The Literary Citizen

I just got home from my third residency in theStonecoast creative writing program where I learned writing and bonded with friends (over writing) every moment, from waking until slumber, and I realize now I must respond to texts from a week ago. Halfway through today I will cease being productive and slow my brain. In that calm, I hope my synapses strengthen their hold on the lessons I learned. Here are some of those lessons (in my own words) which you can use in your writing and in your life. These are courtesy of two Stonecoast faculty members,Justin Tussing andSuzanne Strempek Shea, who don ’t just mentor me, but reallyteach me.Me and my Stonecoast friends in our creative nonfiction workshop. Photo by Suzanne Strempek Shea.Justin says:Character is fate. Who we are is who we become.There is value in looking at poor writing with contempt, knowing you can do better.The ending of a story must be both surprising and inevitable.You ’re often exchanging one thing for something else. That something else must have equal or more value.If a character gets close to a fear, don ’t turn from that fear. Investigate it.The worst thing we can do as writers is to have an idea. Like,I want to write about loneliness. Instead, follow the character. Put him in a room, get him stuck, and watch him squirm.You must love your characters, and not just in a “he’s charming” kind of way. You must love their faults.One reason we accelerate scenes in our writing is because we don ’t trust th...
Source: cancerslayerblog - Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: MFA writing/speaking Source Type: blogs