Toby Lichtig writes in The Guardian about how all writers repeat themselves. That is, they seem to return to the same themes again and again.
When I wrote Something Missing, I had no idea what I was doing. No idea what I was trying to communicate other than Martin’s story. I just allowed the character to show me the way, and low and behold, I had a novel.
My second book proceeded along these same lines, and my third is proceeding similarly: Find the character, and the rest will come.
But along the way, I have uncovered some of the themes that seem to interest me. Oddly enough, no conscious decision was made when identifying or choosing themes. I had no grand vision of the ideas that I wished to express. I write like a spelunker in a cave without a headlamp or a lantern. I’m just chipping away at the rock and hoping to find something. So, these are just the themes that have unconsciously emerged from my work.
I seem to be obsessed with the secret lives that people lead. Each of my protagonists possesses a profound secret that they strive to keep hidden at all costs, and the plots of my books hinge upon these secrets and their potential revelations.
I also seem drawn to abnormality. None of my protagonists are conventional human beings in any sense of the word. Each possesses oddities, quirks, and degrees of non-conformity that make their lives challenging and unique. I couldn’t imagine writing a book about someone relatively normal.
Lastly, I appear drawn to characters who have become disconnected from society. They are lonely people. They are isolated, unrecognized, and ignored by the world around them. Each is seeking acceptance, appreciation, and love.
Why have I been drawn to these themes? I wish I knew. But they seem to be working for me.
Will I continue to make them focal points of my novels? The Guardians’ Toby Lichtig seems to suggest that I will. I do not know. I will continue to listen to my characters and allow the stories to take whatever direction they so choose.
