Mass of Contradictions
By Daniel Stallings, East Sierra Branch
In Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun, the character of Linda Marshall, Arlena’s troubled stepdaughter, once described herself to Hercule Poirot as a “mass of contradictions.” I’ve always found that particular phrase fascinating as it feels to perfectly sum up human nature. We are all masses of contradictions, which makes us all the more interesting. But you might be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with writing?”
There are two ideas I want to extrapolate here: one for writing and one for being a writer. First, I’ll deal with being a writer. Think of yourself and the things you love. Think of the contrasts, the opposites, the dichotomies. Think of stuntmen who bake and seamstresses who rock climb. Take me, for example. I’m a mystery author who dabbles in horror. But my outside interest involves art, cooking shows, and artisan crafts. I like theatre and museums and peace and quiet. Many classmates of mine thought I was a dark, scary person, because of my chosen genres, but I’m actually not. My homier interests contrast with the genres I find most interesting to write about. When we write, we’re always told to remember conflict. Conflict is what brings stories to life, what draws people in and keeps them involved. I like to encourage artists to develop contrasting interests and talents, because that opens them up to new worlds to explore. You are more open to the world for inspiration.
And what about the things you write? Or better yet, the characters you write about. Characters can’t be flat. They too should be masses of contradictions. That’s what keep them interesting and alive on the page. So, find ways to add those inherent contradictions and contrasts that make us so uniquely human. Because those internal conflicts of character make each paper woman and man and enby breathe in new, and thrilling ways.
“Mass Of Contradictions” first appeared
as the President’s Message in the newsletter of the East Sierra Branch.