This month's question is for the Avalon Western writers.
What made you choose the Western genre? How do you get new ideas given that the Wild West really only covers a narrow chunk of history in a very specific part of the world.
And one for the readers--what is it you enjoy about Westerns?
10 comments:
I don't write Westerns, but I grew up reading them and, to an even greater extent, watching them. They are the stories that formed a large part of my value system. Most important, I think, they're stories where good triumphs over evil, hard work over adversity, where integrity is rewarded - in other words, the stuff of any good story. And the setting - you can't beat the scenery in a good Western.
They're all very good points, Sandy.
And sometimes there is the intriguing anti-hero--the mysterious stranger with the murky past. The man we're never 100% sure is going to come through on the right side of the law but who lives by his own strict moral code.
where to start? i grew up in cattle country--so wide open it made you feel insignificant, yet powerful. my heroes have always been cowboys. (sound familiar-okay, so i stole the phrase--)
it might have been only a short period, but that span was so dynamic that the ideas flowing from it will never cease.
Very true, Kent. Recently I've heard from people who ONLY read Westerns. I suppose that is really no different than me preferring the Regency era which lasted 9 years.
Growing up the only books in my house was the Bible and my daddy's Westerns. Because he kept them hidden in his sock drawer I was tempted to sneak and read them, wondering why he hid them. I discovered a wonderful world of adventure, good vs evil and no matter what--the good guys always won. The old west was a special time in history. I guess that's why I enjoy writing westerns. For a little while, I get to escape, ride the range, herd cattle, a knock off bad guys.
Let me guess, Loretta - you were a serious tomboy.
Tomboy-oh, yes, very much so. I've mellowed some--traded in my horse for a motorcycle. Instead of sitting in a deer stand, I now sit in a typing chair. But, it's all good.
For me the western is the most versatile of the genres - adventure, mystery, romance, comedy, literary (even sf, fantasy and horror) all work well within a western setting. All the best and worst that humanity can do, love, hate, greed, is there because you're dealing with a time when women were real women, men were real men and sheep were really scared.
As regards generating new ideas, frankly there's no need. I only ever write one story and I just change the names of my characters (only joking!).
As you all know, I also write Cowboy romance. Can't tell you what a delight it was to see my cowboys on the top best sellers right along with Louis L'Amour. I think I've read every single book he ever wrote! Love, love westerns...cowboys, boots, hats, the swagger, the ten foot tall and bullet proof attitude!
I guess it was a time when (we imagine) life was lived right on the edge. It was tough to survive in a relatively hostile environment, the Civil War left a lot of displaced, damaged men wandering about searching for a place to start again and people had to be strong. Those conditions as Ian said, bring out the best and the worst in people. And the sort of people who were attracted to that life were either brave, greedy for land and power, desperate, or generally wanting a different way of life from that of the cities.
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