Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Writer's Revenge


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If you travel in the same writerly circles that I do, you’ve likely seen this poster.

CafePress even sells t-shirts with the slogan printed on them.

For me, it is perfect…and true. In fact, I would assume many writers (and other artists) seek revenge and retribution in artistic ways. I mean, isn’t art a way to cope with our pain and some of the wrongs done to us in life?

I recently completed revisions on my travel memoir, so I have returned to the YA trilogy I started to develop earlier this year. As I’ve worked on character development, I’ve found this is the ideal place to work out some of my anger and hostility toward people who have been rather unkind to me in the past. Not only is it highly therapeutic, but also it makes for great copy!

Then this morning, this song by Lenny Kravitz looped through on my iPod. It was his way of seeking retribution against a racist cab driver who refused to pick him up. Go Lenny! See, so I'm not alone after all. 


Have you ever sought revenge through your writing or art? Did it help you?
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8 comments:

  1. Theresa MilsteinMay 14, 2013 at 1:16 PM

    I don't see it as revenge. I see it as "material." The beauty of borrowing something for a piece is that I have all the time in the world to come up with a perfect comeback.

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    1. Susan OloierMay 14, 2013 at 8:05 PM

      Theresa, I like viewing it as "material". A very lovely and accurate way to put it.

      Delete
  2. Dianne K. SalerniMay 14, 2013 at 3:57 PM

    Hmmm ... you mean, give a bad guy the same initials as someone you are angry with at work, then have him get his well-deserved comeuppance?

    NO. I have never done that.

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    1. Susan OloierMay 14, 2013 at 8:04 PM

      No, that seems a little too...trite. More along the lines of giving a character some of the attributes of someone who was not so nice, then see what happens.

      Delete
  3. mshatchMay 14, 2013 at 5:33 PM

    In fact, I have! There's a character in my current wip who is a combination of two people - who shall remain nameless, of course - and she will be quite unpleasant but hopefully get what she deserves in the end :)

    Ah, if only real life could be more like fiction sometimes...

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  4. Alex J. CavanaughMay 15, 2013 at 5:53 AM

    Oddly enough I've never used any real life people or situations in my writing.

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  5. deathwriterMay 15, 2013 at 10:57 AM

    Since I write nonfiction, I try to be fair to the people I'm writing about, as I have to live with their reaction. But, I do own my stories and what has happened to me.
    If I ever turn to fiction, watch out! Mwa ha ha ha!

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