: Re: Do writers write philosophical essays? I'm son to two philosophers, and maybe this shaped too much my way of understanding the world. I think a lot, or maybe thinking means a lot to me. And,
My answer basically agrees with @Amadeus , but I want to emphasize the relation between fiction, nonfiction, and philosophy.
Nonfiction (science) writing is the farthest from fiction (obviously). Philosophy is not necessarily nonfiction. In some regards, philosophy is like fiction, ie. what axioms are assumed come from one's thoughts/beliefs much like purposeful fiction. Of course, philosophy is more about logical reasoning than telling a story and philosophy is meant to answer questions (or more specifically, provide a possible answer based on assumptions and logic).
Something to note is that good fiction also obeys logic through world and character building. Writing quality logic in nonfiction works can improve your logic in fiction writing.
Philosophical essays typically use a formal structure and direct logic, but --as you noted-- not always. Heidegger was very poetic in his writing, and there are also dialogues, such as Plato's works, that express the reasoning.
As @Amadeus said, fiction is mostly for entertainment. Whether that entertainment brings joy, sorrow, or whatever doesn't matter. It's still entertainment. I'll read and enjoy plenty of tragedies if they move me and expand my horizons.
That last sentence is the focus of this answer. There is a connection between philosophy and fiction, or at least there can be. For me, I love stories because it introduces new concepts into my life and I witness characters interacting in ways I may not have seen people do so before. It increases my awareness of certain things, inspires me, and teaches/reveals things too. Philosophy accomplishes the same goals for me as well: I learn new concepts, thinking/reasoning patterns, and understand how people think.
Good fiction, imho, not only entertains but also carries a message. That message is either in part or entirely a philosophy. You could think of fiction as a different way of expressing philosophy. Some philosophers were artistic (ie. Heidegger and Plato).
There are many nonfiction people who write or do art, and so I would not worry if I were you. All of these things simply take practice and understanding. Keep writing and experimenting.
As an example, I have written nonfiction scientific articles, philosophical essays, and fiction, and I also enjoy drawing/sketching and making music. Granted my works are not the greatest, but practice makes perfect. I am certain you could write great fiction as well as other works.
You state you fear becoming a critic. This depends on what you mean by that, but in my opinion, I believe good writers and artists are/should always be critics. By critic here, I mean a constructive critic. One with a good eye in the craft to spot what nuances affect certain things, like the affect of word choice or including a scene in a story. You do not have to be a critic in the negative sense where you either look down at other's work or tear people's choices apart mercilessly. Given your fear of being a critic and if that negative connotation of critic is what you mean, then I doubt you'll become that. I also encourage you and every writer to seek and give constructive criticism. It helps all parties involved grow to be better writers and to understand the craft more.
tl;dr
You can most definitely write philosophical essays, nonfiction works, and fiction. I have done so, as have others who have written more and admittedly with better quality in all 3 types than myself. To write works you are proud of and that others appreciate will take practice. Always seek and give constructive criticism to improve your writing and understanding.
Also, these writing types can overlap. Fiction can be used to express philosophy and also teach nonfiction (ie. commerce, science). Of course there is varying levels of coverage and quality, but it is still possible. Writing in one will help to some degree in writing the others.
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