The Many Faces of a Writer

I recently posted a quote by Jasper Fforde on my other blog, Realms of an Open Mind, and it goes like this:

“After all, reading is arguably a far more creative and imaginative process than writing; when the reader creates emotion in their head, or the colors of the sky during the setting sun, or the smell of a warm summer's breeze on their face, they should reserve as much praise for themselves as they do for the writer - perhaps more.” 

I guess it gave me a sense of pride as a reader because it does take imagination to be able to take something literary and turn it into a physical world. A lot of people ask me how I can read so much, that they get bored, or they don't have the patience for it, and I guess, yeah, it does take a certain kind of mind (not a better one, so don't get offended!) to be able to read in the quiet for hours at a time.

Books are like movies to me, better even. I can see it playing out in my head as if there is a screen behind my eyes and the book is projecting the images. It's hard to explain, but I barely see the words ~ just the actions and emotions they create.

However, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the value of the writer as good ole Jasper does. After some thought, I don't think it's true that readers should "reserve as much praise for themselves as they do for the writer - perhaps more." It may take a specific breed of mind to read unrelentingly, but a reader has one face, one mind ~ a writer has dozens, hundreds, thousands of faces.

The writer, no matter age, gender, background, race, or point-of-view, must wear many hats and be able to project multiple personalities in a way that is believable. They have to play the role of an older, motherly lady at the same time that they construct a witty, sarcastic young man with a flaring temper. Not an easy feat when you have to take yourself outside of your own mind and put yourself in dozens of different shoes. The thought makes my feet hurt (hopefully, one day I'll be more flexible), but somehow there are some writers who can build up so many different viewpoints and personalities and make us believe it all to the point that we become infatuated with the characters and the story. They can see any situation through a number of minds and pairs of eyes, and they have a mind open to every possibility.That's a good writer.