Monday, March 16, 2015

The Influence of a Life

Terry Pratchett died.

I don't quite know what I think about this, because I haven't quite come to grips with how I feel about it. I mean, it's not like I was what you'd call a fan of Pratchett's writing in that I haven't read any of the Discworld books. The only thing by him that I've read is Good Omens, and I read that because of Neil Gaiman.

However, there is no denying the influence he's had, through Gaiman, on my writing "career." In fact, it would be safe to say that without Prachett, I would never have started writing. It was one of the first things I talked about way back in the time before time when I started this blog: 400 Words. So there it is, even without ever really reading anything Prachett wrote, I would never have decided to "sit down and do the writing" without him. He gave it a context for me as something that was possible.

Knowing that he's gone has left me with a... hollow feeling just below my sternum. You could say that I'm sad, and I am, but it's not exactly like sadness. It's just the feeling of something missing that ought to be there. It's left me feeling more than a bit out of sorts.

It's also made me think about "influence" and what that means. How we influence people. How often we are deliberate in our influence. What impact do we, do I, have on the people around me? All of that but, specifically, as a writer. What do I want my influence to be?

Of course, when writers talk about influence, they are usually talking about what influenced their style. Or their genre. If they are talking about the why, it's usually in some less practical way of "When I read Tolkien as a kid, I wanted to grow up and create worlds just like he did." And I have had unmistakable influences on the things I write about. There's a direct nod to Lewis in The House on the Corner and one to Tolkien in Christmas on the Corner and, when I needed to develop my villain for Shadow Spinner and was trying to think of the scariest thing I'd ever "encountered," it was a character of Gaiman's that came to mind.

But, still, none of that would have mattered if I had never sat down to do the writing, and I have no one else to look to for that influence other than Gaiman for telling the story about how Pratchett started out. Gaiman wouldn't have had the story to tell without Pratchett.

All of that to say that I feel a great sense of loss at Pratchett's passing. And, yes, while everyone knew it was coming (of course, death is coming for everyone, so we knew it was coming), this is one of those battles where knowing doesn't help anything. I knew my grandfather was going to die when I was 20, but it was still devastating when it happened, and we knew my mother-in-law was going to die, but that still rocked our family. I wish I could tell his family the impact that he had on me. Not that it really helps, except that it does.

Not to mention, if there's anyone out there that I may one day look like, it's probably Terry Pratchett.
According to my wife, I just need to make a shift to black.
And, yes, that really is how I go out. I had no idea about Pratchett and his signature black fedora until I was writing this post.

18 comments:

  1. Add the black and a smile, and you're really close.
    He did have an impact on the world, although he wasn't an author I read. That's great his work prompted you to write. I guess if we're talking influences, losing Terry Brooks will have the biggest impact on me. Although I am still feeling the loss of Leonard Nimoy.

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    1. Alex: Pratchett's not smiling. His facial hair just covers up his non-smile better than mine.

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  2. Congratulations on being able to wear a fedora successfully without looking like a huge douche. Seriously, it fits you well. If I tried to wear one I'd just look like the world's hugest douche-bro.

    Fedora bro

    On a serious note, I was sad to hear of Terry's passing too. We both were. He was a HUGE influence for both of us. But if anything, it only inspires us to keep writing humor fiction. There's not a lot of it, and judging by the response of his passing, the world clearly loves it.

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    1. ABftS: You know, the ability to wear a hat well is a skill. When you need something to keep your head from burning all summer, it's a skill you learn. Or you get skin cancer.

      I have the first few Discworld books. They're going to get moved toward the top of my stack. See, I have been intending to read them for a while.

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  3. You also look just like my brother! Twins. Wow.

    And I've never read Pratchett, but I know from the outpouring of grieving writer souls online that he is one I must pick up and read soon.

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    1. L.G.: Maybe, I am your brother!
      heh heh heh heh

      Okay, no... but yes.
      But no.

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    2. That's just what he would have said! Ha!

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    3. L.G.: I think I have no response to that.
      Does he eat avocado?

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  4. Wow. I haven't seen you with a full beard before. You're definitely Pratchett-esque. Maybe tease your eyebrows out a bit.

    You can tell someone was great by the void left by their absence.

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    1. Jeanne: You've seen me without a full beard? This beard is nearly 20 years old.

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  5. I've never read Pratchett either, but he has obviously had a massive impact on the writing world. He's been someone on my list for a long time, but I've just never grabbed one of his books. Love the fedora, by the way.

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    1. Shannon: If nothing else, he had a massive impact on Gaiman. He was also Britain's best selling author all through the 90s.
      Thanks!

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  6. You look better in your fedora than he does in his.

    I've only read "Good Omens," too, although I know he's the guy who did the world balanced on turtles, right? "It's turtles all the way down"?

    So I'm not as affected as you are, but it's still sad he's gone.

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    1. Briane: Well, he's wearing his a little too far back on his head so that it kind of looks like a pointy, wizard hat. Maybe that's the idea; I don't know.

      I'm pretty sure the world is balanced on elephants standing on a turtle? I don't remember. But, then, I haven't read the books, yet.

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  7. Death is a weird thing we know people are going to die and we're going to die but much of the time we go on like it will never happen. But I guess that's the best way to deal with it otherwise I guess we'd be all distraught thinking about it.

    Legacy is something to consider in many respects--family, friends, career, creative work. Then again maybe it's not as important as we often think it is. Still I prefer to think that legacy does matter somewhere in the bigger picture of things as well as in the micro.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    A Faraway View

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  8. Lee: I suppose it depends upon the point of view you take. Once I'm gone, I won't care anymore, but it matters to me, now, whether that's something rational or not.

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  9. Your tribute is great. Beyond switching to black, you may want to work on your wacky eyebrow formations.

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    1. Kings: Yeah, I know about the eyebrows. I'm currently in a state of negotiation with them. I don't mind unruly as long as they aren't too unruly.

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