Love of Fiction

Interaction/non-interaction

2010-06-08T18:28:52Z

Posted by: idiolectric

I've been thinking about the different ways I relate to video games, and other interactive fiction, and with "passive" fiction like books and films.

It's hard to put my finger on what exactly the differences are. I do know that however intricate the world, however cool the characters, if I don't enjoy playing a game, I can't form a connection to it. It's the feeling of being plunged into the story that sort of...kick-starts the connection, even if I don't really identify with the player character.

For those of you who love video games/roleplaying/IF/choose-your-own-adventure books--do you relate to them differently than other kinds of fiction? Is it easier or harder to love them? Do you identify with the player/main characters?

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this community is far too quiet! :)

2010-04-28T23:06:11Z

Posted by: snowsurrounded

However, it seems obvious that, even if [my fictional characters] can't transcend their universe from my perspective, from their perspective, they can. This is because they are capable of knowing that they are fictional characters. If I create them that way, they will be aware of their own fictionality. Since I have created such characters, I know that this is clearly possible...

I stumbled across this blog post while googling something completely unrelated, and thought it was an interesting reflection on metafiction and philosophy. Just seemed like something storyamorists might be interested in...

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hallo!

2009-11-03T01:37:03Z

Posted by: spira

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIII y'all :D

I'm Twila and I love loving characters. Even as a child, I was always so fascinated by books and the alphabet. When I think back to my first few encounters with books, the one that stands out the most is that one time before I started school. I'd been looking at the way my parents wrote and tried to copied their 'cursive' style of writing and when I got a hold of my mom's Bible one day, I started 'writing' all over it (just so y'all know, this isn't about to branch out into witnessing to you guys or whatever. I'm just telling you about a fond memory).

When I started school, I did nothing but read (besides pushing chairs around and kicking other kids' shins). My class had a little library full of children's classics, ranging from the Western fairy tales to the Eastern myths. Ever since I was little, I've always had attachments to the characters I read. When a story was finished, I always made up extensions to it, or if a character dies, I hold onto their last moment and mourn them. I don't exactly know how to explain this, but to me (especially back then), the story was(is) just the background. Everything the character says, thinks, does is of paramount importance. Instead of dwelling on the story, I dwell more on how the character must be feeling, what they would do about it, what their next motive would be, what would happen to them. I don't know if that makes sense, hah.

The way I feel about characters also impacted the way I wrote. My stories tend to be simple, moved forward by the characters. I do a lot of character development and I can NEVER continue with what I'm writing when my characters refuse to talk or if their names don't fit. Even when a story or play I wrote is done, I still keep on writing within that universe because my characters are still talking and moving about, revealing more and more of themselves to me than there originally was.

Like other storyamorists, I crush on characters and even wish for them to be my friend or sibling, etc. But then in this place, that's not weird at all... right? I've also had this character in my head ever since I was around grade 4; it was like he grew up with me. I don't honestly know if I'll ever fully write about him instead of just snippets that only I can understand, because I'm afraid that if I did, he'd stop talking once the story is finished and I'll never be able to access him again. Lots of times though, I just can't find the right words, especially because he likes to be silent. He just likes to move around and do things in the world in my head, only talking when absolutely necessary. He's not much of a talker and so when I try to write about him and make him talk, I come up blank. He's gone through so many name changes over the years because it was so hard to find a name that would fit him. He resisted every name I've given him, but now he's happily settled on 'Casey'.

ANYWAY. I'm sorry if I talked too much! I hope to meet more storyamorists and discuss lotsa character-related things that none of my friends like to talk about. Hope to have a lot of 'high five' moments as well! See you all around!

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howard roark

2009-07-16T07:17:53Z

Posted by: squadragammatron

'the fountainhead' has a pretty bad rep - for good reason
the narrative is long and repetitive, and steeped in obvious hyperboles and heavy-handed philosophy
but nonetheless - howard roark's uncompromising ideal is quite remarkable and most inspiring.

when i downloaded the pdf and got my macbook voice 'alex' to read it aloud to me as i crocheted earlier this summer, i knew i had taken the bait. it caused a complete re-evaluation of my own artistic practice, especially when i found myself YELLING at the computer [the poor thing, i only had myself to blame]. now i often find myself wondering 'what would howard roark do?' when it a tight situation.

i was tempted to start the story over again after the trial scene but started 'atlas shrugged' instead. not the same.
why don't more characters like roark exist? oh yea - because he doesn't.
i'm trying to make this will into a reality but you know how reailty is. i suppose it is the same kind of self-induced torture - looking for a ~mate to compare to the heights of roark. a very unfair expectation of someone, but i don't see the reason why i would settle for anything less.

still working on the details to this imaginary relationship with my image

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This sounds interesting!

2009-05-24T00:56:56Z

Posted by: dame_grise

I'm Sam. I fall in love with stories all the time. Sometimes they're even my own. I usually get there from the characters. My most damning critique of a book or other entertainment can be "I didn't like any of the characters." Sometimes it's, "It's an interesting world, but..." And usually that means I walk away from it. Though if I love a character, I stick with it, very much.

My attachments have been strong since childhood. I can't run though them all, but I do tend to have a feeling the characters are with me. I'm pragmatic enough to think this feeling may not be real, but it is there. My connection to one of my long time characters almost wrecked my marriage many years ago. I don't like seeing the characters I like hurt or killed. When an author killed off my favorite character for no good reason I could see, I stopped reading the book.

It's hard to talk about this without sounding a bit strange. It may be easier in comments if people want to back and forth ideas. I do know that in many ways this has enriched my life beyond where I would be on my own. It's not foolproof, but it really helps me get closer to understanding someone else's viewpoint. And I use it shamelessly in my own writing. I find out who the characters are and then just let them tell the story they want.

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shy wave

2009-05-22T17:47:27Z

Posted by: twistdfateangel

Hi! I'm Brenna, also known as "Twisty" and "The Token (insert whatever everybody else isn't this time)".

I started reading really young, young enough that everybody thinks I'm lying when I tell me. My earliest influences were Thomas the Tank Engine, Cinderella, Babar and Rudyard Kipling, with a side of Madeline and whatever Shakespeare my mother couldn't get me to let go of. As a curly-headed moppet of eight, a chance encounter with Marion Zimmer Bradley convinced me I wanted to be a writer. I identify as a Hufflepuff and as a Beauxbatons, Harry-Potterverse-wise, though the fictional character I consider myself closest to being is Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables, etc.).

I may not be fond of the works in a certain world (Harry Potter and Kushiel's Dart, being a good example), but I latch on to settings easily. I'm too shy to write much fanfiction, but I am working on a piece of original fiction that wants to be a series. It's that "lovable world" thing, I guess.

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Hello!

2009-05-22T14:51:19Z

Posted by: revolutions

Hi! I'm Calla, one-half of the moderation team here. Since this community is very new, and since most of us are fairly new to Dreamwidth too, I thought it'd be a good idea to kick off with an introductions post - who are you, and what are your fictional fixations?

I'll start: I'm Calla (I know I already said that), I'm turning thirty next week, and for pretty much my whole life I've been obsessing over books. I read Lord of the Rings as a child and wanted to be a hobbit when I grew up; I fell in love with Shakespeare at the age of fourteen and his plays are still very high up on the list of My Favourite Things In The World. At twenty or so, I discovered Neil Gaiman's Sandman series and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that it completely shook up my entire worldview - I looked at the world differently after reading it.

More recent literary obsessions include Only Revolutions by Mark Z. Danielewski, which completely blew me away (hence my choice of username here), and I've recently discovered Kazuo Ishiguro - I read Never Let Me Go a few weeks ago and now I can't get Kathy and her story out of my head.

I also write original fiction - I take part in NaNoWriMo every year and sometimes I even win, and I have a few works-in-progress going at most times - and I have a long-running habit of holding conversations with my characters, or arguing with them about which direction the plot needs to go in. I love the feeling of getting caught up in a world or a character I've created and bringing it to life.

... and, that's me, I guess. Nice to meet you all! Now introduce yourselves. ;)

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The Rules

2009-05-22T08:58:14Z

Posted by: jackluminous

1. Don't be an asshole. This includes not trolling and not using sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic or ableist language.

2. This is a community about subjective, unquantifiable experiences. It would be really, really silly to tell someone their subjective, unquantifiable experiences are unreal or invalid.

3. No playing amateur psychiatrist, even if you're a professional one. This means no saying stuff like "OMG if you hear VOICES in your HEAD you should get HALP!!!" or "hmm, your fixation on Mufasa speaks to unresolved issues with your father". Even if you think someone is as cuckoo as a bowl of cocoa puffs, keep it to yourself. You're not their therapist.

4. No witnessing -- that is, no pushing religious agendas. Please keep in mind that in this case 'religious' also includes mystical and/or magical stuff. Some people do experience their connection to fiction in a highly spiritual way, but setting up your spirituality as the only valid one is not okay here. Saying stuff like "but we're all connected to the spirit of [something]!" is not okay either; some of us are atheists who don't believe in any spiritual stuff.

5. Absolutely no recruiting for causes or charities. Keep any discussion of politics infrequent and polite.

6. Lastly, a softer rule: we're more interested in the how -- in the day-to-day lived experience of a 'storyamorist' -- than in the why. Speculation about origins and reasons is okay, but a) don't let it be the primary focus and b) don't make assumptions that your why is, or should be, shared by anyone else.

Thanks for joining, and have fun. :)

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