Voldemar Lemberg's Blog: The Lion's Den
April 20, 2017
Why writers write
Even thought I touched upon this subject in my Q&A, I would like to shortly expand on this question because I believe that the reason WHY someone takes up the art of writing is probably the most important one.
And even though most writers respond to this question that they write because they have a story to tell and they simply can’t hold it in, in reality that is often not the case at all.
I’m not saying that those people are deliberately lying or anything. What I believe to be the case is that they lack the ability to analyze their motives deep enough.
The most obvious case of this are the YA fiction writers, especially if they are young themselves. Because while they feel that the reason they write is the right one, the real motivations behind their writing is that they were so influenced and inspired by someone else’s book that they just can’t help but write something similar (only worse in quality) and thus unwillingly plagiarize. On its own that isn’t a problem at all.
The problem is that when a book series like the Hunger Games or Divergent (which is already similar to the former, just nicely written) becomes a hit, hundreds of sameish books suddenly appear on the indie circuit, while dozens find themselves on the bookstore’s shelves.
But even so, that’s still not the thing that I think is the real problem. After all, a lot of those writers do mature and create something unique later in their lives, and those who don’t still get to write something in their lifetime, which is a nice experience to have.
The real problem are the people with actual talent, yet those that solely follow the trends of the publishing world and writer “help” websites. Thus nowadays if you see someone with a “strong, independent, yet conflicted” female protagonist with one or two love interests while there’s a black and homosexual character added into the mix and the plot follows the traditional “exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and dénouement/resolution/revelation/catastrophe” model with a lot of showing, instead of telling – you are witnessing a writer whose real reason off writing is either making money or becoming famous and it doesn’t matter what they say in their interviews - actions will always be louder than words.
Writers that actually write because they have a story to tell don’t follow trends and topics that are popular on the bestsellers list, they follow their own interests and write about stuff that is important to them.
Thank you for reading and I will see you in the next post!
And even though most writers respond to this question that they write because they have a story to tell and they simply can’t hold it in, in reality that is often not the case at all.
I’m not saying that those people are deliberately lying or anything. What I believe to be the case is that they lack the ability to analyze their motives deep enough.
The most obvious case of this are the YA fiction writers, especially if they are young themselves. Because while they feel that the reason they write is the right one, the real motivations behind their writing is that they were so influenced and inspired by someone else’s book that they just can’t help but write something similar (only worse in quality) and thus unwillingly plagiarize. On its own that isn’t a problem at all.
The problem is that when a book series like the Hunger Games or Divergent (which is already similar to the former, just nicely written) becomes a hit, hundreds of sameish books suddenly appear on the indie circuit, while dozens find themselves on the bookstore’s shelves.
But even so, that’s still not the thing that I think is the real problem. After all, a lot of those writers do mature and create something unique later in their lives, and those who don’t still get to write something in their lifetime, which is a nice experience to have.
The real problem are the people with actual talent, yet those that solely follow the trends of the publishing world and writer “help” websites. Thus nowadays if you see someone with a “strong, independent, yet conflicted” female protagonist with one or two love interests while there’s a black and homosexual character added into the mix and the plot follows the traditional “exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and dénouement/resolution/revelation/catastrophe” model with a lot of showing, instead of telling – you are witnessing a writer whose real reason off writing is either making money or becoming famous and it doesn’t matter what they say in their interviews - actions will always be louder than words.
Writers that actually write because they have a story to tell don’t follow trends and topics that are popular on the bestsellers list, they follow their own interests and write about stuff that is important to them.
Thank you for reading and I will see you in the next post!
April 10, 2017
My Q&A
What motivated you to become an indie author?
My main motivation, as with most writers, was to share my thoughts and stories with the world. Thanks to my girlfriend, I've gained the courage to finally open up.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
The ability to transfer my ideas and thoughts onto paper and to share them with someone.
It's a wonderful moment, when you realize, that the world, that you created, the characters that are in it - they are all a part of you. And thanks to writing, I have the chance to share that part with others.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Lviv, which is the cultural center of Ukraine and one of its oldest cities, founded back in 1256. The rich history and traditions of my hometown always pushed me towards historical and fantasy novels. The vast amount of theaters and libraries gave me a strong literary and artistic background.
Who are your favorite authors?
Umberto Eco, G.R.R. Martin, V. Nabokov, F. Dostoevsky, S. King, C. Dickens, R. Bradbury.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
The Song of Ice & Fire series by G.R.R. Martin
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eko
What are you working on next?
I'm currently in the process of editing my first English novel - "The Tournament of Redemption". Afterward, I'm planning on releasing two Ukrainian works, and then to work on a novel about a fictional Hollywood actor.
What do your fans mean to you?
Pretty much everything. Writers write to be read, and if someone adored your work, if your book changed someone's life, even if in a small way, that's already a great accomplishment.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
My girlfriend. She inspires me to be a better person, a better writer & a better boyfriend.
If you have any other questions, please let me know. I will gladly answer them.
My main motivation, as with most writers, was to share my thoughts and stories with the world. Thanks to my girlfriend, I've gained the courage to finally open up.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
The ability to transfer my ideas and thoughts onto paper and to share them with someone.
It's a wonderful moment, when you realize, that the world, that you created, the characters that are in it - they are all a part of you. And thanks to writing, I have the chance to share that part with others.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Lviv, which is the cultural center of Ukraine and one of its oldest cities, founded back in 1256. The rich history and traditions of my hometown always pushed me towards historical and fantasy novels. The vast amount of theaters and libraries gave me a strong literary and artistic background.
Who are your favorite authors?
Umberto Eco, G.R.R. Martin, V. Nabokov, F. Dostoevsky, S. King, C. Dickens, R. Bradbury.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
The Song of Ice & Fire series by G.R.R. Martin
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eko
What are you working on next?
I'm currently in the process of editing my first English novel - "The Tournament of Redemption". Afterward, I'm planning on releasing two Ukrainian works, and then to work on a novel about a fictional Hollywood actor.
What do your fans mean to you?
Pretty much everything. Writers write to be read, and if someone adored your work, if your book changed someone's life, even if in a small way, that's already a great accomplishment.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
My girlfriend. She inspires me to be a better person, a better writer & a better boyfriend.
If you have any other questions, please let me know. I will gladly answer them.
The Lion's Den
Here you can find out more about me, read about my work and other thoughts concerning the world of literature.
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