Wise Advice?

November 13, 2015

B. Lynn Goodwin
Here’s the wise advice:

“Remember that writing things down makes them real; that it is nearly impossible to hate anyone whose story you know; and, most of all, that even in our post-postmodern era, writing has a moral purpose.”

— Andrew Solomon, at the Whiting Awards

Do you agree?

Nicole: Definitely.

Sandee: Pretty much. I guess I need to get a few more people’s stories. Maybe I don’t know everyone as well as I thought I did.

Rob: Is there such a thing as a post-postmodern era, or is somebody making that up?

Diego: I wish I could say that to Bowen. She’s my math teacher, and she’s always telling me I’m wrong, even though my answers are written down. Or am I missing the point?

Tessa: Mostly it’s true, unless you blurt out things you don’t really mean when you’re writing a rant or something.

Mr. Mason: Sometimes it makes things real, but if I wrote that Bri never got injured it would be a lie. Are you sure this is supposed to apply to all writing?

B. Lynn Goodwin: It’s more likely to be true in memoir than in fiction. If you write something that you think is true that turns out to be fiction, that means writing helped you process more deeply. Generally it is true. Like every rule, it can be challenged.

What do you think? Click on “Leave a comment” or “lgood67334” at the top of this post and tell us when this applies in your life, or when it doesn’t, or both.