Over the years, both as I read and watched popular entertainment and as I put out calls for short stories as an editor, I noticed a recurring bad habit in some writers: they have their characters speak nastily to each other, with no particular purpose, when they don’t know how to create real story conflict.
Novice--in particular, male writers--often dispense vulgarity, as if that clearly indicates a sense of humor, moral maturity, or courage. In recent years, young women writers, too, sometimes are prone to doing the same. Blatantly vulgar material does not necessarily boost a work's quality, however; in fact, it often diminishes quality.
Writers are not exactly known for having healthy romantic relationships themselves (yes, yes, there are exceptions) ... there seems to be a connection between hyper-literacy (excessive reading of books and/or screens), higher androgyny, and misogyny / misandry. Many famous writers and philosophers never married or had children, many were probably asexual or queer in some way.
Novice--in particular, male writers--often dispense vulgarity, as if that clearly indicates a sense of humor, moral maturity, or courage. In recent years, young women writers, too, sometimes are prone to doing the same. Blatantly vulgar material does not necessarily boost a work's quality, however; in fact, it often diminishes quality.
Not me.
I think women while jn many ways are better than men don't appreciate what men have done for them through risky, hard, backbreaking work.
I never write any of my stories with people bring nasty to each other.
That reminds me of modern soaps.
I loathe watching any of them.
Writers are not exactly known for having healthy romantic relationships themselves (yes, yes, there are exceptions) ... there seems to be a connection between hyper-literacy (excessive reading of books and/or screens), higher androgyny, and misogyny / misandry. Many famous writers and philosophers never married or had children, many were probably asexual or queer in some way.
https://thecassandracomplex.substack.com/p/the-androgynous-mind
What kind of story is needed?
Unclear just yet; I'm still working on the concept.
I'm mulling over something for Halloween.