How World-Wide Conflicts Affect a novelist's writing process
Emotional and Psychological Effects on Writers
It’s hard to avoid the emotional impact of the news. Every day we’re bombarded with updates about war, refugees, political chaos, and environmental disasters. For novelists, this steady stream of bad news can be overwhelming. Writing, which is often a creative escape, can suddenly feel like an impossible task when the world outside seems to be falling apart.
A writer might sit down to work on a light-hearted love story or a fantasy novel and suddenly feel like their project doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. They might wonder, “What’s the point of writing fiction when people are suffering?” This can lead to writer’s block or, at the very least, a sense of guilt about not focusing on more serious issues. Some authors even find it hard to separate their personal emotions from their work, which can be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, writing can become a way to process these heavy emotions. On the other hand, the emotional weight can be paralyzing.
Changes in Themes and Subject Matter
One of the most obvious ways world conflicts affect novelists is through the subjects they choose to write about. Global issues like war, migration, and social injustice often inspire writers to tackle heavier, more complex themes. We’ve seen this with books like Khaled Hosseini’s *The Kite Runner* or Mohsin Hamid’s *Exit West*, which dive deep into topics like displacement, identity, and survival.
It’s not just about writing direct accounts of conflict, though. Many writers use allegory or dystopian settings to reflect the world’s problems. Think about *The Hunger Games* by Suzanne Collins, which isn’t about any specific war but touches on themes like oppression, rebellion, and survival that resonate with current events. Authors might choose to write stories that aren’t set in our world but still comment on it in indirect ways.
For some, the decision to tackle global issues in fiction isn’t just an artistic choice—it’s a way of making sense of a chaotic world. Writing about characters who face impossible challenges or moral dilemmas can help authors work through their own feelings about the conflicts they see in the news.
Ethical Questions and Representation
When writing about global conflicts, novelists also have to think about how they’re representing the people and issues involved. There’s a big responsibility that comes with writing about war, political oppression, or humanitarian crises. Writers have to ask themselves: Am I doing justice to the experiences of real people? Am I portraying these events in a respectful and accurate way?
This can be particularly tricky for authors who haven’t lived through the conflicts they’re writing about. For example, an American novelist writing about the Syrian refugee crisis might worry about misrepresentation or unintentionally reinforcing stereotypes. In today’s world, where readers are quick to call out cultural insensitivity, writers have to tread carefully.
But even for writers who do have first-hand experience with conflict, there’s still the question of balance. How much of the real world should influence the fictional world? Do writers have a moral obligation to address these issues head-on, or is it okay to keep them in the background and focus on personal or more universal themes? There are no easy answers, and each writer has to navigate these ethical waters in their own way.
The Role of Escapism
While some writers choose to address global conflicts directly in their work, others take the opposite route—creating worlds that offer an escape from reality. During times of crisis, readers often turn to books that allow them to forget about the news for a while. For novelists, writing fantasy, romance, or science fiction can be a way of providing that escape.
Escapist fiction serves an important purpose. Stories about magical kingdoms, space exploration, or epic love stories can give readers (and writers) a break from the stress and sadness of the real world. For authors, writing these stories can be a form of self-care, allowing them to step away from the weight of current events and focus on crafting something hopeful or adventurous.
That being said, even escapist fiction can’t completely avoid reflecting the world’s problems. Writers often weave themes of power, oppression, or survival into their stories—intentionally or not—because these are the issues that preoccupy their minds. So, while a novel might take place in a fantasy world full of dragons, it could still carry deeper messages about resilience or fighting injustice.
Encouraging Empathy and Understanding
Despite all the challenges, world conflicts also give novelists the opportunity to build empathy through their writing. Fiction has a unique ability to transport readers into the lives and experiences of others, helping them understand different perspectives. In times of global conflict, novels can serve as a bridge between cultures, showing readers what it’s like to live through war, displacement, or political oppression.
This isn’t just important for readers—it’s also meaningful for writers. Crafting stories about people whose lives are very different from their own can help novelists explore their own feelings of empathy, guilt, and responsibility. It’s a way for them to connect with the world, even if they’re physically far removed from the conflicts they’re writing about.
In Conclusion
At the end of the day, novels can play a crucial role in opening people’s eyes to global issues and encouraging them to think critically about what’s happening in the world. By telling human stories, novelists can help readers see beyond the headlines and feel a deeper connection to the world’s struggles.
World-wide conflicts affect novelists in many ways, shaping not just the themes they explore but also the way they approach their craft. Whether they’re tackling global issues head-on or offering a much-needed escape, novelists have to navigate the emotional, ethical, and creative challenges that come with writing in a world full of unrest. And while it’s not always easy, their work can be a powerful tool for fostering empathy, sparking conversation, and, ultimately, helping people make sense of the world around them.
Happy writing and reading, folks.