It’s an odd thought, I’ll give you that, but when I was getting breakfast this morning it occurred to me how much good writing is like good peanut butter.
Nice analogy; I have already noticed a tendency in my writing to use similar or even identical words and phrases. Probably means I need to stir the peanut butter a bit more.
This might also apply to form; I see so much free verse. I wish people would give, say, blank verse a try. And I should probably try other forms.
Question, though; at what point is your word choice part of your "voice" (kind of like how much is the salt in the peanut butter) versus a need to maybe stretch yourself a little (or, in your analogy, stir the peanut butter). How do you know? Can you even know?
That's such a great question! I often used to think I should 'write differently' somehow, worry that all my stuff was 'the same'. Then I realised that 'my style' was simply the way I wrote (prose and poetry); it was natural, my 'voice'. It was both recognition and acceptance. And friendly critics can help: "I could tell you'd written that"... I think it creeps up on you - but you have to have written a great deal to get that feeling, otherwise how can you possibly know? (at least that's what I think). It's a bit like the peanut butter thing: the only way I could know that peanut butter and pickle didn't work was to try it. That's not to say I don't try new things in my writing - I do - but now without the desperation of searching for something that's already there.
Yes, it's like in jazz improvisation...you want your own "sound" but at the same time you want to be "fresh." I think Miles Davis as the ultimate example; always identifiable but always new (I mean the guy transformed jazz at least 3 times with "cool", "modal," and then "fusion.") Not that I could be like Miles but I also can't help who I am and to be anything else is inauthentic.
Thanks for this piece and the reply; lots to think about...
Nice analogy; I have already noticed a tendency in my writing to use similar or even identical words and phrases. Probably means I need to stir the peanut butter a bit more.
This might also apply to form; I see so much free verse. I wish people would give, say, blank verse a try. And I should probably try other forms.
Question, though; at what point is your word choice part of your "voice" (kind of like how much is the salt in the peanut butter) versus a need to maybe stretch yourself a little (or, in your analogy, stir the peanut butter). How do you know? Can you even know?
That's such a great question! I often used to think I should 'write differently' somehow, worry that all my stuff was 'the same'. Then I realised that 'my style' was simply the way I wrote (prose and poetry); it was natural, my 'voice'. It was both recognition and acceptance. And friendly critics can help: "I could tell you'd written that"... I think it creeps up on you - but you have to have written a great deal to get that feeling, otherwise how can you possibly know? (at least that's what I think). It's a bit like the peanut butter thing: the only way I could know that peanut butter and pickle didn't work was to try it. That's not to say I don't try new things in my writing - I do - but now without the desperation of searching for something that's already there.
Yes, it's like in jazz improvisation...you want your own "sound" but at the same time you want to be "fresh." I think Miles Davis as the ultimate example; always identifiable but always new (I mean the guy transformed jazz at least 3 times with "cool", "modal," and then "fusion.") Not that I could be like Miles but I also can't help who I am and to be anything else is inauthentic.
Thanks for this piece and the reply; lots to think about...
Good advice!