It's IWSG Day.
The goal of this blog hop is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts
and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been
through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for
insecure writers of all kinds. IWSG is the brainchild of Alex Cavanaugh. To find links to
other IWSG contributors, click here. A big thank you to August co-hosts: Susan Baury
Rouchard, Nancy Gideon,
Jennifer Lane,
Jennifer Hawes,
Chemist Ken,
and Chrys Fey.
August question
- Quote: "Although I have written a short story collection, the form found
me and not the other way around. Don't write short stories, novels or poems.
Just write your truth and your stories will mold into the shapes they need to
be." Have you
ever written a piece that became a form, or even a genre, you hadn't planned on
writing in? Or do you choose a form/genre in advance?
Once, in my writing infancy, I won a monthly contest in Writer’s Digest by entering a “recipe” for my future
success in writing. (“Stir together…multiple
courses in journalism and editorial writing…whip into a froth with… flashing
cursers, missed typo’s, overflowing wastebaskets…bake until published”). I wasn’t
planning the form, but I like to cook and somehow the words made their way into
my brain. I wrote the piece in under an hour, sent it and had almost forgotten
about it when a phone call came announcing the $500 prize.
In that
case, the form found me.
But, as I
ponder this question, I wonder whether the unidentified author of this quote is
talking less about form and more about creativity. One of the best
pieces of writing advice I ever received was early in my business career.
I was attempting to write a memo and the VP of HR said to me, “Just get the
words down. You can edit later.” Ever since, no matter what I'm writing, I try to do that. Case in
point, that recipe above. That day, I simply sat down and bashed out what was
in my head. Even now that little success is a reminder to me not to clog things
up by considering style, marketability, or genre until after I get the words onto
the page. Of course, good writing is good writing but it’s the story that sells first, right?
What is the
most creative piece, short story, novel, poem or what have you have ever
written, or read?
