I started working on a new story the other day. I had read a n article over at Mythic Scribes about how first time authors should stop focusing so much on epic trilogies and start with smaller novels or single stand alone novels. The article got a lot of heat from frequent readers and bloggers at MS, but it kind of made sense to me. So, I put my current WIP (which I had recently grown a little burnt out over) away and decided to try something a bit more simple.
I decided to re-explore one of the first theme ideas I had had for my first novel, violence. Really it’s more about vengeance, but the two go hand in hand. In order to hit the mark with the story, I wanted to make sure I understand it as well as the message that I want to convey in the story.
So, I thought as most writers usually do, about the beginning. Where does violence begin? I was instantly drawn to thoughts of my son and watching him grow up. He doesn’t play with a lot of action figures or toy guns, but he seems to inherently know what they are supposed to do. This got me thinking how we grow up with violence, but when does it become real? At what point do the superheroes stop capturing the bad guys and when do they soldiers pull out their automatic rifles and start taking lives.
I can’t remember when it happened for me, but I remember watching the Power Rangers as a kid (*cough* nerdy teenager *cough*) and then there is only only memories of fictional bloodshed from samurai, sword fighting and martial arts movies. Maybe it just comes with age or maybe our genes are coded with the memories of violence that our ancestors experienced. Or maybe we’re programmed subliminally during our day to day lives.
*Shrugs*
What do you guys think? Where did it start for you? Share your personal experiences or insights.
Cheers!
Ink-stained Daydreams 