Where Sime and Gen Meet, Creativity Happens
Workshop:RewritingForArt
by
M. Kathleen Crouch
(from an email message to Jacqueline Lichtenberg - May 2000)
Jacqueline,
You used the analogy of an artist who uses perspective to draw a
viewer's eye to the painting to explain how a writer draws the
reader's attention to the story. I'd like to expand a bit on that
topic.
An artist or painter uses perspective to draw the viewer's eye; he
uses color, texture, shape and position to draw the viewer's eye. A
composer/conductor uses Tempo, Melody, Instruments, Pacing and Time.
A cook uses Ingredients, Time, Temperature and Pacing to create his
culinary delight. A teacher uses Objectives, Goals, Testing and
Subject Matter to involve the student in a learning experience.
The writer uses all the elements of his craft to draw the reader into
his story. These elements are Idea, Plot, Characters, Theme, POV,
Description, Pacing, Challenges, and Tone - all the elements that made
up a story.
A lot has been written about these elements and I'm not going to
rewrite what others have done. What I do want to say is that as a
beginning writer, I was not conscious of the fact that the skills I
had in other areas - as an artist, a cook and a teacher - could be
transferred into the skills that a writer uses.
Yet, this is exactly what "Write what you know" really means. It's
not a limiting barrier as I thought; instead, it gives me the freedom
to use the skills I learned in another area. Because I am human, I
expected to learn all there was to know about writing from reading
what others wrote - their stories and their writing tips. I failed to
realize that I was only being given clues as to how to integrate and
transform what I already knew into to the skills and knowledge that
would allow me the freedom to write stories that would capture the
reader's attention and hold it through out the story, from beginning
to end.
I hadn't yet realized that "Write what you know" was not limiting me
to specific places, events, times, occupations or stories. "Write
what you know" mean to take what I have observed, filtered and learned
and incorporate it into what I wanted to write.
"Write what you know" does means that if I am writing about something
that many readers already know about - a particular place, time, event
or occupation, I had to have correct facts or I would definitely lose
the reader's attention.
The development of a new world/universe and its inhabitants has to
follow certain rules and facts that are unique to that world, even if
that world/universe and its people are the result of my imagination.
Each story written by a writer to draws the reader into his
world/universe to become involved with his characters and their
situations. That world may lie outside the reader's door or it may
lie only in the imagination of the writer. But there are common
elements that should be woven through the story that make the reader
want to know more about the writer's world/universe and the characters
he encounters.
Too many beginning writers want to be able to produce a quality work
long before they have mastered how to use the various elements,
forgetting that learning and applying what they have learned takes
time, patience and practice. Too many beginning writers fall in love
with their own words forgetting that skills and knowledge take time to
mature and grow and usually come only after lots and lots of practice.
It takes time to learn how to ride a bicycle without falling off; to
cook without burning the meal; to type without making mistakes; to.
well the list goes on and on. Why then do beginning writers assume
that they can create a perfect masterpiece the first time? Because
they are human and it's a human trait to want to be good the first
time.
This, of course, takes us to another facet of writing. Rewriting.
As an artist, I discarded many paintings and drawings that didn't meet
my criteria; as a cook, I've thrown out many dishes because they
weren't eatable; as a teacher, I've thrown away many teaching plans
because they didn't work. Why then couldn't I acknowledge that my
writing wasn't what it should be and discard it as well? Because I'm
human. I wanted it to be perfect the first time. Because I fell in
love with my story and my characters and couldn't see that I wasn't
allowing them the same freedom that I had.
I have the freedom to learn new skills and knowledge; I have the
freedom to accept new challenges; I have the freedom to adapt known
skills and knowledge to a new medium. However, my characters weren't
being given the same freedom and therefore they didn't grow and
mature.
The challenges that my characters faced were interesting, but they
didn't have one critical element. The characters weren't facing
challenges that could result in a real loss, so there was no
excitement, no threat that the character had to overcome by drawing on
their own knowledge and skill or by learning new knowledge or skills.
The story was dull and the characters floated through the story,
learning a little bit here and there, but not being challenged to do
much of anything.
Just as there are peak and valleys in our own lives, so too, there
should be peaks and valleys in the lives of my characters. Just as I
set objectives and goals, so too, the characters should set objectives
and goals. Just as I have problems and setbacks, so too, the
characters should have problems and setbacks.
My life may not be as exciting as that of my characters; but if I
want others to want to know more about my characters, to care for them
and want to know more about their world and universe, then I have to
present them with challenges that make them interesting; challenges
that allow them to grow and mature.
I've learned that I can't produce a masterpiece without work, without
going through the process of transforming what I know into something
that stands out like a beacon and shouts to others, "Here I am. Read
me. See what I have to offer."
Kathleen Crouch
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