Why A Fantasy
One question I’m often asked is, “What do you write?” I
understand people are curious about what I’m spinning together on my keyboard,
but I know their next question before I even answer. “Why a fantasy?” To which
I should reply oh-so snarkily, “Exactly.” Get it? Y…A…Fantasy…anyhoo, the
glares and upturned noses don’t exactly encourage friendly banter.
If I had to, a short explanation would be, “Because that’s
what I like.”
The long explanation is a tad more complicated. To be
honest, I’m not sure why the genre is called fantasy. All fiction writing is a
fantasy. It’s all a fanciful flight of their author’s imagination, whether it
takes place at some dramatic high school, or five hundred years in the future,
the story is taking you away from reality. Off into a whimsical reality where
you can live a….hm, fantasy, if you will. And yet, the genre I write is slapped
with the word that everyone cringes to hear.
Fantasy has this perceived notion of being intended for
children only. Providing some baseless, inexplicable world where the people,
places and events could never really take place—but it sure is nice to believe
they could. That’s the common, obtuse reaction.
I write fantasy because at its root, that’s what all
storytelling is about. Escapism. And there’s no clearer way to escape than in a
genre people know off the bat will entertain their need for the improbable. Then
there’s the YA aspect. Frankly, that’s the easiest category that both children
and adults wouldn’t feel awkward about breaking into.
The intent is never
to write a crack-pot narrative that solely challenges our understanding of
basic science. What the fantasy genre challenges is our basic understand of what
is real. And not in the sense of
mythical creatures or whatever far-fetched image just came to your head, but
the fundamental realities of this world. Family and Friends. Stability and
safety. Romance. Parenting. Politics. War. Corruption and Justice. Humanity.
Racism. Spirituality. The list can go on.
So when someone asks me, “Why a fantasy?” I could detail
this long response to them, or I can say what I usually answer, “Why not?”
Thank you for participating Rachel! Visit Rachel's blog at http://www.rachelhorwitz.com/blog/
I thought that "Why A Fantasy" was meant to mimic "YA Fantasy"....
ReplyDeleteI love your thoughts on all writing being fantasy. So true. Great thoughts.
ReplyDelete