Writing and Politics

Right, I’ve been gone forever, sorry about that. I actually went back to school. I’m working on my MFA at Seton Hill University with a low residency program. It’s called Writing Popular Fiction, and I would very much recommend it if you are considering an MFA. Not for everyone, I know, but I’m learning a lot. It’s one of the few programs that is actually designed for people who want to write genre fiction. However, between working full time, being a student, and working on writing my novel for school, I’ve been so incredibly busy. On Mondays, I tell myself I should write a blog post. Don’t know what to write about, but I should do it. Then I end up forgetting, doing something else, or just not having the energy. And the week slowly slips on, as I occasionally tell myself that I really should do it. Or, it’s almost a new week, (where did the last one go?), so I’ll do one this next Monday. Only, guess what happens. Mondays are dangerous that way. They feel like such good days to try something new, or work on a new habit. But if you don’t, you feel like you have to wait until the next Monday to try again.

Anyway, you aren’t here to hear about my relationship with Mondays. I’m actually really pleased if you’re reading this at all, considering how long it’s been. Not my longest gap, but long enough. My Tumblr has had a few more frequent posts. Including a bit about school and random lines from Works in Progress (WiP).

Writers and politics.

It’s a cagey topic. I’ve had people tell me that unless you write about religion or politics than you shouldn’t touch it, because as soon as you do, you’ve lost half your audience. I had a guest lecturer at Seton Hill, Daniel Jose Older, say that as writers, you should include politics in your writing. (Neat guy. I bought the first book of his Dactyl Hill Squad series, which puts dinosaurs in the Civil War era. When I brought it to him to be autographed, I mentioned that I really hope that he included a triceratops, because they are my favorite. He not only opened the book to the first picture, showing me a triceratops pulling a cart, but he quickly sketched one for me as part of the autograph.)

Whichever side you agree with, they have a point. If I bring up a controversial topic (and most of them have at least some controversy if you find the right audience), whatever the topic might be: gun control, immigration, environmentalism, or even pineapple on your pizza, then I risk losing some of my audience whichever side I come down on, or even if someone feels I didn’t do their side justice. If my goal is to tell a well-loved story to a wide audience, I’m going to have to be careful.

On the other hand, I have hot button issues that I care about. So do you. So does everyone else. Those issues I care about, my opinion on them, that’s part of what makes me me. Why should I leave that out of my writing? Writers have literally changed the world with their books! Uncle Tom’s Cabin helped set the groundwork for the Civil War. The Jungle is what prompted meat inspection laws and the Pure Food and Drug Act in the United States. Interestingly enough, Upton Sinclair felt that was a failure, since he was trying to gain sympathy for the plight of immigrants and promote socialism. A Christmas Carol quite possibly saved the celebration of Christmas which had been falling out of favor in England.

Does this mean you have to write about politics? Certainly not. If all you want to do is tell a story, then don’t get distracted trying to make it a theme for the ages. You’ll probably detract from your story that way. Also remember, if you do want to come down on a side, it’s very easy to make it a political tract. Only people espousing your side have any traction. Anyone claiming the other side is evil, an idiot, and/or just clearly wrong. Yeah, that’s not a story, that’s a persuasive essay.

Balance is the key. Not always easy to find. I’m still working on it myself. Remember that everyone feels they are right, and remember that most issues are complex. Maybe both sides aren’t equally right, but they may both have a point.

Let’s take a fictional issue. Let us suppose that the Sly Ferret Cult wishes to have three trees painted pink in honor of Popcorn Day. I don’t know what Popcorn Day is, but I love popcorn, so why shouldn’t it have a day. I also don’t know why painting trees pink honors popcorn, but neither do I care. (Note: I looked it up, and Popcorn Day is real. January 19. This is fictional Popcorn Day. Thank you.)  The Eye of Nature on the other hand, disagrees with this, as they believe that trees should be left completely alone with no human (or whoever your sentients might be) interference at all. The Cotton Candy Guild, couldn’t care less about if the trees are painted, but they think it should be Cotton Candy Day instead of Popcorn Day. (Also real. December 7th. But this world doesn’t have it. Thank you again.)

Now, they’ve all come to you, Mayor of the Town. Because you are the Mayor and try to be a good one, you can’t kick them all out. What do you do?

None of these have strict analogues in current politics that I know of. Or at least, that was the design. If you look hard, I’m sure you can try, but I was doing my best to be completely fictional.

Each side can easily have decent points. Maybe the painting of trees for Popcorn Day is a long and celebrated tradition that many believe is good luck. And Popcorn Day is a huge holiday for your town. Can’t get this wrong. The Eye of Nature may have a point about paint probably not being the best for trees. And cotton candy is pretty good too, and perhaps a fair bit of your population leans more to cotton candy than popcorn.

On the other hand, just because something has always been done doesn’t mean it should continue. And perhaps a group the forbids planting trees or fertilizing them doesn’t always have the best track record on what is and isn’t good for trees. And can’t you celebrate cotton candy without detracting from popcorn?

So, I repeat: What do you do? Good luck.

Basically, to yourself and your story be true. Don’t preach if you can help it. Don’t betray your own conscience, either. And story above tract.

Good luck.

So, what would you do anyway?