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Margaret I. Carr

Writing: Art and Craft

The Art of writing is still a mystery. Two people with the same backgrounds can sit down to write and produce very different results. One may be virtually unreadable and the other, at the very least, interesting. Attempts to teach the Art usually fail. Some people manage to teach themselves while others spend countless hours battling frustration and achieving little. Many people look at their own work and think it is hopeless. This is more likely to be an over-active Internal Critic than a realistic judgment. The best approach, at least the one that seems to work for more people than any other, is simply to read as much as possible and watch and listen to everything around you. Beyond that don't worry about the Art.

The Craft of writing, however, is something that can be broken down into specific steps or techniques and learned consciously. Beyond the very basic basics, spelling, punctuation and grammar, are both simple and complex concepts and practices including Point of View, Plotting, Characterization, Theme, Setting, Dialog and Conflict. Teaching yourself spelling, punctuation and grammar simply requires patience and persistence unless you are severely dyslexic. Your local library and adult school are excellent resources.

Going beyond the basics also requires patience and persistence. Some people think that they have to have a teacher to tell them what is correct. This approach can really handicap you.

Struggling in isolation has traditionally been the lot of creative people including artists, composers, poets and writers. Whether isolation is beneficial probably depends on the individual. There are times when being able to get off by yourself helps just about anyone. When your Internal Critic is howling at you that what you've written is no good, and you're no good and should find a "real job," isolation is not good. When you've written something and you think it may be good but could be better, only you're not sure how to make it better, isolation is not good.

Finding or forming a writers' group, a supportive writers' group, is easier now than it has ever been. In addition to traditional in-person groups which can often be found at your local library, adult school or community college and long distance by mail or phone, the Internet provides worldwide accessibility.

Novice or experienced or anywhere in-between writers can now meet and help each other to achieve more than ever before. For more than five years our main sponsor has been developing interactive courses based on support group techniques. The free introductory fiction class, F2K, gives over 6000 writers an introduction to, or review of, many of the basic tools needed by any writer. WVU is very proud of this class and of the students and staff involved in it. Readers can expect to see many more excerpts, stories and articles submitted by F2K students.