Learning to See
A Writing Blog About Craft & Creative Process
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"Learning to see is the basis for learning all of the arts."
- Flannery O'Connor |
What Does "Learning to See" Mean?by Joy Baglio
This will be a very casual, informal place where I (and other guest bloggers) will discuss our processes, thoughts on craft, books we're reading, and other writerly insights. The title of this blog - Learning to See - is maybe the most important writing advice I've ever encountered, from one of my literary heroes, Flannery O'Connor, and it really applies beyond writing. Isn't this what all growth is in general, in life: Learning to perceive more clearly, less myopically, to be present and aware of our experience moment to moment? Most of us would probably agree that the main difference between a younger, less developed version of ourselves and ourselves now is a difference in awareness, of what/how we perceived then vs. what/how we perceive now. The world looks, sounds, smells, tastes immensely different to a ten year old than it does to a twenty year old or a sixty year old. (A ten year old has had far fewer experiences than a sixty year old, and most likely has a much smaller perspective on most things.) Similarly, the world looks, sounds, smells, tastes different to someone newly in love than it does to someone experiencing a tragic loss. All of our myriad experiences comprise the lenses through which we experience our lives and inform how we perceive (see). This is why reading - and really any pursuit or interest that broadens the mind and what/how we perceive (see) - fundamentally expands our perspective and also us as writers. What I love about Flannery O'Connor is that she states this so matter-of-factly, so shamelessly and unwaveringly: The art of becoming a writer is intricately connected with the art of becoming a more curious, broad-minded, far-seeing human. Curiosity is an interesting thing to contemplate. It's clearly connected to this business of being a writer as well, and it's implied in O'Connor's words about "learning to see." If you're curious about what you're experiencing, you perceive it differently, and you come away with a much richer, more nuanced experience, including more questions, ideas, and a deeper desire to learn and understand even more. I like to think of curiosity as this constantly-burning fire that propels us in our creative pursuits to answer the questions and solve the mysteries that our stories (whether fiction or nonfiction) ask. If we feed our curiosity, it's like putting more wood on the fire: our ideas burn brighter, more questions arise, we continue to feel inspired, in creative flow. Curiosity also drives us to deeper empathy with our characters and greater understanding of their worlds: What would my single-mother character really feel in this situation? What does my lepidopterist protagonist think about during a normal day in the field? What is it like in Henry VIII's court through the eyes of my scullery maid protagonist? How does the world seem to my werewolf characters? Getting curious about the questions in your writing will lead you down fascinating, mind-expanding rabbit holes and help you get into (and remain in) the flow of your work. Lastly, I think O'Connor's words also apply to the work itself: Learning to see our own words - our writing - clearly and objectively is also how we're able to grow and transcend our early, biased adoration of our own creations and make great art - something that lives and breathes and offers value to others separate from the one who created it. DISCUSSION: In what ways have you "learned to see" in your creative work, over the course of weeks, months, or years? What's something you're obsessively curious about?
Upcoming Workshops with Joy Baglio: • The Path to Publishing Your Fiction (Saturday, April 7 in Williamsburg MA). • Creating Tiny Universes: Flash Fiction Intensive (June 1 & June 8, in Wililamsburg MA) Archives
14 Comments
Sarah
11/25/2018 10:17:17 am
I love O'Connor. I feel time away from my writing (mostly memoir and nonfiction) has allowed me to see what's necessary and what isn't. I think space from something always helps you see more clearly.
Joy Baglio
11/27/2018 05:01:34 am
I completely agree with you, Sarah. Space from the work is so important for my creative process as well.
Ted
11/25/2018 11:31:23 am
I'm always curious about what my characters would say to me if they could spy on my mind. I sometimes ask what they think of what I'm doing, and it's funny how something will just come to me and it will feel pretty accurate. I can go back and forth with them like this and it really leaves me with a sense of them. I'm not sure if this is something I'm obsessively curious about, but I do find them asking me lots of questions.
Joy Baglio
11/27/2018 05:00:26 am
How fascinating, Ted! What a cool way to experience curiosity! I bet that really helps you develop those characters!
randy s.
11/25/2018 03:25:26 pm
Thank you for this thoughtful post! Flannery is one of my favorites as well and her words have influenced me over the years. I like the idea of feeding my curiosity. There is a lot I'm curious about but it's interesting how when we get stressed or overwhelmed curiosity is the first thing to go. I guess I have my work cut out for me - free up some time to be creative and curious!
Joy Baglio
11/27/2018 04:59:36 am
Oh my gosh, tell me about it, Randy! Yes, it's certainly hard to nurture our creative selves when we're overwhelmed with practical matters. Finding the right balance can be difficult - though once you've carved out a little time, I find it gets easier and easier to return to that. Early mornings work best for me, before my mind has to deal with other matters.
stephanie
11/26/2018 04:52:14 am
i've learned to see when something feels forced and manipulated. it seems much clearer to me now than when i was younger. i've also learned to recognize those rare moments when i'm thinking or observing beyond the usual way and to try to capture those. it doesn't happen all the time but when it does i'm better at recognizing it. seems like learning to see could also be termed learning to recognize...?
Joy Baglio
11/27/2018 04:55:42 am
Absolutely, Stephanie! And I know what you mean about recognizing those moments when you're seeing/observing "beyond the usual way." I find the more I write down those moments, the more I recognize them!
bob
2/3/2019 06:56:10 am
May not be what you mean by "seeing" as way of learning to recognize (or remember). "Beyond" the usual way of seeing reminds of a 3rd eye or spiritual-type of vision. This is a bit of a radical view of perception that I've read. Projection makes perception. That what we perceive is an outward projection of an inward condition. We as One look within and co-project our perception. When we "see" only a non-judgmental/ forgiven perception, does our inner condition change/ heal and then projects out positive changes in our shared perception. I'm obsessively curious about what is the truth? Do we share a truth or does it vary from one another? To question perception/ experience. Is there a meaning/ purpose/ function to perception?
Joy Baglio
11/27/2018 04:52:19 am
So true! 11/27/2018 07:18:39 am
Thank you for including an example from historical fiction in your post! I sometimes feel that writing craft is couched in terms that easily apply to contemporary fiction, but are harder to apply to historical fiction—which must adhere to the same demands of good storytelling as any other form of fiction.
Joy Baglio
11/27/2018 07:56:33 am
I completely agree, Susanne! Yes - the standards of good storytelling definitely apply in all narrative genres :) Leave a Reply. |
