Fiction
By John W. Vander Velden
I write fiction, and at times I wonder
from where my stories and characters come.
Imagination is an amazing thing. It drives new thought, new ideas, and moves
our race forward. Imagination is the
central location for fiction’s growth. My
fiction comes out of my imagination. So
fiction might be called fantasy…and it is, even though fantasy is a specific
genre’ within the fiction spectrum.
I use the disclaimer “in this is a work of fiction…”,
all references to…“reality” is purely
coincidental. The reality includes
people, places, and events. And that is
true, as far as it goes. But I believe
that all fiction grows from “seeds” of reality.
Misty Creek is set in the
American frontier of the late 1800’s, a place that existed. But as far as I know my Misty Creek did not exist…I made it up. But I shaped it by what I had seen or read of
the land that existed at that time. You
see, I used the seed of reality to grow a new place, a new situation, new
people…and a new story.
Writers are in some ways an “odd lot”. In other ways they are just like everyone else. They move about like anyone. It would be difficult, most of the time, to
pick writers out from a crowd of people.
They are ordinary people…sorta’.
But writers, particularly fiction writers, continually jump from the
reality that surround them into imaginary places of their creation. They watch someone buy a magazine and picture
another person in a very different time or situation, buying a magazine. The seed of reality becoming something else
entirely.
Careful what you say or do around a writer. If they’re worth their salt they will
notice. You are offering seeds they
might use in the growing of another story someday.
And not all the seeds used are acquired by conscious
effort. Years of living have provided me
with a treasure trove of subconscious “seeds” that flow through my fingers and into
my stories. My past makes up a veritable
warehouse of “seed” waiting for me to draw out one packet or another.
But I feel that fiction is more than “just”
fantasy. I feel that fiction presents
reality in its own way. Revealing truths through events that haven’t really
happened…at least not exactly the way I tell it. I want my stories to be something which the
reader can relate to. I want the reader
to say…”Oh that character reminds me of Uncle Mitch,” or “I would have told
that guy off when he did that,” or “I’ve face that too.” The greatest thing I could accomplish, would
be to have some part of my stories connect with the person turning the pages. It would be the place where fiction reaches
within and offers a reality not known before.
It is a high target I shoot for…a high target indeed and likely well
beyond my abilities to hit. But does
that mean I should not draw back the bow?
Does not lofty goals require not only hope, talent, and effort, but also
the desire for the attempt?
So I take my feeble GOD given talents, hone them as
best I am able, and seeing the prize take my best aim. For if I am to use my fiction to reach the
hearts of those that foolishly search within my words for…something, then I owe
them the best I have.
(571
Words) 8-5-2017
