In the world of traditional writing, we are often indoctrinated into familiar structures like the three-act play or the Hero's Journey. These formulas have become the standard, but my approach is different. My writing is shaped by my experience as a fine artist, and it's through that lens that I like to bend, stretch, and sometimes break the rules.
Living with mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, gives me access to a vivid and complex internal world. I take those delusions of grandeur, those wild fantasies, and use them to create characters who live inside my head. This isn't just a random collection of ideas, though. It's an ongoing conversation, a stream of consciousness where internal monologues and dialogues flow freely. It may seem chaotic, but it is deeply rooted in my extensive studies of fine art surrealism—from the ancient cave paintings to the modern masters.
Surrealism itself is a rebellion against traditional forms and structures. Modern artists broke the rules, shattered the expectations of what art should be. If they could do it with visual art, why can't I do the same with writing? I don’t follow the "rules" of storytelling because my art demands that I follow the story wherever it leads, no matter how unconventional.
And it’s not just about the words. Every one of my books is illustrated, proving that I possess the craft of drawing and painting. These illustrations are an extension of the story, visually expressing the chaotic beauty that exists in the worlds I create.
If you want to explore my world further, check out my collection of illustrated books here: https://danjoyceart.com/collections/illustrated-books.
by Dan and Bonkers
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