About Don't Forget

Post 1846:

Creating a good piece of fiction is not easy. It needs to stand out and be original and show people that you’re the talented artist you’ve always known yourself to be. The premise has to be outstanding and unique and maybe even a totally new spin on the way stories have been told until present times.

But while you're being a genius and cultivating the genius-level genius work, don’t forget the basics. The characters have to be distinguishable and at least fairly consistent. Normal rules of cause and effect still apply. Things have to happen for a reason. There has to be a story.

This seems ridiculous to have to point out, but I have to remind myself of the basics all the time. While I’m planning out the great plot twist that will propel me into the upper echelons of literary greatness, I need to remember that setting is a thing and the reader needs to know where the characters physically are in the story.

Not forgetting the basics is a total drag. Basics get it in the way. They drag you down. Rain on your parade.

But don’t forget them.

I play the drums. When you learn, there’s a few basic beats to master. From there, you slowly expand and build on what you already know. I don’t know that in logic world there is another way to do it. Playing complex stuff without knowing the rudiments will come off as useless garbage that isn’t pleasing to ear or musically useful in any way,

This can happen in writing. You forget that there has to be conflict because you’re making a brilliant esoteric point, and all of a sudden your story is pile of garbage that makes people want to cover their eyes.

I’ve played bad beats and I’ve written bad stories. What I’m saying is, I forgot. Cheers and see you after.