When you decided to pursue your passion a twist came at the end of it … Along the journey and after all the obstacles, you ended up seeing what was behind the giant curtain.
Through the discovery, some of the mystery disappeared.
How is the doctor different when she’s a patient? How is the lawyer different when she’s a client? How is the teacher different when he’s the student? How is the pitcher different when he is the batter? How is the writer different when she is the reader?
Yup. Perspectives change when you’re on the other side.
As a writer this question has been posed to me before.
Like the doctor, lawyer, pitcher, and teacher, the writer becomes more aware of the approach and of the details. We give our fellow writer the benefit of the doubt, but don’t walk blindly into the story.
We just pay attention more. We can smell the BS when it surfaces and tries to camouflage itself as substance. I feel like my BS-ometer has gotten better throughout the years. You notice things that others might not, even with the most avid readers, you still have an edge because you’ve been behind the scenes.
But aside from having a finely tuned BS-ometer, I get into the nitty-gritty of it with characters. I’m in the nooks and crannies. Characters are big for me, whether it’s from a book or on a television show. Characters are what make it happen for me. Story and plot are intriguing, they peak my interest, but characters are what make me stay all the way to the end. I pay attention to how the character mattered to this writer and how they developed. I’m constantly on the look-out for that A-HA! moment and see how the character responds. Is it the way I thought she would?
When the character becomes so amazingly great that it changes me from a writer into a fan, that’s a job well done by the creator. It’s hard for me to watch series finales sometimes because the fan in me battles the writer in me. Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, LOST, 24, The Closer … all of these had me on the edge of my seat for the series finales and as a writer, I battled with the fan inside of me.
The fan roots for the underdog and the happy ending, but sometimes as a writer you just know … you know that can’t happen because it’ll betray the story and the character’s intention.
Being a writer, enhanced the reading and watching experiences for me. I see the strings being pulled and think wow how amazingly awesome that they pulled this off, or when I’m disappointed I think, man there could have been a better way. The fan and writer constantly battle each other when the stories are good.
Some people may think it works against them to know what’s coming, to know how the pieces are being moved. I just think it makes you pay attention more, makes you look at the decisions being made and if you end up becoming a fan … well then, once a fan, always a fan maybe even a die-hard fan.
Happy Wednesday
The Wish Factor 
Great post. I do become a die hard fan and love it when that happens. I love reading, but I have had to limit myself to only reading at night so I get some writing done. Happy IWSG Day
Juneta @ Writer’s Gambit
Duuuuuuuude it is super hard to put stuff down or turn things off. So you’re right! I have to write first otherwise nothing would get down because the fan in me would just take over 🙂 Thanks so much for reading 🙂
I think it is awesome to have an idea of what’s to come in a story because there is a chance you could be wrong. Having a curve ball thrown your way after you figured you had all the answers is the best feeling.
Character is also a big thing for me when it comes to stories. Even the worst story can be overlooked if the characters are amazing.
Characters are a great thing, and they truly make the experience better. Curve balls and all. Thanks so much for stopping by and reading.
You’ve got some great writing going on here Cali.
I’m a HUGE fan of characters. I tend to gravitate to the most complicated, maybe because I relate, lol. I’m a dialogue freak too. When watching a show or a movie, there is a very fine line between nailing the dialogue or going way overboard. As much as I love Tarantino and did enjoy “Inglorious Basterds”, the dude was WAY too in love with his dialogue in certain scenes. He can get away with it in a movie, though.
Thanks so much for the writer love buddy. Always good to hear from you, sorry I was late on the reply though. 🙂 You know I have yet to see Inglorious Basterds I have to put it on my list. And Although I love Pulp Fiction (lots of dialogue in that one) my favorite Tarantino movie would have to be Reservoir Dogs. Characters are something I totally love. As a writer I’m in awe of all these awesomely intense, rich and flawed characters out there. I think to myself … maaaaaaan! Hope mine are this good. 🙂 Just got into Peaky Blinders on Netflix and these characters rock! It’s always a struggle fan vs. writer when I love a show. But I’m walking the line, walking the line.
That transition from a reader to a fan is a metamorphosis.
It is isn’t! It’s always tough to walk the line on that when the characters are so great and the fan in you is just rooting for the win. But … you’ve got to walk the line sometimes. Walk the line 🙂