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| FAKE STONEHENGE *image from LONDONIST.COM |
It is the function of art to renew our
perception. What we are familiar with we cease to see. The writer shakes up the
familiar scene, and, as if by magic, we see a new meaning in it. ~ Anais Nin
I
spent a few minutes in retrospection and it occurred to me that while I’ve been
writing I’ve been wading waist-deep in words and constantly snagged by
rules.
Words
are fluid like the sea.
In
the expanse of words:
some float on the surface and are easy to
reach – constantly in use
some are deep
some are frothy – they look pretty only at first glance
words change their intensity depending on
the light of meaning, and emotional impact.
Rules
are nets that try to shape words into rigid forms:
some are like seawalls – necessary
barriers that stop words flooding everywhere.
like groynes, some rules intrude in and
among the words; they are designed to shape our understanding.
constantly submerged in words, the rules change – eventually; they are
worn down by use.
Who
says I can’t stretch a metaphor into a simile :D *hahaha
THREE
REVELATIONS:
While
I have been spending far-too-long thinking about writing, I realised I have
learned three important things:
·
No matter what you are writing, the basic
material has been used before.
·
It’s how you put the elements together with
creativity and flare that creates “voice.”
And
voice is the only thing that is unique.
·
You can be positively inspired by something
that has been done before.
WHAT HAVE YOU REALISED ABOUT WRITING?
"Voice" is one of those abstract concepts people like to throw around, but then what they really want is for everyone to write in first-person present-tense with a white sixteen-year-old girl narrator. Maybe I'm exaggerating. Sometimes it feels like not by much.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, every book sounds about the same to me when I read it because it's MY voice in my head when I'm reading. I mean I don't even know you, let alone what you sound like.
Hi PT
DeleteRock you with I don't think such a thing as voice exists.
I think it does.
When I'm writing I'd love to be able to whisper - I don't think it comes out that way.
Both openings are MG:
He wasn't looking he was sitting with his eyes wide open.
It was early. The sun was bright enough to send fingers of shadows up the wall but not warm enough to chase Jack’s chill away.
I stopped crawling. The space under the bush was dark. Parting the branches, I peered out and held my breath and waited. I curled smaller, pulled at my navy cardigan until it covered my white school shirt. Outside, there were giggles and snapping from the dried twigs that littering the ground. Inside, my heart beat drummed come-get-me. Behind me, something shushed and it wasn’t the wind blowing through the leaves.
Love the metaphors and the fake stonehenge
ReplyDeleteHi Madeline
DeleteThe Fake Stonehenge is spectacular. I'm glad you enjoyed my musings on writing. I think I got a bit carried away on the tide of... ;)
Enjoyed this post. I am editing at the moment and your sentence, "What we are familiar with we cease to see," caught my eye. Good to meeet you.
ReplyDeleteHi Suzanne
DeleteThanks for the follow :D
I've been scribing in pen and regretting having to type it all again after. It's the one bad habit I love.