The Freedom of Fiction: A Journalist’s View on Writing What Isn’t True
I used to think fiction was pointless. I was a non-fiction girl through and through.
Of course, I was gravely mistaken.
For years, I have solely been writing cold, hard facts. In fact, if I don’t, I run the risk of getting fired and cancelled. I write with this weight on my back, the knowledge that if even one fact is slightly off, it could be a disastrous miscalculation. And I do love journalistic non-fiction. I love shaping facts into narrative and telling people’s real stories. It’s some powerful stuff. But, since I signed up for a creative writing class to fill a humanities elective, I have quickly learned the power and value of writing what isn’t true.
1. Freedom
When you don’t have to constantly be checking the facts, you can write much more freely. It’s not a start and stop process of research and verification. It’s much easier to get in the flow and go with it. And it’s fun. It can be a very helpful tool for journalistic writers because it provides great writing practice. Writing unrestricted exercises that writing muscle and does nothing but strengthen it.
2. Creativity
In news writing, it can be easy to follow a cookie-cutter mold of presenting the facts. But in creative writing, the sky is the limit. You are encouraged to stay away from what has already been done, and find a new angle, a new storyline. Again, this can also be immensely helpful for journalists, as it can give us practice in innovative storytelling techniques and artistic phrasing.
3. Catharsis
I had no idea fiction writing would feel so good. I can write about things that happened to me, things I think, things I’ve seen, and then change a few facts and no one knows it’s about me. I feel like it’s a form of therapy, validating your own experience by imposing it onto someone else—your character. And then, you can add whatever you want. A twist there, a crazy ending here. Through your characters, you can go places you’ve never even been.
So, take it from me, a dedicated news writer, that there is value in writing fiction. It is beautiful and valuable and resonates with the human soul just as much as non-fiction. Additionally, writing creatively and freely will only help you take your journalistic writing to the next level and truly create art from reality. So step away from what’s familiar and give creative writing a chance. You might like it a lot more than you thought you would.
Sincerely, Hannah
Photography: Hannah B.