Fiction is a Waste of Time
I’ve been struggling to write fiction for a while now. Since peak production in 2001, I’ve lacked inspiration.
The bigger problem – bigger than the lack of inspiration – is my feeling that there’s no need for me to write.
- What does writing achieve?
- What do I have to say?
- Who will ever read it?
- Why bother?
As a copywriter, I write all the time. I love writing for my clients because copy always serves a purpose. The words I write explain things, they help people, they sell stuff or entertain. Whatever the project, copy has a purpose.
I have lots of interest in writing non-fiction, but fiction seems very pointless.
And this feeling applies to reading too. I’m constantly reading fascinating non-fiction books, but when I try a novel or short story I just get bored.
Do you ever feel that fiction is pointless?
I remember two series of fiction that I read when I was a kid, the Lemony Snicket series, and the Anthony Horowitz Alex Rider series. I didn’t benefit from them, other than that it was engrossing at the time, and a couple of fond memories, but that’s generally part of the childhood nostalgia that includes things like pokemon, being given spiderman gummy sweets for my birthday, holidays with family, being tucked into bed by my parents, etc. So basically what I’m saying is that if I choose to believe that the memories of reading those are integral to my enjoyment of childhood, then it wasn’t pointless, but since I know that happiness can be attained through other ways, I’ll say there are other things I could have done, were it not for the fact that my parents wanted my to get into reading, since I hated it. I just realised I have been rambling.
Short Answer: I think most things that we can’t do whilst at the same time remembering good are kind of pointless, but we are allowed to relax sometimes, as long as it doesn’t have harmful themes.
*God (after remembering, penultimate line)