Bittercon: Limits and Stereotypes - Do they stifle, or spur creativity?

[pameladlloyd]

My eldest son and I were talking this afternoon and he brought up the issue of limits, such as censorship, which can sometimes have the effect of increasing creativity, rather than decreasing it, as writers (and other artists) find creative ways around and through the censorship. He commented that he sometimes wondered if such concepts as stereotypes, or archetypal characters, might not opperate in much the same way, by spurring us to find new ways to make "old" characters "new." It was such a wonderful, thoughtful comment, that I decided to add it to Bittercon if there were no similar topics. Finding none, I will host this one.

What are your thoughts?

Can we see stereotypes or archetypes as limits? And, if we do, do those limits hem us in, making writing more difficult, or do they push our creative buttons?

Comments

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

BTW, the topic Forgotten Treasures (http://intertext.livejournal.com/169410.html), over on intertext's journal is already going strong, as we discover the children's fantasy and sf that we grew up with, as well as the books we missed, but our LJ friends loved.

[satimaflavell.livejournal.com]

Thanks for both responses, Pema. I'll certainly check out some of the discussions!

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome.

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

That discussion seems to be left over from the last Bittercon, though I would certainly be interested in joining in if people want to rescusitate it!

Interestngly two that are mentioned there are ones I did read only as an adult, through what she calls the "Harry Potter Effect": the Swallows and Amazons books and Elizabeth Goudge's The Little White Horse and Swallows and Amazons.

And then there's E. Nesbit's Harding's Luck which I read as an adult because I only learned it existed when I came across the Gutengerg version... though I've loved its companion book House of Arden since I was about ten.

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

I finally realized that, but not until after I'd posted in response to a couple of other posts or comments. I don't know if it was just me, being muddle-headed, or the fact I'd broken my glasses earlier and couldn't see the screen clearly. I'm feeling a bit embarrassed about jumping into the con early, and possibly drawing others in which me, but the LiveJournal writing crowd seems to be a kind and forgiving bunch, so I'm hoping no one will be too upset with me.