Loving moments carefully reconstructed in words, as I do, I can't help but be seduced continually by the works of Alice Munro. Her words give flesh and breath and life to seemingly mundane moments scattered across the sub-arctic (Canadian) world.
I take her in small doses. A story before bed. Perhaps half of one during a naptime. Savoring. Knowing that though the writing will stop, the story will continue beating beyond the closing of the book.
It's a fascinating talent, she has.
But darnit if she doesn't make it immensely difficult to sit down and write something of your own. Nothing seems quite right after reading something so eloquently bleeding.
And this is where I am today. Deadlines approaching. Naptime dwindling to its final precious minutes. And my mind lost in another place and time with words that aren't my own.
I take her in small doses. A story before bed. Perhaps half of one during a naptime. Savoring. Knowing that though the writing will stop, the story will continue beating beyond the closing of the book.
It's a fascinating talent, she has.
But darnit if she doesn't make it immensely difficult to sit down and write something of your own. Nothing seems quite right after reading something so eloquently bleeding.
And this is where I am today. Deadlines approaching. Naptime dwindling to its final precious minutes. And my mind lost in another place and time with words that aren't my own.
3 Comments:
I'm stuck on "sub arctic. (Canadian)."
And I'm laughing.
PS - I love Alice Munro too.
IF there's one thing I've learned with my English major, it's that there is NO shame in emulating the style of great writers and knowing their writing/works is in fact the only way to become a great writer yourself! It's always a comfort to know that all the classic authors we look at today as gods had their musus...none of them wrote in a vacuum. Just some words of encouragement if you feel as though you can't/shouldn't emulate Munro's style!
P.S. Your style's pretty great though...I'd encourage you not to think you have to be too different or anything so that your unique voice is not heard.
P.P.S. What's the deadline for? Good for you for submitting your work! I'm trying to get some articles together to submit...I think I'm scared though to actually submit something!
I'm working on a couple of different deadlines, one being school related and the others are literary magazine's and/or contests. Not sure if I'll get anything polished quite enough, but I'll probably send them anyway. It's good practice, releasing your work into the world. For better or worse.
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