tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post4974157195465521979..comments2024-03-22T12:11:58.453-06:00Comments on Michael Offutt: Exploring insecurities through writing just confirms that authors are a complete messMichael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-77249395425340946532015-04-02T17:09:03.706-06:002015-04-02T17:09:03.706-06:00I often think that I write simply so I can live an...I often think that I write simply so I can live another (more interesting and exciting) life without any of the associated risks. Recently I wondered if actors don't feel the same way - by acting they get to (sort of) live other lives, too.mshatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06308916014310536449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-31432464184120873962015-04-02T00:39:46.377-06:002015-04-02T00:39:46.377-06:00Good, I know I'm not a mess alone then. I too ...Good, I know I'm not a mess alone then. I too write to escape :)dolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-36144719071730165992015-04-01T22:27:00.553-06:002015-04-01T22:27:00.553-06:00And while you're writing to escape, your reade...And while you're writing to escape, your readers are picking up your book for the same reason.<br /><br />Gotta agree with you, we are a mess!J.L. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05666634455836834179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-11817136061612888582015-04-01T21:20:54.926-06:002015-04-01T21:20:54.926-06:00That's also why I drink. haha. I laugh, but it...That's also why I drink. haha. I laugh, but it's also a sad truth. A lot of insecurity there, too. And a great many writers were/are alcoholics. I too am a mess! Might as well keep writing. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03060064276650474244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-65872214907992309922015-04-01T20:00:43.502-06:002015-04-01T20:00:43.502-06:00Hell yes, I'm a mess! Like you, I write to es...Hell yes, I'm a mess! Like you, I write to escape, I write to get into other people's heads and lives, I write to play God, I write 'cause it's fun, I write 'cause I want people to love my stories, and for a bunch of other reasons, all of them neurotic.<br /><br />Say it loud and say it proud: I'm a writer and I'm a mess!Helenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14967821142796562697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-82220126913423582262015-04-01T15:55:32.392-06:002015-04-01T15:55:32.392-06:00I write as an escape too. There is this large part...I write as an escape too. There is this large part of me that just wishes I could be someone else sometimes.Elise Fallsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14734537117333738468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-73570188886666438742015-04-01T15:53:01.729-06:002015-04-01T15:53:01.729-06:00I love the mixture of Science and Fiction.I love the mixture of Science and Fiction.SpacerGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05575342869714342370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-85726927051248535942015-04-01T13:08:44.791-06:002015-04-01T13:08:44.791-06:00Those are good reasons why people would write. To ...Those are good reasons why people would write. To add to your list, writing helps me make sense of the world. I don't know if I'd call the writer lot a mess, but I'd say many of us are complex individuals with a lot that that stews and stirs inside our hearts and minds. =)Cynthiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00912167351889969855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-45818227855188869052015-04-01T12:25:16.808-06:002015-04-01T12:25:16.808-06:00You know, I think I write for the same reason. It&...You know, I think I write for the same reason. It's a good one.M Paxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-88656155481483454772015-04-01T11:22:21.442-06:002015-04-01T11:22:21.442-06:00I can so relate. I feel like quitting the last few...I can so relate. I feel like quitting the last few days. I usually get out of these funks, but I what if one time I don't? Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-85380338365920534942015-04-01T10:53:51.716-06:002015-04-01T10:53:51.716-06:00AMEN! This is exactly why I write too. It's al...AMEN! This is exactly why I write too. It's also why I became a reader as a kid. Fictional worlds can be a terrifying place, but real life can be so much worse. I feel safe in a book because most of the time things work out in the end. <br /><br />When I write, I get to reveal the parts of me I keep hidden from the world. Explore like you said, and become my own hero. Charity Bradfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01960821077619680661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-38680273681364751862015-04-01T10:46:37.449-06:002015-04-01T10:46:37.449-06:00"...someone who's not afraid to explore t..."...someone who's not afraid to explore things that scare me..."<br /><br />That's kind of a safe way to try it out first, don't you think? If you can get your head around it in writing it, then maybe later you might be able to work up to it. <br /><br />I think writers are as much a mess as anyone else. We just spend more time working on our problems than others.Liz A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16531953467834426316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-70472369859586520962015-04-01T10:19:06.628-06:002015-04-01T10:19:06.628-06:00I agree about escapism and also for me I like to e...I agree about escapism and also for me I like to explore my ideas. I also think this is the same reason people love video games. You can escape into a different world and be someone awesome never having to worry about getting killed. Real life is hard why stay in it all the time? Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922596724107742478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-49162943400758708082015-04-01T09:50:10.581-06:002015-04-01T09:50:10.581-06:00Oh, we're all a complete mess. And this makes ...Oh, we're all a complete mess. And this makes PERFECT sense. It's absolutely an escape… and we write these people that we totally long to be. I know I do. I know that I tap into those dark places in my mind that I wish were real, or create people I wish I really knew. We create worlds that make more sense than the one we live in. I loved this, Michael. Love your mind. You're such a cool person. Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15747144518868320969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-43401717500634651392015-04-01T09:43:37.297-06:002015-04-01T09:43:37.297-06:00That summaries why I started writing exactly. Thes...That summaries why I started writing exactly. These days I'm not sure why I'm still doing it, but I think escapism has a lot to do with it. :) David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-79369073640010771732015-04-01T09:14:54.471-06:002015-04-01T09:14:54.471-06:00Interesting. I hear it said all the time that you ...Interesting. I hear it said all the time that you should write what you know. I disagree; you should write what you can imagine.stephen Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17659054447637207734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-57126469852352906602015-04-01T09:11:25.054-06:002015-04-01T09:11:25.054-06:00I definitely think escapism is a strong pull for w...I definitely think escapism is a strong pull for writers. Or it certainly is for me. I spent years daydreaming before i ever gave writing a chanceSarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-61184475221057175542015-04-01T08:01:42.474-06:002015-04-01T08:01:42.474-06:00Yes, I would agree, as a matter of fact. Escapism ...Yes, I would agree, as a matter of fact. Escapism is a big part of why I write what I write. There are some days I'd rather hang out in my imaginary world than deal with the real one, for sure. Luanne G. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15762881276976395955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-15054866131564824572015-04-01T07:35:50.684-06:002015-04-01T07:35:50.684-06:00When you writer you're a master of your own un...When you writer you're a master of your own universe - anything can happen. I totally get the escapism thing; seriously, writing is extremely cathartic. That's why I do it! And also, because I simply must :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-72772901562960543442015-04-01T07:15:30.818-06:002015-04-01T07:15:30.818-06:00I think there's a bit of that in all of us. Of...I think there's a bit of that in all of us. Often life sucks and we want to get away, not saying life is a bed of roses for my characters, but having the control is addictive!Nick Wilfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03841776353790635132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-42198392011363110472015-04-01T07:12:12.708-06:002015-04-01T07:12:12.708-06:00Ha, yeah, you aren't much like Jordan that'...Ha, yeah, you aren't much like Jordan that's for sure. Which is good in a way. It bugs me when I get to the end of the book and find out the main character is pretty much exactly like the author. Could you imagine how boring all my books would be if they were about fat, bald, unemployed accountants? Right now I write for $$$ and that's pretty much it.PT Dillowayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394481476862013009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-7991921780798668172015-04-01T06:42:43.943-06:002015-04-01T06:42:43.943-06:00We do write to escape and lead adventures we could...We do write to escape and lead adventures we couldn't otherwise. I wouldn't want to be any of my characters, though.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com