Legacy; the most common definition of this word is of something handed down (as from an ancestor or predecessor). I have seen on the internet and heard in interviews this question being put to writers of varying success; "what do you want your legacy to be?" Because of this I thought I would think through my view on this. That way, if anyone should ask me this question in the future, I can direct them to this post (sort of pre-emptive laziness!)
As a writer one leaves a legacy of work behind. Every word put to paper (or in digital format) is likely to survive past the span of your years. Perhaps we can ignore this fact and simply proceed putting down anything that comes to mind. After all, that’s what blogging is about, and pretty much what I’m doing right now. Yet is that the best approach to take? Is there not a higher purpose that a writer should aspire to?
Of course, the answer to that depends very much on what you want your legacy to be. If you are happy to be dismissed out of hand as being frivolous and of little to no consequence, then legacy is not much of a concern. Unfortunately for me, I’m not happy with that. In my heart of hearts, I want to leave a legacy that has meaning, insight and effects people (yes, I mean effect, not affect; think about it!)
That may seem a strange (and perhaps unattainable) ambition for someone who writes predominantly in the fantasy genre, but it is there all the same.
(For the record, I believe the fantasy genre has a greater potential for depth than other genres, but perhaps I should be writing “proper literature”? – Pah! But anyway, back to the topic.)
The problem comes when you realise that your legacy will be decided, in the most part, by other people. Try as you might to create stories that have specific depths beyond the entertaining tale on the surface, those depths will or will not be perceived by your readers. Then there is the accidental legacy; the things seen in your work that are entirely unintentional and may or may not even be there.
The thing is, writing is an art form, and all art is subjective.
So, after all that, I have come to the conclusion to carry on writing to the best of my ability without thought to legacy. My legacy as a writer will be decided by others, and will probably bare no relation to what I think it is or should be. Of course, I will write with the aim of creating a “good” legacy; at the least I would want to be known for writing entertaining stories. When it comes down to it however, I will be what others see in my work, not what I try to put there. So, why worry?
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