Many years of writing and teaching taught me one thing I'm willing to call a Universal Truth for the writing community:

You are unique--ONE of a kind. No one but you could have written your book. No one but you has had your experiences, your genetic heritage, your exact thoughts.

The same goes for me.

No one on earth but I
Could write Faust's Butterfly.

It's not that I have a more fiery imagination or higher intelligence or more drive than anyone else. It's just that no one else had my teachers, my parents, my acquaintance with the weird little spot on the map known as Orange County, Indiana, and my propensity to record certain kinds of details in writing.

All of us here are in the same position regarding our books. All that we are and have been and have experienced is in them.

CHERISH YOUR UNIQUENESS. In the activity of writing, it's one of your most valuable possessions.

Posted: 09/12/2011 19:54:20
Last Edit: 09/12/2011 20:01:37 by William Holt

I like that. Very motivational and thought provoking.

Posted: 09/12/2011 20:03:02

When teaching creative writing, I stressed this point over and over. And the students responded by taking over the class! It was like a thoroughly benevolent Occupy Prof. Holt's Class movement, and it made my work much easier.

Even the misanthopic loners joined in, just for a vacation from their aloneness.

Posted: 09/12/2011 20:30:25
Last Edit: 09/12/2011 20:36:56 by William Holt

Many years of writing and teaching taught me one thing I'm willing to call a Universal Truth for the writing community:

You are unique--ONE of a kind. No one but you could have written your book. No one but you has had your experiences, your genetic heritage, your exact thoughts.

The same goes for me.

No one on earth but I
Could write Faust's Butterfly.

It's not that I have a more fiery imagination or higher intelligence or more drive than anyone else. It's just that no one else had my teachers, my parents, my acquaintance with the weird little spot on the map known as Orange County, Indiana, and my propensity to record certain kinds of details in writing.

All of us here are in the same position regarding our books. All that we are and have been and have experienced is in them.

CHERISH YOUR UNIQUENESS. In the activity of writing, it's one of your most valuable possessions.

This one idea is what has kept me from changing my story to what others thought it should read.

Thanks for confirming my feelings on this subject!

Posted: 09/12/2011 20:39:29

So very true, Bill. I was amazed to find so much of my own life experience in BD. And it's funny that the parts people find less believeable are the ones that actually happened almost as portrayed.




Posted: 09/12/2011 20:45:02

If I were to portray a middle-class ten year old boy near Chicago, Illinois holding an actual human skull aloft (with loose teeth falling out on the living room rug) in 1953 before his two younger sisters, declaiming, "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio . . .", I'm pretty sure readers would think the portrayal unrealistic. But I was that ten year old boy.

Posted: 09/12/2011 21:13:20

"OMG!" I hear someone whispering. But playing with a human skull didn't seem weird to me or my sisters at all. It was a useful 4th person in our silly games and impromptu dramas.

Posted: 09/12/2011 21:16:29
Last Edit: 08/02/2012 00:20:32 by William Holt

If I were to portray a middle-class ten year old boy near Chicago, Illinois holding an actual human skull aloft (with loose teeth falling out on the living room rug) in 1953 before his two younger sisters, declaiming, "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio . . .", I'm pretty sure readers would think the portrayal unrealistic. But I was that ten year old boy.

Posted: 09/12/2011 21:19:37