MEET MY INNER GEEK. SHE’S CALLED LEA.
I have never been into cosplay, am only slightly obsessed with characters from my favorite sci-fi or fantasy shows, I read a few comics every week, keep myself updated on some branches of particle and optical physics, and play and invent tabletop games. So I’m not what you might call a big-time geek. But those areas where the fangirl in me does peek out are precious to me. They run side-by-side with my other hobby, writing books.
Many writers start out writing fanfiction, short or long stories playing out in the fiction universe of their choice. I wish I’d started like that. Fanfiction readers are plentiful and highly observant, interested more in the made-up world and the characters than in literary devices and comma placement. Outside of fanfiction, authors must rely on their fellow writers, who will examine their manuscript with the eagle eye of a grammar enforcer or a proponent of so-and-so’s layering technique. They will throw words at you like “filter,” “echo word,” and “deep POV.” Useful advice designed to smooth the reading experience, but often as removed from the plot and the joy of writing as the deep-sea jellyfish is from dry land.
The two sides of me were destined to remain apart. Until I met Lea, that is. Lea is a character in my book Divide and Conquer. She’s a physicist looking for…something. Her career isn’t going as she’s hoped. She wants to work in a lab and unravel the mysteries of the universe. You know, do something that truly matters. Instead, the only jobs available to her since graduation have been barista at Starbucks and technical translator. She meets Nieve, a straight-talking, straight-thinking female warrior from a different world who makes all sorts of weird claims about Lea’s heritage and her fate. Before she knows it, Lea’s life changes. Being on the geeky side has always set her apart from friends, and even with the promise of a glowing destiny to bolster her confidence, it’s hard for her to relate to people who’ve never watched Stargate or delighted in playing World of Warcraft.
As depressing and lonely Lea might seem, she’s actually one of the funniest people around. Her wit and her smarts make me smile. I get her. Many of my readers prefer Nieve’s no-nonsensitude and her budding romance, but I relate particularly to Lea’s search for meaning and belonging. And to the joy she gets from immersing herself in an alien world, where adventures are exciting and uplifting and the hero ALWAYS wins.
Over the months, I’ve met quite a few fellow geek authors and readers. It’s gratifying to know I’m not the only one. We might be a minority, but we share the one strength that distinguishes geeks from the rest of the population. We’re dedicated to our particular object of geekdom.
That’s not to say I don’t identify with Nieve. She’s the person I wish I were, someone with discipline and a deep sense of loyalty and honor.
What I’m wondering is how you communicate with those that don’t share your particular obsession with a particular author or character or universe or hobby? Are you able to compartmentalize? Or do you force your geek on others, secure in the knowledge that once they understand just how wonderful and rich your chosen area is, they are sure to fall in love with it the way you did?
*Sto-vo-Kor = Klingon afterlife/heaven
July 6, 2014
I turned my husband onto Supernatural through the Impala. He’s a big car guy, so he came for the muscle car and stayed for the brothers fighting demons, despite his initial scoffing at the show’s concept.
July 6, 2014
Watching a repeat of Supernatural now. NOT for the Impala. 🙂
July 7, 2014
I tend to explore common grounds in conversations with others by touching on a variety of subjects. Forcing my geek on others is not in my nature, nor do I find that necessary. My entire being engages whenever I find a like-minded individual who gets me and my enthusiam for anything I feel passionate about. I do compartmentalize my many inner geeks. There are the artist, the science nut, the bookworm, the traveler, the explorer, the pet keeper, the therapy dog tainer, the volunteer worker, the music lover, the computer builder, the wood worker, the gardene, the gamer, just to mention the main ones. If someone feels inspired by something I enjoy doing, the more power to them. Meanwhile, I am enjoying my life and suround myself with like-minded individuals.
July 7, 2014
Wise attitude, Claudia. I occasionally get carried away. If someone asks how to translate “Gitter” into English, I don’t just say “grating,” I often explain how diffraction gratings work. 🙂 It’s the same with Stargate, X-Com, Farscape, some comics I like, and many others. Sigh. I try to curtail my enthusiasm, but sometimes it runs away from me.