February 10, 2005
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Class was upsetting. I’m still trying to work out why, exactly. For one thing I think we should all try to think of something nice to say. Forty percent of our grade is class participation so when the person gets done reading his piece, we all rip into it. And it hasn’t been like this before. Maybe the work is getting worse or we are becoming more discerning. One thing’s for sure we are getting to know each other better.
Each of the people who read tonight wrote some pretty weird stuff, and I don’t know what’s worse. When you write a true story about yourself, and you’re a little weird it’s one thing but when you make up a story and you project your weirdness onto the characters I think it feels even more distorted.
This is alarming to me because I know other people find me to be a little different. I hear eccentric A LOT. So in my new posture of not putting myself down as a writer I will just say that I see something that I need to look out for.
And it’s not just a matter of whether or not a character was credible. We were finding fault with characters because we didn’t like them. We were making judgments about narrators. And in fact we were rejecting work because the author’s personality ruined it.
Remember the guy who wrote about peeing in the portapotty? He read some strange shit tonight. You weren’t sure if he was writing about himself and his mind is a little bit funny, or if he was trying to guess at what runs through an Alzheimer’s mind. It’s like everyone is letting their hair down through their characters.
On a brighter note I am having company tomorrow, twice. My friend, T — And this is a first, not counting when she came to check out the house I bought — is coming over. After that Anthony is driving up from the beach to take me to lunch. And this I do not understand. He is the cheapest man I know, especially when it comes to eating out. He has a bunch of vehicles he’s very proud of, three or four businesses, three or four houses, but he can’t stand to spend money on restaurants. He’ll buy nice clothes. Only for court, though. I’ve know him for four years and I think we’ve eaten lunch out once, and that was when we were sort of dating. He’ll cook me wonderful Italian meals, which I much prefer to dinner out, but usually if I meet him in Portland (He lives in another state but has a beach house here) we go for coffee. So why suddenly is he asking me to lunch? He has a girlfriend who lives in Salem and they are practically engaged. I hardly hear from him any more. But all of a sudden we’re having lunch. Well, I’m just glad I’m going to see him, I like him. But all this company means I’m going to get up early and clean house. So I’m off to bed.
Comments (10)
Man, your class sounds brutal. tough crowd. But riddle me this: How does an author’s personality ruin a piece? Doesn’t the author’s personality affect all his writing? Fictional or not? Hmmm. I’m not a professional writer, and I’ve never taken a creative writing class–although I sould really like to–I have to believe that the author’s personality must affect his work in one way or another… Just my two cents…
I always miss you when I am not online…
actually I was in the bed all evening and night
my chrons had flared up and my foot was killing me…
You class sounds like it is getting deeper and more real…
intense maybe?
sounds like your day is gonna be one to talk about…I cannot wait
when I read you…you make me wanna journal…but I wont…lol
Luv ya…Dorothea
Hmmmn! Just how intense is that class getting?
And just what do you want to be.. a “writer” or a “story teller?”
You can be both and become an author!!
Thanks for your post yesterday it caused me to swich my post to private, so as not to freak out Mark some more.
I’m not sure if your class sounds like a positive experence or not. It seems silly that you would all focus on disliking a character. If someone has put enough thought into a specific character to cause someone to dislike it, then the peice is good, because it caused a response. If the peices don’t make someone care about the character, either way, then they’re not doing their job.
It sounds like your group has to get beyond their own reactions to other people’s characters, and get down to the nitty gritty.
I hate writer’s craft classes, group discussions always make my teeth hurt. Who are they to judge my art?
*sare*
with my kids we taught them to use the “two pluses and a wish” meaning they had to point out two things they liked about a writing piece before they could give the writer something they wished the writer had done. In time, their comments became instructive and meaningful as they learned to focus on more than surface things, but it took a long time. but the good news is that if fifth graders can learn to be thoughtful reviews, so can adults! however, the tone of the group is the leader’s to set- and your leader seemed to be absent last night- at least in spirit!
Perhaps some of that criticism was unwarranted, then? I know that kind of stuff tends to block me up. One reason why I like Xanga is that we give each other lots of sunshine and water and space so that we can each bloom in our own ways. The pruning process is difficult, though, and perhaps, if you can separate the ‘non sequitur’ criticism from the genuine, it can be useful?
Again, thanks for your comment, I love being friends with women outside of my age range. I actually learn something, not have to just watch someone else make my mistake again, and again, and again.
I appreciate your wisdom.
*sare*
There is never a shortage of critics for those who write…
I think those who write merely reflect who they are in what they write.
Hope you had a nice lunch.
so… how was lunch?
you keep us here wondering….
hmmm
I *smile*