SamScribble
Yeah, still just a guru
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2009
- Posts
- 38,862
Last night I listened to a talk by a woman who is a successful novelist, short-story writer, and creative writing teacher. The crux of her talk, her argument, was that the skilled use of language – craft, if you like – is a far more powerful ally for writers than ideas or feelings. As she made her case, I found myself nodding.
I have started reading more than a few Lit stories built on ‘a good idea’. Sometimes, several good ideas. But I have seldom made it to the second page. The idea has been good, clever, and, to a degree, original; but the writing has been abysmal. And yet several of these stories sport little red Hs.
This got me thinking: does craft matter on a site like Lit?
Discuss.
I have started reading more than a few Lit stories built on ‘a good idea’. Sometimes, several good ideas. But I have seldom made it to the second page. The idea has been good, clever, and, to a degree, original; but the writing has been abysmal. And yet several of these stories sport little red Hs.
This got me thinking: does craft matter on a site like Lit?
Discuss.