Write a description of a lake as seen through the eyes of someone who has just committed a murder. Do not mention the murder.
That exercise—made famous by the novelist John Gardner in his writing book The Art of Fiction and a favorite of many Gotham teachers—has been on my mind a lot this week, as more and more writers ponder out loud what it means to write in the time of coronavirus. Continue reading “Before and After”
Maybe you heard about how writers like Isaac Newton and Ernest Hemingway and Boccaccio were super productive when they lived under quarantine.
Maybe you heard that Shakespeare allegedly wrote King Lear while quarantined during an outbreak of the bubonic plague.
Hello my friends —
While you process the deluge of coronavirus advice and guidance, (and the anxiety, and the chaos), remember this:
As writers, you possess skills that will prove useful in the coming weeks and months. You’re good at listening. You’re good at synthesizing information, and sharing stories. Continue reading “Reaching Out”