Letter 31: August 4, 2008
Several readers answered my remarks two weeks ago about the teaching of writing - which were inspired mostly by books on writer's block in college, by people like Keith Hjortshoj (a practical, readable little book, check it out). Holly Jahangiri and I have been discussing productive writing for years. Holly's the author of new children's book... children's new book... Trockle (check that out too). She comments My writing teachers were kind and encouraging, even when scratching out lines of red-inked critique all over the margins. (Hey, that means it's fixable, right? They actually took the time to READ it, right?) This "I write for myself" business doesn't work for me at all. How dull. I write for YOU, dammit. And the worst thing that can happen is that you either ignore me and my writing, or you fall asleep while reading it. Almost any reaction is better than that. And she continues For me, structure and rules - the five-point paragraph, the sonnet form, etc. - are a rack on which to hang my hat. I actually use them when I can't think of anything to write - they give me a framework on which to grow an idea. When the ideas flow, take root, gain strength, I can remove the trellis, do a graft here and there, prune an unsightly twig or three over there... it's a starting place and a refuge when I'm stuck. Kind of the opposite of the way you see it, I guess.
I doubted that when I read it, because I've written here before now about the value of fleshing a new work onto the skeleton of an old one. But that mostly applies to non-fiction. So in fact Holly's right about the way I see creative writing. Another reader sums it up: I was taught the American five-paragraph template until I moved to France and relearned to write there. While my spelling and syntax were never a problem, I was never successful with the five paragraph format. In fact, I have yet to meet someone who has had great success with this. By the time I was a sophomore, I was unable to pass most of our writing exams. When I went to France, I learned to write using their templates. When I returned, I was at the top of my English classes, even though I was translating most of the essay from French to English. My conclusion is that the five paragraph template does not work. And this reader continues: In light of this, I would like to put forth something that is mentioned in American schools, but not emphasized. It is the detailed outline. In France, we would write a very basic outline and then make it more and more detailed. These outlines were often graded and then handed back before we could write the paper. Write the outline detailed enough, and the paper will write itself. Oftentimes I would spend a few days on the outline, but the paper itself would only take about an hour. For creative writing, I tend to be a flow writer, but for persuasive, philosophical or analytical writing, the outline is the way to go. It's incredibly difficult at first, but starting with a rough structure and then filling in the details without worrying about how to word it can really streamline the process.
So, as usual, and as I was saying recently, here we have two opposite ways to approach productivity. Both are useful in the right circumstances. Something you can try today: if you’re dealing with difficulty in writing, is to switch from one to the other. Switch from starting with a formal document structure to starting with an outline of what you actually want to say. Or switch back. Both good. Let me know.
We’ll have more reader feedback next time. But we'll have a lot more words from me too.
David
David Jung McGarva
+1 (818) 707 1871
Write me: david at todayiwrite dot com
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