What I'm trying to learn

Over at the Guardian, Natasha Walter writes about the rash of new novels by writers trying to get in the heads of "the terrorist." Here is her piece. This quote sums up what I am trying to learn now:

We want something very different from a novel than what we get from the newspapers: we want imaginative understanding, not political positions; we want to get close to a fictional individual rather than stand in judgment over a real group; we want the challenge of speculation rather than the reassurance of certainty. We want art, not news, at a time when news seems to be drowning out art.

This quote goes perfectly with crg's comments yesterday. Here's my interpretation of what she said:

Show don't tell. Don't write from a place of anxiety or impatience. When you write, listen to the writing. Hear what the writing is telling you, don't tell the writing what to say. La importancia de fijarse menos en las grandes revelaciones que ya entiendes. No expliques. Find a place in the writing where you are finding something new. Write that.

Less control. The readers will uncover something new only if you do. If you already know the writing before you write it, the reader will not need to read it. After the first paragraph she will aready know. Refrain from a need to clarify. Don't be in a hurry to say something, to tell a certain story. Listen to the writing, don't force the writing. Don't just say what's on your mind, produce some new knowledge or intuition that you weren't aware of from the beginning.

We all know the injustices of the world very well. The problem is they don't move anyone. Preachiness is not very effective. Language isn't a tool for moralizing, rather a medium for exploring vulnerable (new) places.

Maybe it's helpful for the rest of yall too? It is for me. It moves me forward, feels like.

Tweet

Pin It