Writers, in fact all artists and designers, think and talk about form. What is the correct form for any piece of writing? If you were called to build a raft such that it could be sent down a river and have that raft arrive intact so that a person at another place along the river could catch the raft and use it with confidence, what kind of raft would you build? Perhaps you would want to know something about the river: how deep, fast, rocky, cold. Perhaps you would want to know what materials are available for building the raft: type of wood, strapping, caulking, fabric for a sail, paddles. Perhaps you would want to know what tools are available for constructing the raft: saw, hammer, screwdriver, rope. But maybe first, you would want to know why you are building the raft and who you hope will be downstream. You want your raft to float, sustain, navigate, survive and carry your intentions and do the same for the person waiting on shore as the raft arrives. Maybe that’s like writing. But maybe it isn’t. Maybe the purpose of the raft is to float us, to carry our emotions, experience, and imagination so that we don’t drown. And maybe how we create the raft works both ways. Deciding which comes first, function or form, is up to us. But often, just like with building a raft, the purpose comes first. What do we need to say? How we say it may come spontaneously. And that first urgent expression may carry all the energy and clarity in a perfect form. But it’s also possible that our first draft needs a sturdier, more careful raft. We need to shape our need into something that will float downstream and arrive at another’s riverbank. Always, in choosing form, the question is how much the raft is only about form and how much of the original intent is preserved. It’s a delicate dance that calls upon our craft and our understanding of what we want to say. Form can not only contain and sustain, but it can illuminate our meaning. Form can also submerge our meaning if we let it overtake our words. The river of our genius deserves balance and motion, and the raft should be a worthy conveyance.
Upcoming Events
Writing Retreat in Malibu California February 3 – 6 2020: Serra Retreat Center overlooking Malibu Bay with tiled fountains, and hidden gardens offer the perfect winter getaway and a place to wander into your writing. All writers welcome, no matter the genre or experience level. There’s still room for you! https://www.writingfulltilt.com/retreats/
Online Weekly Workshops: Monday Evenings eight weeks beginning March 16, 2020. https://www.writingfulltilt.com/online-workshop/
Weekly Workshops Amherst, Massachusetts: Thursday Evenings & Friday Mornings, ten weeks beginning December March 5 & 6, 2020. https://www.writingfulltilt.com/workshops/
August Retreat Hawley, Massachusetts: August 9 – 12, 2020 Four days of writing bliss. The setting is perfect for allowing your writing to emerge! https://www.writingfulltilt.com/retreats/
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