Beaver Falls - Jerry Cagle

Then Again Characters

For readers of my novel Then Again who may have wondered how the five main characters would appear in real life, I created these photorealistic images. Though based on descriptions in the novel, they were leavened with a healthy dose of imagination. Below each image are slightly edited excerpts from various descriptive passages in the book.

Aurélie told me her early childhood had been confusing. A precocious child with savant-like intelligence, she was speaking in complete sentences before she was one year old, and had mastered simple mathematics by age two. I asked about her adolescence, but she refused to go into detail, saying only that after a few years of teenage sexual rebellion and a couple of failed love affairs in her early twenties, she’d given up on finding a mate and become absorbed in her work with Heyoka. It was sad to think that such an intelligent and attractive woman was an old maid in the making, trapped in a loveless world of intellectual isolation. I remembered when I first saw her, being struck by her simple, almost peasant-like beauty. She was petite and slender, with auburn hair cropped in a short afro that framed a heart-shaped face. Her azure eyes, shadowed by long lashes, looked down on a delicate nose and a wide, generous mouth. Gone was the velvet beret that had held her hair in check, and the black-and-white waitress uniform she’d worn at the club had been replaced by stone-washed jeans and a loose-fitting t-shirt featuring a photograph of Jeff Bridges as ‘The Dude’ Lebowski. 

My first clear view of Heyoka Husereau D'Ailleboust nearly knocked me sober. For one thing, he was huge, and—probably due to an autonomic fright response—my senses sharpened and my bleary vision cleared. The smile was still there, but it now protruded from the lower half of a deeply weathered face the color and texture of ruddy sandstone carved by centuries of water erosion. His mountainous nose swept out and down like an undulating inverted ski slope and, in contrast to the smile, there was a notable downcast to his triangular eyes, the pupils of which resembled pools of liquid onyx. Taken as a whole, his countenance projected a combination of intelligence and humor, infused with a touch of melancholy.

I stood in front of the full-length door mirror and examined the updated version of my body. The growth spurt I remembered from my first life was nearly complete, and the results of my daily weight-lifting sessions were evident in the hardened muscles of my arms and chest. I hadn’t been paying much attention to these changes, and when I took a good look at my face, I was surprised to see a pretty handsome fellow looking back. That Paul-Newman look was beginning to appear in my slightly dimpled chin and downturned eyes. Though there was still a whisper of adolescence in my youthful posture and smile, all-in-all it wasn’t a bad look.

The screen began to show a montage of my solo career, starting in the early days after a couple of my songs had charted, and running through the decades that followed. Seeing the venues change from concert halls to small auditoriums to “intimate” nightclub settings was depressing, but even worse was watching my hair lose its color while my smooth, tanned skin faded to chalky parchment like a decomposing corpse.

Doris:
I’d always thought of Doris as a sort of female version of my dad; an efficient, yet friendly RN whose humorous manner and quick wit kept my fear of needles and other medical procedures at bay until the last possible moment. Now, however, I saw a different version, one that was not only sexually attractive, but whose smile and quirky attitude lent a certain element of intrigue to my childhood image of her as an untouchable adult. When she walked out of the cabana in a tight-fitting bathing suit, the dozen or so young interns tracked her with their eyes until she dived in and disappeared under the water. It was my first detailed look at her unadorned by her nurse’s uniform, and it revealed a body unlike those from my era, where six-pack-abs and lean, athletic figures were considered sexy. No, this was a body from the ‘50s, hourglass shaped, with a narrow waist and beautifully proportioned hips and breasts. When she emerged from the water and shook out her short, blond hair, the boys gathered around her in an embarrassing attempt to outdo one another with their antics.

Ellie:
Ellie, whose intelligence and beauty would one day outshine even her mother’s, was referred to by the gang as “Super Baby,” and no one ever complained about the fact that she spent almost all her waking hours—first crawling, then toddling—around the studio. When she wasn’t on the move, she would sit quietly, watching Jimmy and Sam operate the huge mixdown console, or looking out through the glass partition at the musicians as they played.

“You need to keep a closer eye on Ellie,” Aurélie said. “She’s a beautiful girl, Rix, and I don’t think you’ve noticed how fast she’s growing up. That wouldn’t be so much of a problem were it not for the fact that her intelligence makes her curious about everything, and it won’t be long before her curiosity turns to sex. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that an emotionally immature, sexually ripe virgin rubbing elbows with musicians and famous rock stars will be particularly vulnerable.”

She was right, I hadn’t even begun to think about such things, nor had I paid much attention to Ellie’s physical maturation. But now that I thought about it, there was the growth spurt and the recently appearing breasts. I hadn’t worried about her safety or wellbeing because of her intelligence and logical way of thinking. Plus, she had several dedicated protectors in the studio who’d been looking out for her almost since the day she was born. However, if she decided on her own to do something clandestine, she was so clever that no one would even suspect anything was going on.

How Cold Is It?

Killing Time

On Writing - Character Mutiny

Readers have a hard time believing it when a novelist claims her/his characters have hijacked the story and are taking it in a direction they didn’t initially intend. “How,” they say, “can a character you invented do something to your story that you didn’t plan?” The answer is simple: if you create a character, invent a back story, shape their personality, and make her/him believable, it’s only natural for that character to come to life on the page. In which case, you have a person to deal with, not a slave.

When planning a novel, I create detailed profiles for each of the main characters before I begin the writing process. Though most of the details never see print, these profiles allow me to get to know my characters on a ‘personal’ level: how they look, how their background shapes the way they act, what their opinions might be on any given subject, and so on. I even do this in a less- comprehensive way for characters I assume will play minor roles in the story (doormen, cab drivers, distant relatives, etc.). But occasionally one of these peripheral characters will jump up and say, ‘Wait a minute, you can’t relegate me to a minor role, I’m more important than that!’ I may disagree and try to push ahead with the story as I first envisioned it, but sometimes that character quickly becomes so intriguing, I have no choice but to write him/her into the deeper narrative.

A good example of this occurred in the first chapter of the novel I am currently writing, when a character named Kate, who was supposed to be a relatively unimportant assistant to the protagonist, suddenly asserted herself without my permission. I almost always base my characters on people I’ve seen or known, and I had based Kate’s profile on a young lady I’d met during my morning walks who had some interesting physical attributes. But rather than explain further, I will quote below some excerpts from that chapter that might help you better understand how her character evolved.

I was scheduled to meet the notorious expatriate’s assistant at the Key West Visitors Center on Big Pine Key, about 35 miles shy of the famous ‘Conch Republic’ itself. During our last phone conversation, Kate Wallinski had assured me that I would have no trouble recognizing her. “Just look for someone who resembles one of those stick figures we used to draw in kindergarten,” she said. And as I pulled into the parking lot, there she was, dressed in loose-fitting, canary yellow shorts and a colorful Jimmy Buffet-style shirt that hung on her toothpick frame like a wilted bandanna on a wire hanger. Anorexic would be a less than adequate way to describe her appearance, which, given my penchant for pithy journalistic commentary, I might have compared to a skeleton dipped in flesh-colored latex.

I parked next to the Mercedes G550 she was leaning on and took a moment to gather my thoughts before stepping out into the sweltering, late-summer heat. Silently admonishing myself not to look shocked, I nonetheless felt my eyes widen and my jaw drop as I approached her and accepted the bony hand she held out to me. A broad smile spread across her face—a quite pretty face, actually—indicating that she was used to such reactions.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” she said with a chuckle that betrayed not a hint of embarrassment or rebuke. “Happens all the time. I’m Kate. And you must be Mike, the famous journalist.”

“I … uh, don’t know about the famous part,” I stammered. “But yes … yes. Mike Early. Pleased to meet you.”

Major Technological Breakthrough

We are proud to introduce the new Bio-Optic Organized Knowledge device, trade-named BOOK.

BOOK is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no headphones, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It’s so easy to use, even a child can operate it.

Compact and portable, BOOK can be used anywhere—even sitting in an armchair by the fire—yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a Kindle file or a flash drive.

Here’s how it works:

BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of (recyclable) paper called Pages, each capable of holding thousands of bits of information.

The Pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence.

Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows manufacturers to use both sides of the sheet, doubling the information density and cutting costs.

Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for now, BOOKs with more information simply use more Pages.

Each Page is scanned optically, injecting the information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next Page.

BOOK may be taken up at any time and used merely by opening it.

BOOK never crashes or requires buffering, nor can it be infected with viruses, though like other display devices it can become unusable if dropped overboard. The “browse” feature allows you to move instantly to any Page and move forward or backward as you wish.

Many BOOKs come with an “index” feature, which pinpoints the exact location of any selected information for instant retrieval.

An optional “BOOKmark” accessory allows you to open BOOK to the exact place you left it in a previous session—even if it has been closed.  BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single BOOKmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers. Conversely, numerous BOOKmarks can be used in a single BOOK, if the user wants to store numerous views at once.

You can also make personal notes next to BOOK text entries with an optional programming tool, the Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus (PENCILS).

Portable, durable, and affordable, BOOK is being hailed as a precursor of a new entertainment wave.

BOOK’s appeal seems so certain that thousands of content creators have committed to the platform and investors are reportedly flocking to invest. Look for a flood of new titles soon.

Seagulls At Sunset - Sarasota, Florida

History Of The World

The following are direct quotes from K-12 student’s essays, submitted by teachers throughout the U.S.

The Bible is full of interesting caricatures. In the first book of the Bible, Guinessis, Adam and Eve were created from an apple. A snake was present at the time. God got tired of creating the world, so He took the Sabbath off.

Noah built an ark, which the animals came on to in pears. Noah's wife was called Joan of Ark. Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by night.

Ancient Egypt was inhabited by mummies, and they all wrote in hydraulics. They lived in the Sarah Dessert. The climate of the Sarah is such that the inhabitants have to live elsewhere.

The Jews were a proud people and throughout history they had trouble with the Genitals. Moses led the Hebrews to the Red Sea, where they made unleavened bread, which is bread made without any ingredients.

The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert. Afterwards, Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the Ten Amendments. Moses died before he ever reached Canada. David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar. He fought the Finkelsteins, a race of people who lived in Bibical times. Solomon, one of David's sons, had 300 wives and 700 porcupines.

The Greeks were a highly sculptured people, and without them we wouldn't have history. They invented three kinds of columns: Corinthian, ironic, and dorc. Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice, so they killed him with an overdose of wedlock. After his death, his career suffered a dramatic decline.

Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption. When Mary heard that she was the mother of Jesus, she sang the Magna Carta. When the three wise guys from the east side arrived, they found Jesus in the manager. Later, St. John, the Blacksmith, capsized him.

The people who followed the Lord were called the 12 decibels.

One of the opossums was St. Matthew who was by profession a taximan. The epistles were the wives of the apostles. A Christian should have only one spouse. This is called monotony.

Then came the Middle Ages when King Alfred conquered the Dames. He had many brave knights who road on prancing horses and beautiful women. Joan of Arc was canonized by Bernard Shaw, and victims of the blue-bonnet plaque grew boobs on their necks. Finally, Magna Carta provided that no man should be hanged twice for the same offense.

In medieval times people were alliterate. During this time, people put on morality plays about ghosts, goblins, virgins, and other mythical creatures.

The Renaissance was an age in which Martin Luther was nailed to the church door for selling papal indulgences. He died a horrible death, being excommunicated by a bull.

It was painter Donatello's interest in the female nude that made him the father of the Renaissance, which was an age of great inventions and discoveries. Gutenberg invented the Bible, and another important invention was the circulation of the blood. Later, Sir Francis Drake circumcised the world with a 100-foot clipper.

Then came the enlightenment. Voltaire invented electricity and also wrote a book called Candy. Gravity was invented by Isaac Walton. It is chiefly noticeable in autumn, when the apples are falling off trees.

John Bach wrote a great many musical compositions and had a large number of children. In between, he practiced on an old spinster. Bach died from 1750 to the present. Bach was the most famous composer in the world, and so was Handle. Handle was half German, half Italian, and half English.

Beethoven wrote music even though he was deaf. He was so deaf he wrote loud music. Beethoven expired in 1827 and later died for this.

The nineteenth century was a time of a great many thoughts and Inventions. People stopped reproducing by hand and began reproducing by machine.

The invention of the steamboat caused a network of rivers. Then came the First World War, which ushered in a new error in the anals of human history.

Then Again #9

The Brits Love Their Pets

According to a recent study of 2,000 British cat and dog owners, more than half prefer spending time with their pets over spending time with other humans. Why? Because they don’t nag, never talk back and are always in a good mood. Not only that, but more than a third prefer their pets to their partners, saying their pet is a better listener, while 45-percent like the fact they are never judged or questioned by their cat or dog. In addition, a surprising 29-percent say their four-legged friend is better at snuggling, and 44-percent would rather cuddle up with them than they would with their better half.

“Whilst some of the findings of this research are on the surface rather surprising, what they actually demonstrate is just how much we Brits love our pets and why they’re such an important part of our families,” said Hannah Edwards, Senior Marketing Manager for Freshpet, which carried out the research using OnePoll.com. “Whether that means using our four-legged friends as a sounding board for our problems, cuddling up with them on the sofa in a quiet moment, or simply spending quality time with them and enjoying their unconditional love, it’s clear that our beloved pets mean the world to us ... even more at times than our life partners. Shockingly, when faced with the decision to choose a pet or a partner, 14-percent would rather spend the rest of their life with their pet.”

And if you think my photo-composited image above is a joke, you should know that once, on a visit to The Gambia in West Africa, the Queen was actually given a crocodile as a pet for Prince Andrew.

On Writing - Creative Loafing

Writers—especially fiction writers—are constantly alert to story possibilities and character ideas, whether at a baseball game, a restaurant, or riding on a rollercoaster. Often, we find ourselves contemplating stories at seemingly inappropriate times, such as when we’re entertaining guests, or watching a school play. A wandering mind is one of the hazards of creative thinking, and even though it is a common trait among serious writers, we sometimes have to suffer through the misconceptions of those around us.

When your spouse or significant other sees you sitting on the front steps, staring into space, it’s only natural for them to assume you are loafing. Most non-writers don’t understand that much of the writing process goes on silently, inside the mind, before your fingers ever touch a pen or a keyboard. It’s a good idea to explain this to those you live with, so you don’t end up feeling guilty every time your brain takes a time out from the world around you.

Though I don’t subscribe to the old adage that says you must set aside a certain time each day to do nothing but write, I do believe that writing something every day is healthy for a writer. This could be an entry in your journal or diary, some personal correspondence, or maybe a poem. After not writing for more than a couple of days, it’s hard to get the literary engine warmed up again.

Vacations are a good example. This is supposed to be a time when you leave your work behind and relax. That works fine if you are leaving behind a regular job, but writing puts you in the category of "artist," and most artists cannot actually leave their art behind when they go on a vacation, especially when the surroundings are creatively stimulating, as are most vacation spots.

A guitarist for example, would probably not leave his or her instrument behind when going to the mountains, and a painter would most likely take a sketchpad along when vacationing at the coast. Writers are no different. That’s why you should always carry a note pad, or some kind of recording device (your smart phone probably has a recording feature) in order to write down or record ideas, scenes, descriptions of characters you meet, and interesting snippets of conversation.

In many cases these random scribblings or recordings are never used. However, they act to keep the juices flowing at a low ebb, and make it easier to begin writing again once the vacation is over. This is not to say that you should never attempt to clear your mind of all things related to your writing career, but leisure, quiet, and soft ocean breezes are simply not conducive to doing this. Deliberate loafing invariably turns into "creative loafing," simply because it leaves the mind free to explore.

I’ve found that the best way to relax without thinking about writing is to involve yourself in activities that demand so much thought and/or physical exertion you have no choice but to give them your full attention. Such activities differ for each person, but might include things like hobbies that require concentration, good films, or competitive sports (except, perhaps, golf). Basically, anything that does not take on a monotonous flavor, like riding a bicycle, walking through the woods, swimming, or listening to familiar music.

Poetry and personal correspondence are also things that can take your mind off work. Though they are forms of writing, I think of them as the dessert portions of my career. Though I’ve written hundreds of poems, I’ve never tried to sell one, nor do I plan to try (I once entered a poetry contest, and the result convinced me that I wasn’t a poet). But writing poetry does allow me a freedom of style and content I do not normally have. The same freedom applies to personal correspondence. Not having to adhere to anyone’s rules provides a welcome relief from my normal routine. It is somewhat like the classical guitarist playing a little folk music at a campfire sing-along—not as taxing as a regular performance, but creatively stimulating and pleasant.

It is important to draw a balance between family, social life, and career. There are dozens of stories about writers whose obsession with work destroyed their most intimate relationships. Because a writer is free to work anytime, many are driven to work all the time, and this is no healthier than incessant loafing. The "workaholic" syndrome is not exclusive to corporate executives; writers, are just as susceptible to the pitfalls of overwork.

However you choose to relax, make sure you find some time every day to do so. Not only will it help clear the cobwebs from your mind, it will help keep you healthy. Too much work, as we all now know, can lead to several forms of stress-related illness and, though it used to be fashionable for writers to die young, early death (at least for me) has gone out of style.

Today's Word: Polymath

Some years ago, during a lengthy and somewhat inebriated conversation with a lovely young bartender, I was asked how I knew so much about so many different things. I must have been inadvertently trying to impress this young lady (booze sometimes has that effect on the connection between my brain and my mouth) because the truth is, I know a little about a lot of stuff, but not a lot about anything. When I realized this faux pas, I quickly regrouped and admitted that, out of financial necessity, I had worked at dozens of different jobs during my life, gleaning a tiny bit of experience and knowledge from each one. She gave me a skeptical smile, then politely asked me to list those jobs. I told her I could not possibly do so off the top of my head, but that I would comb my memory and get back to her. A few days later, I returned to the bar and handed her the list, which was, to the best of my recollection, an honest recounting of my rather pedestrian history from age five on. As a way of introducing today’s word, I’m going to include that list here.

Boy soprano; tap/ballet dancer; magician/escape artist; guitarist; drummer; bass player; keyboardist; rock band member; rock vocalist; commercial jingle writer; songwriter; record producer; rock concert promoter; lawn maintenance contractor (I mowed lawns); owner of a teenage night club; air conditioner installer; warehouse manager; roofer; day laborer; carpenter; dry wall hanger; house painter; printing press operator; graphic artist; print shop manager; hospital printing dept. manager; retail salesclerk; manufacturer's representative; wood fence builder; competition trap and skeet shooter; dishwasher; sous chef; failed rock star; studio musician; luthier (builder of stringed musical instruments); music store owner; musical instrument repair and restoration specialist; dulcimer builder; failed poet; planter and furniture manufacturer; director of maintenance for public housing; freelance journalist; newsletter publisher; magazine editor; competition pool player; billiard supply dealer; pool cue builder; pool tournament director and tour promoter; failed pool hustler; professional gambler; marketing director for a major pool cue manufacturer; video & TV scriptwriter and director; marketing consultant; stringer for dozens of magazines; website designer; e-commerce business owner; Photoshop artist; wood sculptor; novelist.

After that, whenever I came into the bar, the bartender called me “Polly,” a nickname I thought was demeaning until she explained that it was short for “Polymath.” Far from being a derogatory reference to a parrot, the word from which my new nickname was derived actually constituted quite a complement, though I have to admit a severely exaggerated one. So, today’s word is “Polymath,” and for those few out there who might be unaware of its meaning, here is a brief rundown:

From The Macmillan Dictionary: 

“Polymath derives from the Greek ‘polys’ meaning ‘much,’ and from the root of ‘manthanein,’ a verb which refers to the process of learning. Its first recorded use is from the 1620s.

“Polymath is a noun that refers to a person who is well-informed and learned about a wide variety of topics, as opposed to possessing expertise in one specific field of inquiry. The idea of a polymath is expressed by the term ‘Renaissance man’ (or woman), and great thinkers such as Leonardo da Vinci or Galileo were embodiments of this concept, possessing an intelligence that ranged across a diversity of subjects, including literature, philosophy and mathematics, amongst other disciplines.”

So, basically, a polymath is a person who knows a lot about many subjects. Which, unfortunately, excludes me, because, as I said, I know a little (not a lot) about a many subjects. And, at least from a talent and intellectual standpoint, I couldn't qualify to tie Leonardo's shoe laces (even the one whose last name is DiCaprio).

The Story Behind Then Again

The story behind Then Again evolved from my years as a singer-songwriter, my later career as a science and medical journalist, and my love for Native American culture. From my early teens through my late twenties I worked as a guitarist, keyboard player, and vocalist, playing in several rock bands and as a studio musician. I later became a singer/songwriter, and delved into record producing with limited success. The impetus for writing the novel stemmed from imagining what it would be like to live my life over again while retaining all my accumulated wisdom and experience. In contemplating the changes I might make and their possible ramifications, I soon realized that it would be far more complex and perilous than I had originally thought, and I became fascinated with attempting to extrapolate all the pitfalls and problems I would encounter.

Drawing on my research in theoretical mathematics, quantum physics, and Native American spiritual practices, I decided to try and develop a story through which such a scenario might take place. At first, combining these three disciplines seemed like an impossible task, especially since I’d made up my mind early on not to base the novel on a fantasy premise. The most difficult aspect of the writing process was figuring out how to combine hard science with the more esoteric concepts of spirituality. Fortunately, good friend and fellow author, Burt Kempner, who had conducted extensive studies of Native American culture, became my advisor on the project, and I was eventually able to come up with a plausible, though somewhat metaphysical scenario.

I also must give credit to Fritjof Capra and the film Mindwalk, which was based on his excellent book The Turning Point. It was from that film that I derived much of the material I used in Then Again to explain in lay terms the complexities and confounding nature of quantum mechanics and particle physics.   

Written in three parts (Now, Then, and Then Again), the novel centers on three main characters: Rix Vaughn, an aging, drug-ravaged, alcoholic singer/songwriter nearing the end of a less-than-illustrious career; Heyoka Husereau D'Ailleboust, a world renowned particle physicist and Native American spiritual adept; and Aurélie, a brilliant mathematician who serves as Rix’s spiritual and scientific mentor.

Though a bit offbeat and somewhat humorous in tone, the story is a serious one that incorporates a variety of emotional, psychological and sociopolitical topics, as well as an in-depth examination of what is known as the “butterfly effect”—that is, how everything we do in life has consequences far beyond what most of us could imagine.

On Writing - Rewriting

There are few (very few) professional writers who do not rewrite, either on their own or to comply with an editor’s request. In fact, I personally know of only one—the prolific science-fiction author, Isaac Asimov—who insisted that his submissions be published without editorial changes. For the vast majority of professional writers, rewriting is an integral and important part of the writing process, not only to proofread and correct errors, but to assure that what they have written makes the kind of sense they originally intended.

The rewriting process allows you to correct grammar and punctuation, check word meanings, and spot common mistakes like doubled words (the the – said said, etc.) or repeating the same long word several times in close proximity. Unless you are an expert in English composition (and even sometimes if you are) you will probably find that your early drafts do not always convey your thoughts as clearly as you hoped they would.

If you are not educated in the mechanics of writing, don't despair. Many famous writers were not adept at the fundamentals when they first started out. Most beginning writers depend on "how it sounds," but just because something sounds wrong doesn't mean you will always know how to correct it. In these situations you can turn to reference books or to the Internet. Online dictionaries and Thesauruses abound (my favorite can be found at www.dict.org). For other questions, a simple search for, say, “capitalize [word]” will bring up dozens of answers. Just be sure that the source you chose is one of authority, such as a university website or a respected style book like The Chicago Manual of Style. 

Unfortunately, as with fashion, the “rules” of style for various types of writing change over time. A good example of this can be seen in the use of commas. In days past, commas were used much more frequently than they are today. In some cases I see this as an improvement; in others, not so much. When writing non-fiction, adhering to current trends is probably a good idea, whereas in fiction, it’s more a matter of choice. If you read a lot of fiction you will see that punctuation and grammatical style vary widely, even among best-selling authors. 

I never eliminate commas or other punctuation marks simply for the sake of reducing their number. My rule of thumb is: if punctuation of any kind unnecessarily impedes the flow of the prose, I remove it. On the other hand, if the intended meaning of a phrase becomes difficult for the reader to grasp without the punctuation, I leave it in. When punctuation (or the lack of it) makes me wonder what an author meant to say, I often find myself having to reread a passage, and that can become irritating. Creating beautiful prose is an admirable goal; but when you sacrifice clarity to achieve that beauty, the result can sometimes confuse the reader. My goal has always been to make whatever I write as clear and easy to understand as possible, because the last thing I want is to leave my readers scratching their heads.

Some folks scoff when I tell them I often spend many hours rewriting a single paragraph, but it’s true. Finding the perfect word or phrase to precisely convey my thoughts is of paramount importance to me, particularly when I’m writing about complex subjects or emotions my characters are feeling. 

I would estimate that composing the first drafts of sentences, paragraphs, or chapters takes up only about 10% of the time I spend working on a novel. Another 15% is dedicated to research, character studies, and developing timelines (a reference that helps me remember when and where things happened). The bulk of my time—the remaining 75%—is spent correcting and rewriting. Some of this rewriting is done at the suggestion of half a dozen critical readers and editors, but most of it occurs before I allow anyone to see the manuscript.

To some aspiring writers, rewriting may seem like a chore, a burdensome and boring task that only prolongs the already lengthy process of preparing a piece of writing for publication. But most professional writers will tell you it is an absolutely essential part of the creative process, without which your chances of success will be reduced to near zero.

Art, Craft, and Critics

“Critics spend their occupational hours scrubbing the polish off that which causes the spine to tingle, while spending their leisure time frantically polishing that which is already yellowed by too many applications of cheap wax.” - Michael (Crazy Mike) Scrivner

During a recent debate over a bit of poetry, a dear friend and professional poet made a statement about the difference between craft and art, which I will paraphrase here:

This is the kind of work I classify as folk-type, artless, sincere...of heart not art. It doesn’t have breathtaking imagery, metaphor that opens new doors of perception, language that sings in harmony...none of the elements that characterize original poetry, poetry of power. It’s like the difference between craft and art. I notice immediately if the craftsperson doesn’t have corners neat, seams straight, edges smooth, colors harmonious, etc. With art (regardless of genre) I react primarily to the emotional impact of the piece, and only secondarily to the craft elements. If the artist has sent me a powerful message, and I realize she/he has broken (or bent) the rules of craft, I am even more impressed with her/his artistry. I use the same criteria in looking at writing: if it informs me efficiently, it is evidence of good craft; if it moves me in a unique way, it is art.

My response to these opinions was as follows:

I find it a little elitist to place any sincere, creative effort in a class lower than art, or at least to insinuate that it has less overall value. Being a craftsman myself (in wood, words and other media), I have always been angered by those who criticize anyone’s effort at artistic expression, whether that expression be accomplished with a hammer, a brush, a pencil, a loom, or plant dye on rock faces. Perhaps the best spoof of critical hypocrisy can be found in the movie LA Story, when Steve Martin is describing the emotional impact of a large painting, pointing out all the artistic nuances the artist has incorporated. When the camera finally turns to the picture, it is essentially blank. That satirical skit depicts the way I think of art critics in general, no matter what genre they are criticizing. They become so enamored with their own scholarship and purported depth of knowledge, they cannot help but fill up page after page with interpretations based on their own opinions rather than any kind of prima-facie evidence or factual knowledge.

As for craft being a mode of informing the observer efficiently, and only art being able to move one in a unique way, I also disagree. In fact, it really depends upon the observer or user (Art is in the eye of the beholder). I have been moved in unique ways many times by observing the intricate perfection of the woodwork in a classical guitar, the curve of a piece of handmade furniture, or the perfectly efficient design of a tool, all of which would only be considered examples of fine craftsmanship. On the other hand, I would not hang the Mona Lisa in my house on a bet, nor would I pay more than flea-market prices for a Faberge Egg.

The critics’ answer to this, of course, is that I have not experienced enough, or studied enough, or taken enough art appreciation classes to understand and appreciate fine art. Pardon me, but that’s a load of horseshit. It is only those whose confidence in their own opinions is so weak, who must justify them with long lists of academic accomplishments and/or claimed expertise. To me, critics serve a purpose only if one learns their likes and dislikes and makes a value judgment based on comparing those likes and dislikes to their own. When it comes to being the standard-bearers of true artistic value, they are about as useless as male nipples.

Another question arises in the debate over what is and what is not art: is there art in nature? After all, we scientific types tend to think of nature and evolution as being a set of scientific happenstances; the result of fundamental laws and chance at work. In which case, Mother Nature would be seen as a craftsperson. On the other hand, some of the most beautiful painting, writing, sculpture, etc., comes from trying to faithfully copy or depict the beauty found in nature. And if there is no art in the original, there is little hope of art magically appearing in a copy. In that case, only a few of the abstractionists could be considered real artists.

So what is art and what is craft? Is there some magical artistic line a craftsperson may eventually cross, even though they have never attempted to do anything but perfect their craft? Or is that territory forbidden to those who refuse to study and learn the opinions of critics and the history of true art. Is there ‘accidental’ art? Can a craftsperson occasionally cross over that line without knowing it, simply by chance? Perhaps a backwoods mechanic with a third-grade education and a blowtorch could unknowingly create a piece of metal sculpture that would rival in its ability to move the soul the works of Michelangelo or Van Gogh or DaVinci. I guess that would depend on the soul, but would it ever be recognized as anything more than craftsmanship or ‘folk art?’ All the while ‘real’ artists are shooting paint-filled balloons with guns, swinging on ropes to spread random colors on huge canvases, or painting depictions of Campbell’s Soup cans.