain immediate timeframe.

I have to volunteer my free time.

I have to do all marketing and promotion if I get a book deal.

I have to get the right publisher.

I have to not use those publishers who buck the system and aren’t traditional in their methods.

I have to be everything to everybody.

I have to HAVE TIME TO MYSELF.

And do we wonder why everyone’s so dang stressed, depressed, overworked? Not smiling any more? Curt with everyone?  So frigging spun up all the time and hooked on all manner of stimulants…and depressants?

Hey-zoos Chris-tos! What the hell’s the matter with all of us?!