Back in 1982, when I was trying so hard to break into publishing, I read an article written by a former editor of a top rated magazine. In this article, she explained why it was more difficult for the Southern writers to have their work accepted by the more popular magazines. The reason? Because people weren't very interested in what Southerners had to say!!! I have carried that with me for all these years and I guess that is why I tried to make my writing universal. Tried to write without the corn-pone, southern-fried accent.
Well, I ain't doin it no more! (Oops, I don't suppose I should throw my English Grammar book out the window just yet.)
I can still "word up" with the best of them. I can write flowery words like superfluous and supererogatory, but what is wrong with saying excessive and useless instead? I can write that someone is abdominous and bovine, but doesn't calling them a potbellied fat cow paint a clearer pitcure?
Two of the first things I learned in my creative writing classes were:
1. Write what you know
2. Find your writing 'voice'
I have done neither. I have been writing from what I have researched and using so many voices that I have become the Sybil of the literary world. (If you didn't see the movie, then you won't get the meaning of that statement.)Now it's time for a change.
Well, it's time for two changes actually. The other one is the kind with the night sweats and the hot flashes, but that's a whole other story.
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