by Janis Patterson
I am ambivalent about the holidays.
I still have enough of the child in me to be in joyous awe
of Thanksgiving, with its focus on thanking God for what made this country
great as well as (let’s face it) for the unrestrained gluttony. My family is
full of excellent cooks who, for this one day a year, throw their usually
healthful menus to the winds and provide a sumptuous feast. Some of the more
fanciful and calorie-laden recipes are only brought out on Thanksgiving … and
occasionally on Christmas, but not always. We all eat all day and no one says a
thing except, “More, please.” We all believe that one day of gourmandry is
nothing to worry about, at least, not if you have a ready supply of Tums and
Pepto Bismol handy.
The fortnight before Christmas is the same emotional rush –
the decorations, the carols, the lights, the mysterious and alluring packages
that one by one appear under the tree as if really brought by elves… It is the
stuff of magic, and if you are not touched by it I pity you.
On the other hand, I am adult, and I know the work and
expenditure and planning and sometimes sacrifice that must be done to create
the magic of both holidays – the hard, grunt work that makes them happen. Grunt
work it might be, but isn’t all magic supported by grunt work? It’s the
quintessential symbiotic relationship… for adults, at least.
Which is a lot like writing. (Stay with me here – I do have
a point.) As adults we can see both sides of the holidays – the magic and the
hard work. As writers, we have to see and make believable both sides of our
characters, bad and good. We have to see all of their motivations, even –
especially! – if they conflict with other characters. Such a skill is a
necessity, unless we are content to write flat cardboard people with no depth,
no reality – creatures who are nothing more than verbal paper dolls. Real
people and real characters are multi-dimensional, with sometimes contradictory
beliefs and actions both towards others and within their own psyches. As
writers we have to see and respond to both.
In other words, we have to create both meat and tinsel in
our books. Yes, it’s hard work, but when it’s done right there is magic – and
that magic is what we all want.
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, and wish you a Merry
Christmas or whatever holiday you observe. Now I must run – Christmas is coming
more quickly than we can believe, and I’m running low on tinsel!
