Maybe They'll Quote Me

Writers always have those memorable quotes -- like Mark Twain and his "the difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug." Or, there's E.L. Doctorow: "Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as the headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."

That's good stuff.

Here's a quote I hope to be remembered for . . . (because I won't be remembered for my brevity):

Anymore, writers talk about craft -- and the result is often a lot of well-crafted nothings. Such pretty noise -- momentary and forgettable. Give me writing that risks going after a human truth -- even if it has its clunky parts. Writers should be at least one third philosopher -- otherwise, why bother?

Some Things Happening

Just had some good news. First, on Saturday, June 3rd, I will be a presenter for the Peninsula Writers. They are meeting at the Barnes and Noble in East Lansing. The program starts at 9 a.m., and I'll be signing books at 1 p.m. after the program. What a pleasant surprise to be invited.

Also, I just heard from Carol Finke, fiction editor at Controlled Burn, that she wants to publish my story, "The Accident" in their issue due out sometime in 2007.

I received the invitation to Peninsula Writers last night, and I received the Controlled Burn acceptance today. I think I'll go out and buy a lottery ticket.

Fact into Fiction

Students of mine often take something that they've been through and turn it into fiction. Sometimes, when they're reading their stories in workshop, someone will say, "You know, that one part on page 4 where he throws the dog out the window . . . that doesn't seem believable." The writer's defense is often, "But that's what happened! It really happened!" Whether or not it really happened doesn't necessarily mean that it will make good fiction. It's funny, but there are things we will believe in the newspaper that we won't believe in a short story. Sometimes we have to change the facts to make the story work as fiction. Don't be married to the actual story. Make it into fiction.