What made me decide to write Boys Will Be Boys? It is something I have felt strongly about for some time. These stereotypes of what makes a proper boy or a proper girl, or man or woman, have made my muscles tighten for years. The decision to write about this issue and to help children break free from the mental box they have been pushed into was not that difficult; it almost decided itself.
The subject was something that matters to me and, honestly, the story wasn’t too hard to figure out as it is a retelling of life as it is, along with what can be done to help the situation even if it won’t fix the situation all together.
Why did I choose a boy to be the main character; the one being mocked for his traits which are inconsistent with the proverbial box into which he is told he must fit? Because although females do encounter such problems, it seems as though females are allowed to be outside that box, due to the girl power and feminist movements, more than males are allowed to come out of their stereotypical box. Females are called tomboys, and the term doesn’t have to be belittling. Sissy boy or girly boy are terms that are used to make a male feel less male. Sissy and girly are hereby made to be demeaning for females, also. Perhaps this speaks about our culture that to be called feminine is demeaning, but that is a subject I am not prepared to address further at this point. I will let the reader decide for themselves what they think.
In short, it is a subject I felt needed to be addressed; something I feel strongly about. This is a good way to get an idea for a children’s book, or other books, for that matter. If you are one of those who can write well about subjects you don’t care about (I don’t figure there are many of you) I will still suggest finding something that gets your creative blood flowing, if for no other reason than that it will put zest into your writing experience.
Just remember that even if you have drive and strong emotions about your subject, your subject could have been handled many times already by other authors. Many sources of writing suggest you handle that old, worn out subject in a fresh, new way. This can be difficult, I know. I’ve run in to difficulties here myself, but that is where you show your skill and creativity. Add a new voice, a new analogy, a new view to it.
Remember the old saying, “Write what you know”? Please, keep it in mind, even though it has been said often enough that it sort of floats through our brains without triggering contemplation. I have struggled with the meaning of this saying for years. Here is the conclusion at which I have arrived.
“Write what you know” doesn’t mean you must write your own experiences as though writing in a journal. It means that you can’t very well write about something you have no concept of with any expectation of being taken seriously. Take from your experiences, and, therefore, your view of the world, to make your writing have your own voice. You must own your subject. As a reader, I have found books that don’t seem to have any feeling to them and those books hold little or no interest for me. What have you found in your reading journey? Feel free to comment.
If you are writing a fictional world, you are the creator of that world, and you know that world; at least, you should. If you come off as though you don’t really know the world which you, yourself, have created, you are likely to lose readers. Take the time to explore your world. Walk the byways. Meet the people that populate that world. Have the residents teach you of their machines or lack thereof; their way of life. Immerse yourself in the culture you have created, and you will become an expert as you write your story. If you are writing a story that is set in the world as we know it, try to live in your story before and/or as you write. Research what you must. Learn all you can. Become an expert. If you have personal experience, use it to imbue the characters with the sensations that you know so well.
These are tips I have read/ heard, and I feel they make my writing better.
I am certainly not an expert, but I do hope, this will help prospective authors write with feeling, eloquence, and sincerity.
Do you have some ideas/ tips as a reader or as a writer? Comment below.
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