Breaking Fiction Rules
Myths have been on my brain a lot lately. I don’t mean myths as in folklore, legends, fairytales — I mean the myths that become canon in our society or a particular industry. Myths that prevail, even when they’re outdated and damaging.
These myths have become enough of a problem, that I actually spend time addressing them in my Writing Fiction to Heal workshop. Why? Because these myths have the potential to turn well-meaning writers into shame-filled husks of themselves. I’ve seen it happen time and time again, and it infuriates me. So often, these myths have no real basis in existing, they’re simply a “rule” or “guideline” someone decided was the truth and therefore, all of us should believe it’s true, too.
I don’t buy it.
At this point, you might be wondering, what the hell is she even talking about? Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty of examples to get the conversation started.
The Myth of Dynamic vs. Static Characters
This particular myth is often hard to deny because it exists with good intentions. Yes, we all resonate with stories of change. We innately seek out the stories of evolution (character arc wise) because it’s easy for us to understand how someone can start at one place and end up at another — where change is inevitable. Don’t get me wrong — those are great stories. But dynamic characters (characters who change radically through the course of a story) are not the only kinds of characters. Static characters get a bad reputation. For some reason, people tend to think that static characters are boring or useless or throw away characters for a story. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
There can be huge growth points in both a story and character without massive change. How can that be, you ask?
Well, so often, authors are focused on the “main arc” of a character’s development. And this makes sense when you’re writing with a dynamic character. But with static characters, their change comes in different ways while their “arc” stays fairly resolute. I like using examples to illustrate my points so let’s look at a few.
Harry Potter vs. Dumbledore
Throughout the Harry Potter series, we observe Harry’s character arc change dramatically. From a kid living under the stairs with zero idea of who he really is or the power he holds, he grows into a powerful wizard confident in his abilities to fight Voldemort and the dark arts. Dumbledore (at least through the 7-book series) remains steadfast in his beliefs about good vs. evil, his loyalty to protecting his students, and his belief in Harry. Those beliefs never change and he remains as steadfast in his last breaths as he was at the beginning of the series.
Walter White vs. Gus Fring
Disclaimer: Breaking Bad has some of the best and most unique storytelling available to us. There are many characters that fall into the dynamic arc and many that fall into the static arc.
Throughout the Breaking Bad series, we watch Walter White’s arc change dramatically. His descent into becoming Heisenberg is one of the most compelling and unique character arcs to land in our laps, and we’re invested in the way he changes throughout the series. And as such, he’s often pitted against one of the most static characters in the series, Gus Fring. Gus is about as static as they come. He is resolute in his goals and what he wants. He is resolute in doling out justice as he sees fit (and mercy as he sees fit). He also carries himself with the same calculating and cold calmness that makes him so dangerous.
Kayce Dutton vs. Rip Wheeler
Another disclaimer: Again, the storytelling in Yellowstone is superb and many characters fall on the spectrum of dynamic and static characterization.
In Yellowstone, we watch many shifts in the youngest Dutton. Kayce’s ability to be influenced by the internal and external events in his life shows his range for evolution. At the beginning of the series, we see him as a man concerned with keeping his immediate family protected and adheres to rebelling against his family. Throughout the series though, we see how family ties and loyalty begin to spill over into his psyche, changing for better and for worse. Rip Wheeler on the other hand is steadfast and resolute in his loyalty to the Dutton family ranch as well as to Beth. While we get flashbacks in the show that give us a better idea of how he was more dynamic in his youth, throughout the series, the adult Rip stands strong and steady. And he’s also proof as to why static characters can be just as beloved as the dynamic characters — Rip is a bonafide fan favorite and it’s because of his loyal and resolute nature that people come to respect and love him.
The Myth of “Your Story Must Have a Genre”
This myth really riles me up. To be fair — I understand why it’s come to this. There are so many books in the world and as a business — publishing has a vested interest in having distinct “genres,” “labels” and “categories” to better sell a product. There are certain “pacts” then that have become commonplace for such genres. Such as always having a “happily ever after” in romance or advanced use of technology being present in sci-fi. Again, it’s easier to sell a packaged product when you can clearly define where it “fits.” But let’s be honest, not everything fits into a neatly wrapped packaged box. I absolutely LOVE when authors defy this genre labeling by writing mashups or subverting the genres in their heads. Perhaps I care less about genre than most writers because I’m not interested in bending to the hierarchy that is traditional publishing. And genres are exactly necessary or helpful in the style of writing that I teach. When a student or client comes to me and tells me about the kind of story they want to write, it’s usually followed up by the question, “but I’m not sure what genre it is? Do you think it fits better with a young adult or literary fiction or romance?”
Spoiler alert: they usually don’t like my answer. I respond with, “it doesn’t matter right now.”
Because that’s the truth. I am not an editor for a publishing house. I’m not a literary agent trying to sell their work and I’m definitely not a publisher concerned with finding the right category their book fits into.
I’m concerned with them getting out the story they want to tell in the way they want to tell it.
So yeah, I kind of think this whole “genre” thing is bullshit. I’ve seen so many instances of mashups that work extremely well, but would never fit into a single genre. The simple truth is this: write the book that you want to write regardless of where you think it fits into some pre-determined genre slot. If you want to write a book that involves gun-slinging cowboys in space — do it! If you want to write about a romance that scares the hell out of you — do it. Don’t let the myth that genre defines your novel stop you from writing the story you want to tell.
The Myth that Fiction is Completely Made Up
LOLOLOL. Yes, I’m laughing out loud, because this is pretty much the myth that I subvert every single day in my teachings of Writing Fiction to Heal. There’s a reason this quote holds weight: “Truth is stranger than fiction.”
Because life is crazy. Chaotic. Impossible to understand. Complex. And fiction is also all of those things. I can’t think of better examples than some of the most prophetic and cutting-edge authors who wrote books that everyone assumed were “crazy” or “completely fictional” or “outlandish.” The Handmaid’s Tale, anyone? The reason people relate to the book and show is that it has become more like reality than anyone wants to believe. Post-apocalyptic novels that were touted as “completely fictional” now seem closer to the truth than we ever realized. Yes, many fictional stories can stem from imagination and make-believe, but more often than not, the root of every fiction novel stems from reality.
The Myth of the “Perfect Book Idea”
This one pisses a lot of people off. Again, I’m okay with it because I know the truth. Everything has been done before. Yes, everything. Every version of a story has been written or orated. Why do I believe this? Because at the heart of every good story are the ways in which we connect to each other and make meaning. Every story or idea can be stripped down to the bare bones and dissected until we get to the “core” story. This may depress you, but it shouldn’t. Because while every story has been told, it hasn’t been told in every way it can be told. That’s the beauty of writing. A story can be based on something that’s already been done a thousand times and still be a fresh, unique, and interesting story. Because it hasn’t been told in that way before.
The Myth That You Shouldn’t Share Your Book Ideas With Anyone
This dovetails perfectly with the “perfect idea” and “don’t read in the same genre” myths outlined here. Some writers believe that by telling someone about your idea, they’re suddenly going to steal it from you. Or that it’s such a perfect idea, they couldn’t possibly NOT take it from you. Okay look, your idea might be good or even, great, but let’s be honest... no one is out to steal your shit. And even if they did, it still wouldn’t compare to how YOU would write it. That’s the beauty of this thing called writing — no one does it the same exact way. So yeah, someone may try to take your idea, but I guarantee they won’t be able to deliver on it in the same way YOU can.
The Myth That You Shouldn’t Read In The Same Genre You Write In
This is such a baloney myth. This myth goes hand in hand with “don’t share your ideas.” People are so afraid that their ideas will be stolen that they discourage writers from doing the exact thing they’re supposed to be doing — reading as a way of studying. Learning how to become a better writer. You become a better writer in two ways:
Writing more
Reading more
Plus, as the great Austin Kleon says:
“Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy, you will find yourself.”
If anything, reading more in your genre and attempting to dissect and understand why the writing works so well is far more important than reading a book in a different genre so you won’t become “influenced” by it. Here’s the truth... inspiration abounds everywhere. You could be writing a sci-fi novel and read a romance that sparks an idea for your sci-fi novel. So really, this point is moot.
Read everything you can as much as you can. Copy, copy, copy as much as you can. Because as Austin says, “at the end, you’ll find yourself.”
The Myth That There’s a Specific Timeline for Writing a Book
This one makes me LOL because people get so grouchy about this subject. And guess what? It’s a no-win game because no matter which side of the coin you’re on, someone(s) will refute it. I’ve heard enthusiastic writers say things like:
“If you’re a prolific/fast writer — you must not be very good or the quality must suffer.”
“If you’re a slow writer — you’ll never “make” it because you should be publishing as quickly as you can.”
“It should take X months to write a book.”
“It shouldn’t take you X months to write a book.”
Umm... confused, much? Which theory is right?
Neither.
Why? Because every writer and every book they write is different. You could have a book pour out of you in a few weeks to a few months while another book may take you years to write.
And honestly... who the fuck cares? It takes as long as it takes. If you are intentional and aware of how you’re approaching writing the book — then it really doesn’t matter because you’ll be concentrating on the journey, not the destination.
Conclusion:
I wrote this piece mostly out of solidarity with the many writers I work and converse with. So many times, I hear them bring up one of these myths as a reason for not moving forward or being “blocked” and it makes me want to throat punch someone because all these myths do are create division and frustration for writers. Especially when they’re not true! Basically, I wanted to write this piece as a giant permission slip for writers to give these myths the middle finger and continue working toward their dreams of writing a book. My job is to empower writers not to keep them in a defeated mindset (which is exactly what these myths are meant to do). So I say, fuck the myths. I hope you can do that, too.
