Occasionally I’m asked, “Why would a nice, conservative naturalist like you write stories about ghosts, demons, and space aliens?”
Good question. I usually refer to a famous quote from Flannery O’Connor:
“When you can assume that your audience holds the same beliefs you do, you can relax a little and use more normal ways of talking to it; when you have to assume that it does not, then you have to make your vision apparent by shock — to the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost blind you draw large and startling figures.”
After all, two of my favorite authors, Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft, wrote about magic, monsters, and ghosts. Neither author believed in such things, but crafted gripping tales with captivating and evocative characters.
Recently, I happened upon an article by novelist Cai Emmons titled, “Why I Turned Away From Realism and Began to Write Surreal Fiction.” Emmons explains why analytical types find the fantastic both alluring and useful:
“I have come to think of surrealism/fantasy/the supernatural/magical realism as a kind of steroid, bulking things up and bringing certain perceptions into clearer relief. The distortions I create in a narrative can be thought of as tools that amplify the material, much as an astronomer employs a telescope, or a biologist uses a microscope.”
Lovely. And insightful. Reading and writing are ways of playing with the world, of experimenting with reality to test and clarify one’s beliefs. That’s the challenge and joy of literature.
M.C. Tuggle, Writer 
I was just thinking about this. I can express universal themes by writing science fiction that I could never express otherwise. I must admit, however, that facing the way things are, which we call reality, is too painful for me. I had to do it for a long time when I had a “real” job, and it didn’t work. I was unhappy. After a long meditation this morning, I came to the conclusion that I’ll just have to accept the way I am. If it leads me nowhere, so be it. At least I’m having fun.
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I understand where you’re coming from. But I also think improving and strengthening your own thoughts and beliefs is one way to change the world.
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I’m especially fond of magical realism! 💫🌙
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Same here. Marquez, Rushdie, and Tito Perdue are outstanding examples.
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I know Marquez and will look at the others 😊
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At a kind of philosophical moment I was inspired to write this line in one of my poems – we come from the stars and we leave through them as well promenading along the Milky Way.
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I love that line!
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Thank you and can’t you just picture making some Travolta disco moves moving along that Milky Way?
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Oh, yes. But Travolta, not me.
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This is very interesting to me. I am a chartered accountant and I like to write about the paranormal. It’s an escape from reality. I also like to read about the paranormal, of course.
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Writing about the paranormal sounds very normal to me.
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Haha, me too.
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I am very much into “surrealism/fantasy/the supernatural/magical realism” but I don’t really believe in any of it. Allowing your imagination to run wild pushes your limits. Very interesting commentary,
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Same here.
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The trick is to blend just enough realism with the supernatural/paranormal that readers can relate to it. As well as being a kind of steroid, the unreal is a sort of buffer that filters out the grim or boring aspects of reality.
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I liked Emmons’ take on paranormal tropes: “tools that amplify the material.” Perfect.
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