Making Fantasy Out of Reality

Haven't begun my synopsis. Don't really know how to go about it. Don't believe at all in my ability to write one which will generate any kind of interest. Life so often comes down to what we believe, doesn't it? If we believe something is true, we act accordingly, even when all evidence is to the contrary. And the reverse is true, too. If we believe something is not true, it doesn't matter what the evidence is.

That's the problem with courts. It always boils down to what is believed. And if the person/people are severely prejudiced one way or the other, the outcome is foreknown.

That was how my mother raised us. We were guilty until she said otherwise. Which was never. We learned to use it to our advantage at times. Sometimes we were helpless against it.

Makes for interesting characters. I've used this technique in my writing from time to time. In fact, it is a major sub-theme in Swords of Fire. Various characters behavior foolishly - to others. But because of their belief system, they cannot behave any other way. Sometimes this works out well. Sometimes it results in disaster. But that's life, isn't it?

We are all beset with various prejudices. Most of the time these prejudices keep us safe and alive. Sometimes they do not serve us well at all.

To put it on a simple level, I grew up in an area where there were gangs. Not like today's inner city gangs, going about with weapons. There were two kinds. The one type of gang was more like a herd. The prey for predatory gangs. These gangs formed under the 'safety in numbers' theory. Basically, the idea was that the predators would only strike one at a time, and if you were in a group, it reduced the likelihood you would be the one. I was an on-again/off-again member of these groups. Generally off. (But I've been off most of my life.)

The other type of gang was made up of stereotypical 'toughs'. Back in my youth they were less likely to carry guns, although many wielded knifes. Switchblades. But killing wasn't the thing back then. It was all about terror and assault. To be caught alone by one of these gangs meant a fight - unless one could get away or dissuade the beating. Sometimes I got away. Sometimes I dissuaded the beating. Sometimes I had to fight.

The result of this environment is that now, whenever I see a group of teenage boys gathered together, my survival instincts are awakened and I seek to avoid them. I will walk on the opposite side of the street. I will change my route completely. I will turn around and go back.

The truth is, this is prejudice. I know nothing of these people. Logically, they mean no harm to anyone anywhere. But my prejudices make me wary. And the older the group, the more wary I become.

These are things which are useful to be aware of when writing characters. However any character behaves, there must be a reason for it. I do not react to groups of teenage and young adult males just because. There is a history which creates a feeling of familiarity with these new encounters. One can force oneself to overcome these feelings, but only with a great effort of will.

For myself, I resent being told by certain liberal-minded people that I am somehow "bad" to react to these groups as I do. I disagree. What I feel is what I feel, and there is no good or bad about it. It just is. Good and bad are determined by my actions. Being fearful that these groups are going to inflict harm to me is one thing. Acting on those feelings in a manner which damages those people is something else. They are separate things and need to be treated separately. That's how we can create tension within a character. Their feelings are telling them one thing, and their thoughts are telling them something else.

I try to use this approach when writing characters as much as possible. I think it makes them more real.