My former English professor kindly blogged a referral to my blog entry of June 14th, REALITY?: Neighborhoods, which was simply a short essay on a nest of cardinals in a bush (actually a rhododendron, but changed to laurel because the words flowed nicer) outside my window. His remark was, “While (I am) working on a few entries on language and designed space, Spinning hits with this and uses language to create two spheres.”
While I might have preferred my response to reflect that I knew what I was doing when I wrote it, I’m almost as content with knowing that I did it without really thinking about or planning it that way. And that is the real point of this post, which I’ll state with a flourish at the finish.
But first, allow me, for my own benefit as a learning process, relate a brief background of how the writing came about.
Sitting at the computer, hearing the chirping chicks from the nest, I got the thought that the “neighbors were noisy.” I decided to post about it.
Since I started out with the concept of “neighbors” rather than “the cardinals” the writing flowed from that viewpoint, and quickly I realized that this would be a case of tricking the reader into believing that the story was about people rather than birds. Obviously, once I became aware of that, I continued in that vein with the standard format of revelation at the ending.
But I know that I did not consciously plan for two worlds that were interwoven in this manner. I did not think it over and carefully pick words to “create two spheres.” But somehow I managed to do so. Wasn’t I the clever one!
And here’s the purpose of this post (that flourishing finish I promised above): Now I’ve been taught to read stories looking for just such twists and use of language. But it seems that through learning to read in this context, reading as much as you can of the skilled taletellers, and writing regularly, it almost becomes a process of osmosis rather than concentrated effort. What goes in, comes out.
Only wish I were aware of it enough to not need to have it pointed out to me.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
You touch on a critical issue. The habit and the persistence. Write write write and things happen that wouldn’t have happened before. Only the persistent know this kind of discovery.
Discover discover discover.
Yeah! Two spheres, baby! Way to go! If only I knew what youse guys were talking about… }:)
I have a new word for these excellent deceptions you make with the surprise at the end: Twistlets.
Jason
Well perhaps we’ll make Steve get up and explain himself at the next Narrative meeting.
In confirmation of what Steve is saying (and where I’ve learned it), I have noticed that my postings are pervaded by alliteration and are becoming a natural inclusion in my writing style. Even at the onset of an idea, I am thinking in a different form, i.e., the thought did not hit me of “baby cardinals chirping loudly” but rather, the “neighbors are noisy” was the exact terminology that came to mind.