The Why’s of Writing Dark

I write dark stories. Why? Writing, for me, is about vulnerability and discovery. I give my characters 'mortality.' I make them vulnerable. They have secrets--things they don't want anyone to see. Then, slowly, I hurt them. On the inside. Until, finally, what they've believed about themselves is revealed. And always, it's a lie.

You see, I don't write to help readers escape. I write because I too am a reader, and I read because I want to see how others (even characters) navigate real life. It's in the stories that we learn about ourselves. And we don't just learn the truth about human frailty, we discover how even the weakest can overcome. Just a thought. XO