I've been thinking a lot about the stories i want to tell. About antiheroes, villains, heroes, darkness and diversity. All of it and, at the same time, none of it. I discovered the things i want to tell the world in my books. I became acquianted with what i want to portray and what i wish to create. There are six, big bullet points i discovered regarding this matter.
I recently read a book where an author grabbed the personalities of hardcore, arrogant men and emotional women and flipped them. Most boys in books are found attractive because of their arrogance, sarcasm and bravery. On the other hand, girls are usually pictured as emotional, brave and sweet characters. Girls are often described as the dreamers and boys as the go-getters.
As a writer, i want to change that, just as his certain author decided to do.
I want to grab these clichés about characters and change them COMPLETELY.
I want to see guys who are afraid, not only of losing something precious or a certain person, but truly scared. Scared of a situation just because it is naturally terifying. Afraid as humans tend to be from time to time. I'm not saying i want to make them weak, because i certainly don't. Instead, i want to make them dreamers. Arrogant, yeah, because that makes a character hilarious, but i don't want them to be self-centred. I want to write about boys who allow themselves to feel.
I also want to write about cutthroat female characters. Girls that tend to be less feminine by our standards of what feminine looks like. Girls that are self-sufficient and also dream. Not because i consider myself a feminist, but because that's what i want to see in books. And i'm gonna write about this cutthroat characters that think that saving the world is dull. Because maybe -- just maybe -- it is.
This is the biggest dilema in literatre, don't you think? In fantasy, there often comes a time when a character finds himself in the midst of a fight between darkness and light. Between what's right and what's wrong. Between good and evil. Generally, this character ends up choosing light and goodness, because it's considered to be "the right choice". Regardless the odds and despite the reality that darkness would provide to that character, books always allow the light to step in and shine at the end of the day.
I'm done with that. Of coouuuurrrsseee i adore happy endings and findin the glory at the end of the tunnel. I believe in those things. I truly do.
Still,
i think it's time for some darkness to take over books. Not forever! But at least for a scene or a couple of chapters. Not because it's nice or hooking or rebellious, but because it's real. Because it gives light a more powerful meaning and because darkness has to be allowed a saying. Because characters always doing the right thing is not real. And i think books are all about real.
So i wanna let the darkness win in my stories. At least for a little while before the light takes over once more. I want my characters to make mistakes and take a bite from the dark side. Maybe regret it later, maybe not. But i'm pretty much fond of it, you know?
This kiiiind of break my heart *cries dramatically*, because i am indeed a true romantic when it comes to books. When it comes to anything, actually. I love romance and OTPs and stuff. They sweeten my heart and soul.
I am the kind of person that will include romance in her novels. Even if i wanted not to do it, i wouldn't be able to help it. It's who i am.
But i also want to create a world where friendship and family (by blood or not) are more important. I want them to be more important in my stories. Because they are.
I haven't had a boyfriend. Ever. I have kissed a couple of people, but never a serious thing. In my life, friends and family have always defined who i am. They've always been more precious than gold for me. They're my entire world.
And i want to prove the power of the sense of friendship.
Diversity in books is a number one topic nowadays. Everywhere and at every moment. The LGBT+ community is constantly asking for representation in books. Personally, i strongly believe that absolutely everyone deserves to see themselves in books. No exception made. No doubt intended. No hesitation in my words.
But there is more than one way of doing this. Most of times, people say there is representation in a book because a certain character is inclined to a specific (or not) sexual oriantation or due to the colour of their skin. That is, of course, a way of diversity in books.
Still, i refuse to believe that just because a character that shares someone's sexual orientation is a character in a book, that's it. Who says that that's where it ends? Who says that someone will feel a connection to that character because of who they fall in love with?
I want to implement the idea of falling in love with a person first and not with a gender.
I want to create a conenction between my readers and my characters, apart from the diversity already included. I want people to see themselevs in my books not only because of who those people like or what they look like, but because of what those characters are inside.
I want everyone to see themselves in the stories i write.
Okay, okay! I know, antiheroes are a thing now. The latest trend in literature, some would say.
And i adore them.
10000000%
Heroes are underestimated in this day and age. They are. But they're also overrated. (Am i making any sense? Probably not.)
Heroes are the reason we fight. They're the reason books include such things as hope, bravery and faith. And there's no comparison for those, i must admit.
Villains are -- for me -- super interesting people. They're so deep and cunning and they always make me shudder. I adore villains, specially writing them. But they have to be real for me. Real to the reader. Which is both tricky and exciting.
Antiheroes are right in the middle.
I've seen things like this more than once:
heroes = gods
villains = demons/monsters
antiheroes = humans
I really don't know about the first two, but i agree on the fact that antiheroes are humans. They're the most human side of characters.
Humanity in heroes and villains make them real, but antiheroes are the best of all. They're true.
I want to write about antiheroes.
Yup. You read it. I don't wanna write books where my characters want to save the world JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. That's dull and, c'mon, would you do it?
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WHAT ABOUT YOU?
