Lecture Notes on "Writing for Your Id" by Dr. Jennifer L. Barnes

Introduction

• Speaker: Dr. Jennifer L. Barnes
  • Author of YA novels.
  • Expert in cognitive science and psychology of media fandom.
  • Studies why humans engage with fictional stories.

Key Questions

1. Why Fiction?

   • Humans spend resources on fiction despite knowing it's not real.

2. Why That Book?

   • Understanding why certain books become bestsellers.

Theories of Fiction

• Evolutionary Psychology Perspective:
  • Fiction might enhance empathy, morality, or social cohesion.
  • Steven Pinker's "Pleasure Technology" Theory:
    • Fiction delivers pre-existing pleasures hardwired in the human brain, similar to enjoying cheesecake.

Writing and Craft

• Craft vs. Popularity:
  • Quality of craft does not always correlate with reader popularity or sales.

Writing for Your Id

• Concept of Id (Freudian):
  • The impulsive, pleasure-seeking part of the self.
• Editing Pleasures In:
  • Don't self-edit out pleasurable elements.
  • Balance craft with gut-level fun pleasures.
• Guilty Pleasures:
  • Challenge the notion of "guilty pleasures" in writing.

Universal Pleasures in Fiction

1. Sex and Touch
   • Romantic touch and physical closeness.
2. Beauty
   • Beautiful characters, settings, and themes.
3. Wealth
   • Elements of high resources and luxury.
4. Power
   • High-status characters and power dynamics.
5. Competition
   • Conflict and rivalries.
6. Danger
   • Safe danger, providing thrills without real risk.

Applying Idiosyncratic Pleasures

• Id List:
  • Personal tropes and themes that resonate deeply.
  • Examples: identical twins, amnesia, secret passageways.
• Integrating Id into Books:
  • Use personal preferences to enhance and diversify stories.

Practical Steps

• Pleasure Inventory:
  • Identify which pleasures your story taps into and enhance them.
• Id List Construction:
  • Maintain a comprehensive list of tropes and themes you enjoy.
• Conscious Inclusion:
  • Intentionally insert these elements into your writing.

Analyzing Successful Works

• Case Studies:
  • Examples: Hunger Games, Twilight, Titanic.
  • They all hit multiple universal pleasure points.

Conclusion

• Maximizing Pleasure:
  • Combine universal pleasures with your idiosyncratic tastes.
• Further Learning:
  • Exploration of various psychological theories on fiction.

Q&A Highlights

• Repetition of Tropes:
  • Balance reuse of tropes with new elements.
• Pleasure vs. Displeasure:
  • Displeasure can enhance pleasure when balanced correctly.