Writing a story basically comes down to emotional manipulation. To tell a story well, the writer has to be able to manipulate the reader … emotionally. A little, at least. And the reader, they have to want to be manipulated. They’re choosing to be manipulated by whomever they’re reading.

And that’s why i have trouble writing fiction — because i don’t like performing emotional manipulation, as it involves feeling unpleasant things; basically emotional prostitution.

In the end, you write primarily for yourself. Sure, you can say that you have a specific audience in mind; but if you don’t like what you’re writing, you’ll either stop or change it. You’re writing for yourself.

I guess that’s why i’m more comfortable writing non-fiction … even if it’s just non-fiction about me — the most boring topic imaginable to everybody else.

Perhaps I should go back to writing other kinds of non-fiction; maybe that would be a good compromise.

It’s worth a shot. I just have to find a topic.