Comments on: Story and the Past: When the Fictional Story is True http://www.joyjordanlake.com/when-the-fictional-story-is-true/ Writing in the Midst of Real Life Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:57:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Matt http://www.joyjordanlake.com/when-the-fictional-story-is-true/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Matt Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:23:19 +0000 http://www.joyjordanlake.com/?p=190#comment-17 I've often wondered if the fictional story isn't able to get closer to Truth than the factual story. I'm reminded of a short story by Martin Luis Guzman titled "Festival of the Bullets." In considering the Mexican Revolution, he wonders which stories of the war were more true: "those supposed to be strictly historical or those rated as legendary; those related exactly as they had been seen, or those in which a touch of poetic fancy brought out their essence more clearly. The latter always seemed to me truer, more worthy of being considered history." I’ve often wondered if the fictional story isn’t able to get closer to Truth than the factual story. I’m reminded of a short story by Martin Luis Guzman titled “Festival of the Bullets.” In considering the Mexican Revolution, he wonders which stories of the war were more true: “those supposed to be strictly historical or those rated as legendary; those related exactly as they had been seen, or those in which a touch of poetic fancy brought out their essence more clearly. The latter always seemed to me truer, more worthy of being considered history.”

]]> By: upasana http://www.joyjordanlake.com/when-the-fictional-story-is-true/comment-page-1/#comment-14 upasana Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:00:29 +0000 http://www.joyjordanlake.com/?p=190#comment-14 Bringing out the truth has been one of my motivations for writing stories and poems. I adore the fact that I have the ability to pen down my experiences and thought. Deep down i'm afraid that people close to me will identify themselves in my book. But the encouragement I get from everyone outside my circle makes me want to reveal all experiences. The ability for readers to connect to our thoughts is amazing. I love the feedback part of writing. Bringing out the truth has been one of my motivations for writing stories and poems. I adore the fact that I have the ability to pen down my experiences and thought. Deep down i’m afraid that people close to me will identify themselves in my book. But the encouragement I get from everyone outside my circle makes me want to reveal all experiences. The ability for readers to connect to our thoughts is amazing. I love the feedback part of writing.

]]> By: Paul Lowder http://www.joyjordanlake.com/when-the-fictional-story-is-true/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Paul Lowder Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:46:08 +0000 http://www.joyjordanlake.com/?p=190#comment-12 I like the YouTube video - that's really cool. The site is great as well, and I've always agreed with that statement concerning fiction; "fiction based on facts or personal accounts." We write what we know, and the reason that we talk about our characters like they are real people is because they are real people. My character Landon is myself, he is my dad, he is who I was told not to be, and he is who I want to be. Creating a character in fiction takes the mixing and matching of people in the world. Love it. I like the YouTube video – that’s really cool. The site is great as well, and I’ve always agreed with that statement concerning fiction; “fiction based on facts or personal accounts.” We write what we know, and the reason that we talk about our characters like they are real people is because they are real people. My character Landon is myself, he is my dad, he is who I was told not to be, and he is who I want to be. Creating a character in fiction takes the mixing and matching of people in the world. Love it.

]]> By: Tara http://www.joyjordanlake.com/when-the-fictional-story-is-true/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Tara Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:49:50 +0000 http://www.joyjordanlake.com/?p=190#comment-11 Hi there! Great point about old friends drawing lines of a character to someone who might have inspired the character... or loosely inspired the character. The room to elaborate and embellish is too much fun! Hi there!

Great point about old friends drawing lines of a character to someone who might have inspired the character… or loosely inspired the character. The room to elaborate and embellish is too much fun!

]]> By: Tabatha Wesley http://www.joyjordanlake.com/when-the-fictional-story-is-true/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Tabatha Wesley Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:33:58 +0000 http://www.joyjordanlake.com/?p=190#comment-7 The truth you speak of above is the very reason writers of "fiction", "fiction based on facts or actual occurances", or "personal accounts" are important to our culture. Historians, like news reporters, usually try very hard to get accurate, specific, measurable and concrete details down for us; however, it is often through fiction and/or through the stories of individuals who were there that we begin to better grasp the whole truth of the matter. I don't believe any one report can fully relate or recreate the entirety of an event, though a chronicler may do his best. Sharing multiple stories, especially those that get to the heart of things, allows us to see many perspectives. Somewhere in the midst of those tales, a purer truth unfolds. And sometimes, when voices are not found to tell the tales, truth can be lost or quashed down as if the thing never happened at all. I am grateful you found your voice and the courage to tell the story of Blue Hole Back Home. Thank you, Joy! The truth you speak of above is the very reason writers of “fiction”, “fiction based on facts or actual occurances”, or “personal accounts” are important to our culture. Historians, like news reporters, usually try very hard to get accurate, specific, measurable and concrete details down for us; however, it is often through fiction and/or through the stories of individuals who were there that we begin to better grasp the whole truth of the matter. I don’t believe any one report can fully relate or recreate the entirety of an event, though a chronicler may do his best. Sharing multiple stories, especially those that get to the heart of things, allows us to see many perspectives. Somewhere in the midst of those tales, a purer truth unfolds. And sometimes, when voices are not found to tell the tales, truth can be lost or quashed down as if the thing never happened at all. I am grateful you found your voice and the courage to tell the story of Blue Hole Back Home. Thank you, Joy!

]]>