Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Dillard liberates

It would be pretty safe to assume that everyone who is taking this class finds enjoyment in writing. None of us would put ourselves through the heavy burden of countless hours of creating colorful syntax, following by dozens of edits and revisions from fellow peers if there wasn't some sort of passion that drives the writer in us to press forward.

After reading Annie Dillard's tips on how to approach a written work, there was one in particular that stood out. There's no need to paraphrase, "If something in your narrative or poem is important, give it proportional space. I mean, actual inches. The reader has to spend time with a subject to care about it. Don't shy away from big scenes; stretch them out."

This is my second class with instructor Sari Fordham. A true flag barer of expanding the talents of young writers. With all that sort of goodness wrapped into one person, it can't be helped that the student feels safe with her navigation.

However (and I offer myself to be the sacrificial lamb), please take into consideration of the aforementioned note from Dillard. I know this class is huge on proper paper structure, but doesn't poetic licence take precedent? English major students are romantics at heart. To limit the artist due to spacing structure hurts our vibrant spirits.

So, whataya say?

Israel Carreón

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