One of the three books I read over my vacation was “The Dog of Marriage” by Amy Hempel; she was so strongly praised by another of my favorite writers, Chuck Palahniuk, that I had to find out why he exulted her so.
I did.
Writing is art. In this respect, it is no different from painting, singing, or playing a musical instrument. If there is a difference, it is in that most other forms of art require at least some physical aptitude to be proficient at. Writing requires only basic communication skills. The rest is pure inspiration, imagination, and motivation.
Like all art, great writing takes many forms. Some master the rules of grammar and structure only to turn them on their heads. Some follow the rules concisely, crafting their stories with precision. Some draw together the threads of a story with a seemingly effortless force of will. Some are generous with their words, writing effusively and with granduer; some whittle away at their words until all that is left are the bare bones. Some rely on style, some on the story, some on character.
No one can tell you how to write. They can provide you with the tools of your trade (spelling, grammar, structure). They can provide guidance. They can offer support. But they can’t tell you how to write something. Doing this has a term already – its called collaboration. This is fine if that is your intent. But never let your voice be drowned out in the chorus of others.
[audio:WonderBoys_NobodyTeachesAWriterAnything.mp3]
Michael Douglas, Wonder Boys
This is excellent, and very true. (i love CP also). Here’s one thing I wonder about writing as an art though; because it necessarily involves the expression of thought through linguistic means, I wonder if it has the same access to the unconscious that other forms of art do.
It seems to me that it does, but that the writer has an intent always to communicate something consciously, which may be different from what is communicated to we who read. Whereas the artist in other media need not have any intent to ‘communicate’, per se, nor be aware during creation of communicating anything in particular..
I do not know, I happened to be thinking about this recently, and then read your lovely post serendipitiously. Thank you.
xxxO
I would say yes; communication takes many forms aside from written or spoken words (body language, sign language, actions [speaking louder then words], ect). Music, sculpture, painting, even cooking all communicate something – an idea, an emotion, a moment. Isn’t that really the intent of art? To express, to communicate? Even if it isn’t to anyone but themselves?
A lot of my poetry happens when I turn off my conscious mind; I just let myself write without attempting to interject any specific meaning into it. Later, days later, I’ll come back and laugh at myself and edit it, shape it, so that the truth of the writing is more clear to the conscious side of me.