INTERMISSION

I’m always thinking, ‘what is it I’m not saying/writing’ that would explain why I write the way I do.

But first, before I go there, let me break in here.

I’m reading one of the fiction books on my to-read list, and it is so-so-sooooo good. YAE! Let me just say, it’s exactly what I needed. I truly thank authors who write the way ‘they do’, which puts me back to where I was. 

After finishing my latest books, I must admit I was a little winded. Actually, that’s not entirely accurate. I was about to ask someone if I could borrow their pulse. Now I know I’ve written it somewhere before, how I want to write the way authors, as in the author who I’m currently enjoying write, but each time I veer that way, along comes the master hand to steer me the other way! Darn it, it has to be a treat to see me wrestling with them second drafts trying to work in the sugar, when along comes Billie Holidays quote and the reminder that there’s a reason for why I write the way I do.

I hear myself saying it all the time, although as to whether I’m saying it out loud or not, I’m not sure. But the value in learning what something like hard work constitutes, as in maintaining a relationship, mentoring, rearing children, leading teams and such, is NOT by telling someone what he or she should or shouldn’t be doing.

Skipping over the preachy stuff, when I go into a story I always feel I must show, not tell. So, if I say maintaining a relationship takes real work…my delivery will fall off the mark if I go in sugarcoating a picture and then pour on the thick syrupy stuff at the end. It reminds me of a speech class I’d taken. The instructor assigned the class an argumentative speech, and the instructions were clear. Select a topic that most will DISAGREE with and then deliver an argument that will sway the class to seeing your point. 

I thought I was following instructions…which I won’t go into the entire soliloquy here, but will say I selected one hell of a topic. Trust me, the topic I chose, not only was everyone looking at me in disbelief, and so utterly, across every row, seat, and aisle disagreeing, but if I recall correctly, NO ONE agreed with me when I started out. This didn’t happen for others in the class. Most started out with topics most agreed with, which I still don’t know what to term those presentations. Save for a lengthy story, I didn’t go over the time limit, but the follow-up discussion sure did, a debate I succeeded in winning. 

This is my writing style. Favoring intrinsic context that will show, not tell.