Conversations. Lectures. questioning. thesis?
In VCFA’s Writing for Children and Young Adults, I have learned more about myself than I have in the 45 1/2 years before I began this program in January. I’m eternally grateful. A word came to me today in Evan’s, one of our brilliant advisors, lecture. Protection.
Protection.
Last week, at rehearsal for Mary’s play, Grace asked me about what I do outside of this program. I told her that I am a personal trainer and that I help people feel good in their bodies, through strength training, nutrition, coaching, etc… Strength. She suggested that I could write my critical thesis on strength. That makes sense, right? I thought about that word. I do give people strength. I’m a coach. That’s one of the things that I do. Do I have strength? Yes, and it’s growing. Have I always? No, only in running and when I’m working on a project that I’m passionate about. Could I focus my critical thesis on giving characters strength? I could, but it wasn’t hitting right. I chewed on these thoughts for over a week. Yes, it’s important. And it’s in my wheelhouse. But something Evan asked all of us in the last lecture of residency struck me. What are you curious about? What do you know about this curiosity? What questions do you have? How can you find those answers? Yesterday in my one-on-one meeting with my new advisor, the remarkable Erica Perl, she suggested that I “go deep.” I admitted to her that I do go deep in my YA writing, but that I find it difficult to do so in picture books. When I sat in Evan’s lecture this morning, a couple of questions came to me. Why is it difficult to go deep? And do I actually go deep in all of my writing?
Did you know that my favorite plant is the fern? Ferns are protectors. They contribute to their ecosystems by providing shelter, shade, and erosion control. Am I a fern? I am A FERN!
I’m afraid to go deep with my characters because I want to protect them from the elements that are needed in a great novel. The whole foundation of my personal training business is protecting my clients from aging, disease, illness, injury, etc… I’ve spent most of my motherhood having to protect my children from people who just don’t understand them. In all aspects of my life, I’m constantly trying to lift people up so they feel good about themselves. When it comes to writing, my characters become so real to me; they are a part of me and I want to protect them from pain. At the same time, I am also cognizant of protecting the reader. But if there’s too much protection, there won’t be a story. Right? I remember reading assigned books in my youth and being quite fearful of the ups and downs of a novel. Maybe that’s why I never pursued writing till now. Nonfiction was safe, mostly. But, finally, at the young age of 46, I have found a deep love for fiction. However, I haven’t figured out the recipe for protecting characters and readers through a “deep” experience - the rollercoaster ride that every celebrated book does so well. So, I think that I have a question that I need to answer this semester and maybe in the next semester, too, for my critical thesis. How, as writers, do we protect our readers and our characters and still let them experience the beauty and struggles in life? We need to fall in order to soar. I don’t have an answer, yet, but I hope to figure it out.
<3 Keely
