[Perry] Writing With Heart

There was another issue I wanted to talk *coughsoapboxcough* about today but…

But, I think I’m a little too close to the issue still to give a proper, objective view so we’ll do something else today instead.

Do you realize that you can actually tell when someone’s put a lot of heart into their work?

I mean, sure, you have to be at least a little bit well-versed or trained to see it…but you can actually tell.

There’s a world of difference between canned art, and the kind of art that lives and breathes.

There are writers who toss out a book a year like it’s nothing and, oftentimes, they read as if they’re being cranked out of some bloodless, mechanical process.

Then, there are writers who pop out this one book that blows your mind.

There’s music you can listen to where it all blurs together into a dull, sameness.

Then, there’s a song you listen to that reaches down into your guts and yanks it up to your heart.

You know what the crazy thing is? What I think is absolutely nuts?

The good stuff and the bad stuff can both come from the same artist.

All of this is meaningless without examples, so let’s start exampling.

Yes, that’s totally a word.

Take Tami, here.

Now, I love (to bits and pieces) just about everything that Tami’s written, even before we were friends. I actually snagged on her corner of the internet due to her Warcraft stories.

But does EVERYTHING she write grab me by the guts?

No, of course not.

But when it does…

Oh man…there are certain aspects of Tami’s work where…I feel like she’s put a lot of heart and soul into. Certain pieces of certain chapters where I can almost see her bleeding onto her keyboard to try and REALLY show me what’s happening or how the characters are feeling.

Have you read her webserial Choose?

Have you read the prelude chapter where she describes the origins of Bones?

Because that shit will totally tear your heart out of your chest and stomp on it.

I can see the heart and soul that went into that chapter and it reached out to me.

A few more examples, for clarity.

There’s a guy named Bryson Andres. He does a lot of street performances with the use of a gadget that lets him record short snippets and play them on repeat so that he can add separate layers and tracks to his music himself while he’s out there.

Listen to this and tell me that this man isn’t putting his heart into the music.

For another example, I’m sure most (or all) of you have heard the song Wonderwall by Oasis.

And I’m fairly sure that you’ve likely heard a bunch of acoustic versions of the song as well.

It’s a great song. I like it a lot.

But Wonderwall never really HIT me until I heard this version of it.

The song is great and I love it…but it sounds slick and professional. To hear another version of it, more raw and open with disruptions to the ‘perfect’ rhythm and timing that you find on studio recorded versions is…stunning. Powerful.

It has heart.

Finally, a last example.

There’s a song called Anna Sun, by a group called Walk the Moon.

Now, I love me this song. I think it’s fun, catchy, really upbeat.

But canned. Pitch perfect.

Then I run into this version, where they’re just sitting around in a living room as someone records it on what looks to be a cell phone camera?

Heart.

Soul.

Wrapping up

In a winding, long-winded way…I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t be afraid to put a little heart and soul into your own work.

Don’t always feel you have to be safe and conventional.

Don’t feel like it won’t ever be noticed when you bleed over a keyboard, sing with your heart, or paint with your very soul.