I am a writer. A true writer, writing with my heart and soul. And I love fantasy and taking on other roles. Let me tell you why:
I have loved fantasy all my life. Fantasy books, fantasy films, fantasy computer games and fantasy Role Playing Games (RPGs). It enables me to view the world from other viewpoints. I can take on the roles of heroes, magicians, thieves, and I can be a part of their world. Whenever I read a good fantasy book, I'm losing myself in it. I start seeing the world in my head. There is no cheaper way to make journeys to different times and places and to visit other worlds which are sometimes exotic, sometimes frightening, but always interesting.
Some years ago, I played a pen and paper RPG with friends of mine. The Dark Eye. My favourite character was a female burglar, a thief, a woman fleeing from her family and husband. I simply loved taking on her role, acting and speaking like she would do. Nobody was harmed, nobody lost anything while playing. And I'm by no means a real thief or burglar. I would never even think of taking another one's property. But my character did. It was just her nature.
My experiences with fantasy and RPGs have taught me one valuable lesson: I can see the world through the eyes of other people, other characters. And I can see a world completely or partly different from ours.
It is only consequent that I love writing fantasy most. I write fantasy stories for children, teenagers and adults. My wish is that I can take them on a journey into my worlds, into my fantasy, and that they will enjoy this journey as much as I enjoy mine.
In my opinion, being a writer and loving fantasy and RPGs goes hand in hand. Every writer needs to take on the roles of their characters. Those characters can differ greatly from oneself. They can have a different cultural background, different moral views; they can even be from the opposite sex. Playing RPGs can teach the ability to see the world through different eyes. I can write and play a really bad guy without being a bad guy in real life. However, if I don't have the ability to take on another role, all my writing characters will be like me, the writer.
You see, fantasy and RPGs have had a great impact on my writing and I hope that my writing will take future generations on fantastic journeys too.
You can find Saoirse O'Mara at:
saoirseomara.wordpress.com
@saoirseomara (twitter)
Saoirse O'Mara (facebook)
