Popular Posts

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Discovering 'The Truth'


“I don't enjoy doing a lot of research, preferring as a rule, to ‘make up my facts.’ That's why I write fiction. I firmly believe that if you want facts, you read non-fiction; you read fiction to discover the truth.” – Joy Fielding

Joy Fielding, who turns 70 today, is a native Canadian who still makes her home in Toronto.  She said that she knew early on in life that she wanted to be a writer, and even when she was drawn in different directions – particularly acting – she always felt the pull back to that first love.  Today, as the author of 26 books, many of them best-sellers including the extraordinarily successful See Jane Run, she said she’s glad she finally settled into the life of a writer.

“I love writing because it's the only time in my life when I feel I have complete control,” Fielding said.   “Nobody does or says anything I don't tell them to--although even this amount of control is illusory because there comes a point where the characters take over and tell you what they think they should say and do.” 
  
 
Joy Fielding
 
Fielding said she looks upon everything as a potential scene for a book, and everyone as a potential character.  While she occasionally get snippets of ideas from magazines and newspaper articles, especially from the headlines, more often her ideas come from something that happens to herself or someone she knows. 

 “I use whatever I can and nothing is sacred. Of course, nothing is exactly the way it is in real life. A writer borrows a bit from here, there and everywhere, and adapts it to her own purpose.  (But) I find that the more of me I include, the more successful the book, the more readers can identify with.”


Share A Writer’s Moment with a friend by clicking the g+1 button below

No comments:

Post a Comment