Playing With Fire: Writing Without Restraint

“Never write prose.”

I read this in a historical novel about the reign of King Henry VIII. It was attributed in that history/possibly history kind of way you find in that genre, to Thomas Cromwell.

Cromwell was one of the king’s primary advisors, a tenuous position, that if lost usually ended with a trip to the executioner’s block.

Cromwell was advising a young man who had the misfortune of loving a woman who had attracted the kings interest. His mistake was writing her a love poem.

While many of us have had to dispense with rivals, this generally requires some level of planning, patience, or chicanery to pull off. Kings have more direct means at their disposal.

“Princes brook no rivals.”

Lord Cromwell was able to save this young man’s life, but his advice is worth weighing.

While I was never in danger of being separated from my head, I have been called on the carpet and have otherwise created drama with things I have written.

If I was going to write a blog, indeed, if I was going to write a book, I wanted to be able to say whatever I wanted. It’s not about trying to shock people; I find that style of writing unimaginative and boorish. (Not that it never has its place.) I just wanted to have characters that would say what characters would say in real life. I didn’t want to avoid sex or violence or horrible things or even politics. (Although writing about politics in a novel sounds awfully boring.) I mean, can you imagine two characters having a long dialogue of the best method to deliver healthcare? Ugh. Not unless they’re having sex or shooting at each other.

So, I set out to write what I wanted, knowing that I sometimes might offend someone, or have to answer for something I put in print. Hence the title, Playing With Fire.

I had been warned about playing with matches, but I’m doing it anyway. Almost 200 blog posts later i’ve gotten a few comments disagreeing with me. But so far, I’ve managed to stay out of trouble.