On the Inspiration of Current Events

The United States Supreme Court

Most of the time, Dark Fantasy to me is a takeaway from the perplexing issues of today’s world.  In our 24/7 news cycle, the never-ending analysis, re-hashing, and sensationalism make me open my computer or e-reader to find something about a fierce knight rubbing out an army of evil skeletons while riding a dragon.  If I’m having a migraine, I prefer a biography or a classic to read to give me a break. While it’s perilous as an adult to keep one’s head in the sand, to get relief in a good book or writing gives me enough of a break to refuel for the everyday stressors.

Question:  Do current events inspire we new authors?  Answer:  Potentially.  Some say WWII inspired Tolkien.  (Quite a Current Event!)  I do believe that all writing is in part a summation of the writer’s life journey, based on the knowledge, experience and imagination. Knowledge arises from school, research, and self-education.  Imagination arises from our gray matter.  But experience arises only from life itself and no other way. 

Question:  Do current events inspire Dark Fantasy?  Answer:  Not directly.  I don’t create fictional characters from world leaders or politicians, though some writers may, I just haven’t seen it.  But to say today’s world doesn’t affect me at all would surely be closing my mind away.  In the fortunate times to live in a free society, we writers can create what we want, when we want, and these days, publish when we want.  That alone is an inspiration in its own way.

Question:  Do current events distract we new authors?  Answer:  Yes, if attention is paid to the news, but with so much “news” it’s almost a numbing effect.  Some days I feel like a glass of water overflowing, so I slam it shut and let nothing else in.  I try to take some time and process what is being told to me by others.  With so much opinion immersed in a small amount of fact, I prefer to think about the news and make up my own mind. 

Question:  Do I turn off the news when I’m settling down to write?  Answer:  Yes.  One of the best habits I’ve gained lately is to turn off the Internet and TV, sit and either write or read.  Sometimes an “Internet Holiday” isn’t a bad thing.  As writers, we need time to process the many distractions in our minds, to organize our thoughts into our work.  Some day’s current events hit us harder than others, or close to home.  To state the obvious, every person, writer or not, has his/her individual set of distractions, from family to occupation to nationality.

New authors, current events are part of our lives.  We can’t stop time.  The longer we live the more events we see and experience.  We add these experiences to our thoughts and cannot erase them.  The summation makes up a part of who we are.