Blog #7
This is Dust & Fire: version 2.0 for me. in both this year and last year, I was picky. That’s because I am picky. But this year, I tried to work on being the possibility that I’m overly selective. Which I’m not, but the possibility that I could be perceived that way is probable. Only 6-8 prose pieces struck me as needing to be in the anthology. Then I worked around in the wiggle room. I liked some of the potential of a couple pieces, or the attempt that one piece was making to tell a tired story from a different angle, so I started to stick up for those a little more, as well. Usually, if the underdog isn’t to my liking, I’ll just push it under a little more, but I tried to reconsider and reread the pieces that I wasn’t initially drawn to. It worked out well, because I love the tone of the prose in the anthology. It has a women’s version of honesty, both subtle and forthright strength, and a tenderness that brings the pieces to a cohesive whole. And Boobs isn’t in it. So I can be happy with it.
A small hand of doubt tugs when i think about the prizes. I didn’t vote for the piece that had the best writing, in fact, I spoke out for another piece which didn’t have the same skill level. But it moved me more. It had a raw honesty, even though it was fiction, that couldn’t be denied. My instincts grabbed a different piece than my head wanted. When it’s all over, they will both be in the anthology and that’s exciting. I’d love to read anything more written by either of those two women.
The anthology is a good example of writing for an audience. We had a piece that was well written, but was contentious because it was written from a man’s POV. It didn’t fit well with the other prose selections and stuck out because of it.
Group dynamics are tricky in these sort of situations. They were my key to motivation, but if everyone isn’t on the same wave with that, it’s more than a little bit frustrating. I hated sitting in class waiting for people to read packets that should have already been done. This class only meets twice a week and there isn’t much homework for it. I don’t understand why it would be too much to ask to use the time alloted for discussion to discuss and not to read. However, most of the time, it worked out well. It was nice to get the different views and get some other insight into pieces. I gave a couple a yes vote after listening to some arguments in favor of the pieces.
Dust & Fire is an area that I tend to be more opinionated that I initially thought I would be. It also taught me that I’m possibly a snob, but I can’t help it. I just have strong opinions when I have them. Lukewarm usually got a no. But I’m like this in most other aspects of my life, so it would be hard to change it just for an anthology.
I admire both your pickiness and your willingness to explore the “wiggle room” a bit more this year. And to me you said a great deal when you wrote, “Lukewarm usually got a no.” I definitely don’t want lukewarm art. There’s plenty of competent, well-meaning DULL writing out there — and I don’t want to read any of it.
You done good.