What Would Jesus Do?
Years ago, I was talking to someone about the Bible. I don't remember the context. But at one point he said something ignorant about the apostles that wasn't very nice. It ticked me off. So I said, "So, what about the epistles?" And he said, "The what?" I said, "The epistles. You know, the wives of the apostles." He said, "Oh, that's what the epistles are? I don't know. I don't really have an opinion about the epistles. But if they're married to the apostles...."
He didn't finish his sentence. He didn't have to. I got the point. If he didn't like the apostles, he probably wouldn't like their wives.
Of course, he was not only ignorant, he was plain stupid, because, as I'm sure you know, the epistles weren't wives, they were the letters Paul wrote to the churches in Corinth, Galatia (and Phrygia), Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Thessalonica, and to Timothy and Titus. And, of course, I couldn't keep from cracking up. So I told him the truth.
STOP RIGHT THERE!
Okay. That whole story was a lie. Well, no, it was just a...a parable. See, as a fiction writer, I get to lie...and call it a story. That's what fiction writers do. And we can make it sound like it's true.
But: suppose I was writing a non-fiction piece about ignorance or bias. Starting my piece out with this "personal experience" story might not only personalize the writing, making a connection with the reader one-on-one, but in a dramatic (or perhaps theatrical) way it might present the reader with a clear illustration. The reader might relate to what I'm writing about, because I've told a parable that makes my point.
But: is it okay to tell a story like that when writing a non-fiction piece? Well, I have to be honest. Originally, I intended to use the apostle story as an introductory example for a different writing topic. And I wasn't going to tell you that it was made up. Until I wrote, "So I told him the truth." And I felt guilty that I was using a made up story in a non-fiction piece. It just didn't seem right. So I changed my topic.
I write so much fiction that I sometimes forget that I can't just make everything up. I admit, though, that I'm guilty of doing it. Once in a complaint letter to the Ventura Postmaster I made up a story to make a vibrant and passionate point about their always asking for my identification when I write a check at the counter and everyone at the counter knowing me by name for over 10 years. But I forgave myself for that one. I mean, it's the post office, for crying out loud. They don't deserve the truth.
Our readers do, though. You've probably realized by now that I could've started off by saying, "What if years ago I was talking to someone about the Bible?" I didn't, because the story wouldn't have had the humor or the clarity of point, because you'd already be looking for what was coming after it. Right?
But this is what I've figured out. If I want to create a humorous or poignant fictional story that would be a great example for a non-fiction article or blog or memoir, I can do it. If I just call it a parable. Which is defined as a "short, fictitious story which illustrates a moral lesson." Jeez. That says it all. That's all I'm doing.
"It was a parable. Yeah, a parable. The kind Jesus told. Yeah. That's the ticket."
But something deep inside me, a voice--maybe it is Jesus--a voice of reason is telling me that if I use a parable or any other style of fictitious story in a non-fiction article, my reader deserves the truth. I have to bridge the parable to the rest of the piece with something like "that was just an example I created"; "if that were actually true, it would be a good example of"; or "STOP RIGHT THERE!"
He didn't finish his sentence. He didn't have to. I got the point. If he didn't like the apostles, he probably wouldn't like their wives.
Of course, he was not only ignorant, he was plain stupid, because, as I'm sure you know, the epistles weren't wives, they were the letters Paul wrote to the churches in Corinth, Galatia (and Phrygia), Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Thessalonica, and to Timothy and Titus. And, of course, I couldn't keep from cracking up. So I told him the truth.
STOP RIGHT THERE!
Okay. That whole story was a lie. Well, no, it was just a...a parable. See, as a fiction writer, I get to lie...and call it a story. That's what fiction writers do. And we can make it sound like it's true.
But: suppose I was writing a non-fiction piece about ignorance or bias. Starting my piece out with this "personal experience" story might not only personalize the writing, making a connection with the reader one-on-one, but in a dramatic (or perhaps theatrical) way it might present the reader with a clear illustration. The reader might relate to what I'm writing about, because I've told a parable that makes my point.
But: is it okay to tell a story like that when writing a non-fiction piece? Well, I have to be honest. Originally, I intended to use the apostle story as an introductory example for a different writing topic. And I wasn't going to tell you that it was made up. Until I wrote, "So I told him the truth." And I felt guilty that I was using a made up story in a non-fiction piece. It just didn't seem right. So I changed my topic.
I write so much fiction that I sometimes forget that I can't just make everything up. I admit, though, that I'm guilty of doing it. Once in a complaint letter to the Ventura Postmaster I made up a story to make a vibrant and passionate point about their always asking for my identification when I write a check at the counter and everyone at the counter knowing me by name for over 10 years. But I forgave myself for that one. I mean, it's the post office, for crying out loud. They don't deserve the truth.
Our readers do, though. You've probably realized by now that I could've started off by saying, "What if years ago I was talking to someone about the Bible?" I didn't, because the story wouldn't have had the humor or the clarity of point, because you'd already be looking for what was coming after it. Right?
But this is what I've figured out. If I want to create a humorous or poignant fictional story that would be a great example for a non-fiction article or blog or memoir, I can do it. If I just call it a parable. Which is defined as a "short, fictitious story which illustrates a moral lesson." Jeez. That says it all. That's all I'm doing.
"It was a parable. Yeah, a parable. The kind Jesus told. Yeah. That's the ticket."
But something deep inside me, a voice--maybe it is Jesus--a voice of reason is telling me that if I use a parable or any other style of fictitious story in a non-fiction article, my reader deserves the truth. I have to bridge the parable to the rest of the piece with something like "that was just an example I created"; "if that were actually true, it would be a good example of"; or "STOP RIGHT THERE!"
wordy, repetitive, wordy, repetitive.
Sorry, but I didn't get the point, was a bit too buried in the context.
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Well, Mark, I did attend the School of Redundancy School. Getting my point might require accepting the fact that I'm trying to entertain at the same time as I try to make a point.. Apparently, my attempts at tongue-in-cheek humor, affects you like a pizza-cheese burn on the roof of your mouth. In this case, I spontaneously understood something better as I wrote it, and used that experience to make a point about being honest when we write. Perhaps it was too convoluted. If I understood what you mean by "buried in the context," I could respond better. I'll try to be more concise. I'll try to be more concise. I'll try to be more concise.
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