This one's a direct quote from a fiction portfolio by a student in my Introduction to Creative Writing Class:
"This style of writing, for one, makes it very easy to read. If I wanted to become a writer and wanted to make the most amount of money, ie, appealing to the greatest number of readers, then this would be an ideal style to write with because everyone is able to read it and still get that there is more to it than what is written."
. . .
help me.
1 day ago
3 comments:
That. Is. Hilarioius.
Thanks mucho for the laugh...
good morning! sad to say but it is true - that many if not most people believe in the so-called practical applications of CW and this inlcudes prominently whether or not it is lucrative.
at the So Cal event in which i recently spoke, audience members did say that if our stories were "good enough' (read: written in an "acessible" and "conventional" language) then our books wd be selling at barnes and noble.
for some writers that's the goal, the only goal. for soem writers, that's good enough, to plug what's easy into a surething formula. such is art under a capitalist system. dumbed down and devoid of spirit.
but for writers who believe passionately in the creative process, who love, i mean, really love words, who think hard about form - i don't know how to communicate that to someone who's been dumbed down by a capitalist system. i know as teacher fostering young minds you want to intervene. ever think: what'd happen if i let this be? (also sounds like this student is f***ing with you, trying to get a rise out of you.) hm.
What struck me first is "IF I wanted to become a writer," implying this student isn't even interested. Also, you may want to point out what a great paradox that second sentence is. So, if I understand this student, he/she wants to write "more to it than what is written," and have everyone who reads it, get it. Which seems contrary to the popular "conventional" writing styles, which is basically WYSIWYG. I think you should suggest to this student that there may be more to this quote than what is written, but as a reader you're denied access to that. Therefore the writer has failed in his/her attempt to reach the targeted audience. Ooh, it's so much fun being a teacher with no students!
Best advice I ever received, and passed back on to you:
Double the love, Oliver. Double the love.
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