Tuesday, August 19, 2008

thinking reading & writing

My characters come alive when I write them and very often I am acting entire scenes out while writing ... or so it would seem to anyone watching me. This is great for writing dialogue because when you speak your characters' lines you know when they ring true.
DD says he never did this before but by watching me he observes how it helps me. I do this with my narrative poetry as well. I love friends with keen ears too. I like to read to people from my book or new poetry. Either. Somehow either way - I'm not exactly what you expect me to be. I've been compared to post modernist and confessional style poets but the truth is, at the time I was being accused of following or imitating them, I had never read Ginsberg or Sylvia Plath. I was too busy writing 10 to 30 page term papers several times each term. I didn't have time for much else besides being a part time mom. Back then, I didn't do a lot of creative writing except for my journals. I went to Columbia for 8 straight years to get a B.A. & M.S.W.. Before that was me & my GED.
It's kind of amazing when you consider that drop out Joy became the ivy league drop in and now has two masters degrees. Colombia is tough and competitive - I kid you not. To maintain a 3.3 average is a full time job. After I
finally graduated and settled into a J. O. B., I began writing again. It's hard out here for us poets and writers.
The point is that sometimes it's a deterrent when you really are difficult to pigeonhole. When you sound truly like you and no one else - it's harder to fit in anyplace. People say they want creative and unique because that is what we're all trained to say. The truth is sometimes the feeling you get from reading someone and feeling uncomfortable can be ok too and has its own power. Not everyone can love me or you or anyone else's work. Some people are naturally more controversial and colorful. It's the way life goes. "Explore ... Search for more, no more prisoners of war..."
Celebrating page 170 on my grind plus maintaining this blog and writing poetry too...
Oh and I forgot and working on the magazine and two anthologies!

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:17 PM

    I love this - you're an inspiration. I hate being pigeonholed or pigeonholable. One can never have too many area interests, or be too multifaceted an artist.

    And I, too, like reading my words out loud - I discover that things I thought worked well on the page don't always flow as well as they could. So since I've begun writing as much for the ears as for the page I think my writing overall has evolved and benefitted. The Word ought to be Heard. Didn't always think so - but I do now.

    Keep up the fantastic work, Joy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. An open mind is a great thing. How much more so an open heart. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I like this post so much I'm posting it at my place to post which as it turns out is also at Blogger.

    ReplyDelete