Hello there!
In my previous post, I came back from my much-needed creative break.
That break was a lot of fun, I returned feeling well-rested. It was a gift.
Also, I came back talking about craft. About a piece that I wrote that will be coming out this month.
A piece that reads like music to me.
It got me thinking… why not make this new blog post about craft?
In particular, about craft in a much more structured setting. (Since that piece was developed in such a setting)
For example, I participated in a 3 month-long workshop this year. It was called A SmokeLong Summer Workshop. It is where I created about two pieces that got published or are scheduled to get published soon.
I mean, those are just the ones that have been selected so far. I wrote a lot in the workshop. And, it made me realize a lot of things about myself, about craftsmanship, and accountability too perhaps.
I know everyone has their own opinions about how much a structured environment, or just structure in general can help one’s writing routine. I am definitely someone who prefers to not be told what to write.
When to write. If to write.
I prefer to come to those decisions by my own self. In fact, I rebelled against being in a structured creative setting so much that I chose not to take Literature in English as a subject while in secondary school. Despite the fact that everyone thought taking that class would be a no-brainer with how much I enjoyed literature. myself
Something about me just felt like it would be made to shrink if it had to be subjected to someone else’s vision of what good literature is. Also, it could just be that I wanted to find my own path in this creativity thing. And I have. So I guess it worked out ha-ha.
That was years ago. I feel a lot more fully formed now, and I doubt anyone can get under my skin enough to make me dither about my opinion on my writing. Or make me second-guess my vision for my writing – I feel much more confident. So, I knew I was ready to be in a workshop. To have my work critiqued, to critique other peoples’ works. To learn.
And boy, did I learn
ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY
Like many people who started writing when they were kids, I had to get over that huge, imposing mountain of waiting for inspiration to arrive before I could put something on the page.
I knew if I wanted to be serious about my writing (and I wanted to!), I would have to be much more practical about getting work created. Waiting for inspiration, well, it feels nice but it does take a lot of time.
Back in 2019, when I started putting my work out, I had to overcome that very uncomfortable feeling of just writing when you are not in the mood. When the creative rush isn’t driving your pen forward, that creative rush when you feel fearless and wonderful and capable of anything.
I had to learn how to write when everything in my mind was quiet, and steady. With just the images and the crucible of the story’s idea to propel me forward.
And I did overcome that mountain.
But being in this workshop made me overcome an even bigger mountain; being able to do that consistently.
You see, in 2019, I wanted my work to get published. And to do that, I had to write. Regardless of how scary a blank page looked to me. What made it possible was because I had a goal in mind, and I had to do what I needed to do then.
This time, in the SmokeLong Workshop, I had committed to have a certain number of stories submitted for feedback each week. And, I just didn’t want to fail on that commitment. Also, knowing that there was someone there – perhaps not waiting for my draft to be out, but just there waiting for when I popped it on the group page, made me feel like I needed to show up.
That there was a good enough reason to show up.
I mean, people say a lot of things about formal educational systems, but they are places where you are deeply encouraged to show up – whether to avoid consequences, or because there are familiar people there waiting to see what you have worked on. It makes you grow unknowingly; because at the end, I had over 15 drafts. I definitely didn’t write that many stories last year.
ABOUT KINDNESS
One of the workshop leaders pointed out how important it is to be kind while giving feedback.
I think everyone should know how to give constructive advice – I saw a pretty good example on Twitter at some point. It follows this pattern
a) Affirm the person, and let them know at least one thing they have done right
b) Tell them how they can do better
c) Reaffirm
It seems like a lot, but you never know how sensitive people are about their work. Years ago, I was reading this writer’s year-in-review, and he said a random negative comment about his writing that he saw on Twitter made him quit writing for months. I don’t want to do that to someone.
And I do try to have much thicker skin than that; to always believe that I am not measured by the quality of what I create. And besides, it is one piece or just two pieces – they can be edited. No one grows by running away from being guided into how to improve.
To their credit, A SmokeLong Summer is not a place where I feel my work would ever be torn to shreds. Or be critiqued harshly – what a gift, right? Imagine having to go through something as unkind as that.
It really does put into perspective that old idea about tough love being the most effective – sometimes, it is just nicer to be nice. To say hard things gently. It is something I am still learning as well.
ABOUT CRAFTMANSHIP
You learn to write by writing.
That is one of the best writing advice out there. You cannot be a writer, and be afraid to show up and do your one job; writing.
But you also learn to write by reading others’ works. And if I may, by critiquing them as well. That way, you get to figure out what works for a story, what doesn’t. Sometimes, if you find a particularly good piece, you can figure out an entirely different way of thinking about your craft.
I was pretty astounded by the breadth of work that people created in the workshop. I was amazed also, to find that a lot of the writers whose works I really admire, start out their masterpieces as pretty rough drafts.
And, I mean rough work where they have to come back later to sift through for the gem of the idea they want to pass across. It makes a case for inspiration not being the most important thing in craftsmanship. I think hard work, showing up, and just love for what you do are the best fuel. It made me feel humbled to learn all of this.
But it also made me feel very intrigued by the fact that I could come up with drafts that quickly. And even more, that I could be willing to edit them.
Because one thing about me, I hate editing. I am okay with editing for clarity, but editing out entire concepts, or editing in an entirely new aspect of a story? I don’t enjoy that.
Not
Still, I had to find a way to do it. Who is going to waste all of that wonderful critique that I got over 3 months? Not me.
I hope I get to participate in a workshop like that again soon.
It was bittersweet when it ended. But I felt gratified to have been shortlisted for the in-house writing prize. It is a story I am fond of. A story that I wrote in the middle of a busy day of being a doctor.
So, tell me what you think about craft – or about anything you do creatively.
Do you enjoy having something structured? Or are you like teenage me who would rather run away than do that ha-ha
Let me know in the comments section.
Take care!