As far as my writing voice goes. Fiction writing, to be more specific.
I've realized I like non-fiction because I feel like I have a good handle on it. I actually like reading over the creative non-fiction pieces I've written in the past. You want to know why? Because it's ME! I can hear my voice, I can read my humor, I can see myself walking through the cobblestone roads in Antigua, Guatemala, or hear the bustling, underground metro system in Washington DC. I wrote a culture piece last semester on the horror genre fan base and I had so much fun with it because I knew what the heck I was talking about (Soon to be posted, by the way).
But when it comes to fiction, I can almost physically feel myself walking into a box where certain rules and structures apply. I noticed this when I turned in a fiction story earlier this week into my Fiction Writing Workshop class and, after reading over what I handed in, I didn't like what I was seeing. I know I can do better, and I have, so why am I putting myself into this box for a plot I can actually see myself writing (A very latino plot involving La Llorona)?
I realize this isn't much of a post but I needed somewhere to whine about my current writing frustration. I guess I have to let go and just be me in fiction. How? Hmm, I guess I'll have to see.
Random Writing-Related Side Note: One night, I was walking in downtown Denver, just exploring the city on foot, and I was looking at a map to see what was interesting nearby. Among restaurants and shops, I noticed there was a place called "Writer Square". I got so excited because I imagined a square just for writers right here in Denver, what a find! I imagined I would enter this magical place where fellow writers would high-five me as I walked in and where shops dedicated exclusively for stationery, different colored inks, and moleskine journals dotted the streets. Perhaps there was a cafe with open mic sessions where poets could read out loud and I would sit down and be breathtaken by someone's delectable words. In addition, there was probably a Writing Workshop I could sign up for and countless resources offered to aspiring writers. I walked to Writer Square excitedly, taking in the city lights and enjoying the crisp night air. I finally got there, only to be majorly disappointed when I saw Writer Square was just another shopping and dining destination around the 16th Street Mall. Nice? Yes. Alluring? Yep. Trendy and fun? Most likely. A writer's destination? A big fat NO. It's just a place that happens to have the word "writer" in its name. I don't know what I was thinking.
Alright, to make this post worth the time of anybody who's not me and/or a writer, I'll leave you with a funny picture.
Kills me every time!
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