Friday 8 June 2012

Write What...?

Hey guys, today we will focus on choosing and telling the story.

So I have spent hours these past few days watching what I described on my Facbook as a "car crash" in the making. What happened you may ask? The Rolling Stone's magazine article featuring John Mayer, 34, talking about his feelings toward Taylor Swift, 22, is what happened.  The two were thought to have been in a relationship back in 2010 after some song collaborations.
John and Taylor performing at z100's Jingle Ball in 2009
Now this was all exciting stuff for me because I happen to be a huge fan of John's music and a passable-know-every-song fan of Taylor's.  Nevertheless... if you don't care a wit about either of these two skip to right here.






Creative Writing is many things to many people but what you will hear very often is that the key ingredient is a good story.

The question is "Write what?"  What you know? What inspires you? What interests you?  Let us take Taylor's song lyrics for Dear John.  Here a few points we notice about this song:

  • Passion--it is her story that she lets the world (and arguable John Mayer) know about her thoughts and feelings.  Writers do not want to bore their readers/listeners so the story better be interesting
  • Story telling--the song does not simply say "I hate you and you shouldn't have hurt me"; there is a picture painted of what the relationship was like and why she chose to leave.
  • Literary value--the very title of the song is a pun that plays on 'Dear John letters' and on the name of the alleged subject John Mayer.  Readers need to be intrigued and have a burning desire to find out what happened next, or you could be plain and spell it all out...Which would interest you more?
If you are in love with the story and your friend (good friend now and preferably one who is well read) is in love with the story then you have just successfully written creatively!


Take some time to look at how Taylor presented her story with passion.




...withShantelleS

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