WRITING: Stage V – Analysis

This has been a mildly traumatic and confusing twenty-four hours, but with the help of others—people I would never have been in touch with without the benefit of weblogging, and whose input I value because they are writers themselves and understand the writing process—I’ve come to some new conclusions about both creativity and its pursuit. I’m spending some time right now placing it into a more organized manner and will post it shortly, but basically I’m convinced that even my efforts here in Spinning are not destructive to the process, but rather beneficial in evolving as a writer.

And, I’m finding that I am not alone at all in my thoughts: From Jo at off the rails: “What you’ve written here, in these last several posts, is so true, and I think a lot of creative writers who also blog can relate to it.”

This morning, when I found this comment from Wendy of allseasons.com, it brought a lot of what everyone else was saying together as well as confirming that niggling little voice inside that said it was okay to personalize a journal—even for a “fiction” writer:

“Personally, for me, the most enjoyable parts of blogs are the personal bits. I like getting to know someone (well as much as you can) through this medium. I actually do think if you read someone’s blog everyday, you know them to a certain extent. I can see what you are saying, that it takes some focus away from the type of writing you want to do … do you find it helps with your creativity at all?”

Two things stand out here: 1) Those who left comments cared about the writer’s situation. I doubt that had I posted a series about a protagonist who was going through this would have elicited the personal response I was most grateful to receive and consider; and 2) It’s obvious that the personal touch adds to, if not is a necessary part of, the writer’s desire and inspiration to write, and the reader’s willingness to become involved with the words. Who has managed to read a novel through without checking out the author’s bio and photo? Does it not add to the understanding a little? I love Poe’s work, but why do I as well have him in 10” stuffed form sitting atop my computer shelf?

Writing about reality can indeed be done creatively. Just look at the journals out there and you’ll find people who don’t consider themselves writers writing beautifully.

I think I’ve got it now—I know I feel a helluvalot better emotionally (and after all, writing is always going to involve emotions), and simply need to perhaps organize these revelations and the lessons I’ve learned today into perhaps a true literary analysis form. As the English professors have suggested–this form of writing is not being done in place of creative writing; it is indeed done as a daily exercise in creative writing that can only add experience and fine-tuning to a more focused individual writing project.

This whole process I’ve gone through might have taken a week or longer of distress and floundering, but it’s been wrapped up within 24 hours by “group therapy.” Thanks, guys!