Laying the Foundations of a new Visionary Fiction Sub-genre – Guest Post by Gordon Keirle-Smith

Authors writing in the realm of Visionary Fiction are tremendously privileged in that they are only limited by the scope of their own creativity – or by their ability to connect with a source of inspiration beyond themselves. They also have a tremendous responsibility, for our shifting world desperately needs their unfettered vision and the catalytic catharsis they can bring about by communicating that vision to a wider audience.

The goal

Simply stated, we can say that Visionary Fiction has the power to open up readers’ awareness of broader dimensions, stimulate their imaginations, and create a much-needed relief from the pressures and challenges of our frenetic, “connected” epoch.

One step beyond

Let us imagine for a moment how we could take this further and devise a technique capable of blurring the line between fact and fable sufficiently to suspend disbelief more completely. We would then be free to draw readers into an ethos of meta-reality (transcending normal awareness) so that fiction can morph into perceived truth long enough to cross the threshold of rationality and sow the seeds of visualization. At which point doors can open to even more fascinating possibilities.

Getting there

Noble principles. But how can we reach such a goal? Is it really achievable? The only way of being sure we are making our mark is to closely monitor readers’ feedback and reviews, hoping we can excite comments like these:

“Once you have turned the last page, you can return to your linear world, to the safety of those physical or metaphysical explanations for our existence you have always taken for granted. But if you have just read this book, they will never be the same.”

“The book created many questions, which is great. It stretched my mind beyond what I knew. Who can say it is not based on real facts? What it made me do was research other religions, past lives, the in between and lost cities, to name just a few…”

This “extension” of Visionary Fiction, exploring a world that transcends reality, may be further defined as a combination of “True Fable” and “Crafted Facts.” The fable is the ongoing story, with its paranormal, ancestral, metaphysical components and inspirational essence, while the crafted facts provide solid contemporary corroboration of these archetypal events, giving them an aura of believability. These ancillary elements can take many forms; press cuttings, advertisements, radio or TV interview transcriptions, diary entries, e-mails, scientific papers, web pages and even vehement criticism from opponents to the fundamental principles being expressed!

For example, if your fable features unicorns, you can include a paper on the discovery of a unicorn hind’s skull in Pennsylvania in April 2012 (backed by photographic evidence) or an article about a young deer spotted in an Italian nature reserve with a single, central antler… If these components are presented convincingly enough, the original “fable” gains much more credibility than it could possibly command otherwise. Readers can get a very long way into such a book before fully realising that everything is part of a multi-layered parallel reality demonstrating the highly subjective nature of “perception” and “truth.” The variety in layout, typefaces, and presentation of these various elements also gives this kind of book added credence, and may even make printed versions more attractive, since many readers perceive them as being more “collectable” than text-only or e-books. Our illustration demonstrates the potential diversity.  

Defining the sub-genre

This multi-layered invention designed as a means of giving authority to the impossible has been dubbed “meta-realist allegory.”

Wikipedia defines the allegory as a “literary device, in its most general sense an extended metaphor. It has been used widely throughout history in all forms of art, largely because it can readily illustrate complex ideas and concepts in ways that are comprehensible or striking to its viewers, readers, or listeners.”

“Writers or speakers typically use allegories as literary or rhetorical devices that convey hidden meanings through symbolic actions, imagery, and/or events, which together create the moral, spiritual, or political meaning the author wishes to convey.”

It would be fair to say that most Visionary Fiction has an allegorical aspect. By adding the meta-realist elements described above with their added symbolical connotation and “irrefutable” assertions, the whole visionary message comes alive, making it really possible to stimulate visualization and everything that implies.

Dangers of disenchantment

Like everything else, this approach does have a downside and must be carefully managed. Since the suspension of disbelief is so compelling, different readers experience their “Epiphany Moment” (realizing all is invention) at different times. Naturally, some fully understand the genre from the outset, particularly if they have noted the Visionary Fiction Alliance Association or see through the carefully worded disclaimers. This audience is likely to relish the way the various elements and intrigues are orchestrated, although being fully aware of how the allegory is structured does not prevent many from still wistfully thinking, “Yes, but what if?”

Others are completely drawn into the ethos and have faith in the veracity of what they are reading. On average, readers in this category will have their “EM” about 25% into a work of this kind, probably when they try to find some corroborative information from independent sources on the Internet. By this point, the crafted facts and true fables are so intricately intertwined that most of them willingly continue to suspend all disbelief. Readers in this category are most likely to follow through into visualization and ultimately contribute to manifestation.

There is a third category consisting of those who refuse to acknowledge the allegorical nature of the genre, subscribing wholeheartedly to the authenticity of both “fable” and “facts” until the very end. An “EM” at this point, or later, can result in total disenchantment or even resentment leading to feelings of having been duped; a dangerous scenario that could result in disparaging reviews. Authors should therefore make every effort to handle this type of situation with great care.

Summary

All the components of the “meta-realist allegory” are woven together in a fabric designed to draw readers little by little into an enveloping ethos that blurs the line between fact and fable. Readers find themselves so totally convinced by the compelling, fully documented ancillary material that the original “fable” gains greatly enhanced credibility. It can take readers some considerable time to fully realize that everything is part of a multi-layered invention demonstrating the highly subjective nature of “perception” and “truth.” Making everything – and anything – possible.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Author Bio

Initially a compulsive writer of poems, dramatic monologues and radio plays, from 1967 – 1973, Gordon Keirle-Smith was a visionary artist, producing highly symbolic paintings. Everything changed when he met Johfra and Ellen Lorien, two founder members of the Dutch meta-realist visionary art movement. He desperately wanted to emulate them… but lacked the formal training needed to come anywhere near their technical mastery… He therefore decided to start painting with words rather than oils and brushes. In 1973, he moved to France, where he drafted the first version of “Zandernatis” incorporating all the symbolic and visionary images he would never have had the time – or the skill – to paint. After a series of contrasting careers, Gordon founded his own communications coaching, copywriting and transcreation business in 1994, allowing him to hone his journalistic, creative writing and copy editing skills in an incredibly diverse range of fields. Perfect grounding for what came next. In 2013, he unearthed the original typescript of “Zandernatis” and began updating it, adding the innovative aspects of the work he was now able to introduce. Two years later, all three volumes of “Zandernatis – Where Legends Were Born” – a definitive “meta-realist allegory,” had been published with translation into French underway.