Essays

May 19, 2010

I really believe that there is no one in this world with a knack for words quite like you. Is it really magic or just genuine talent? If it’s magic, can you tell me where to get some? –Jane

Jane, thanks for your kind words. I’ve always loved writers who are enchanted by our beautiful language–perhaps beginning in my youth with Ray Bradbury. Over the years, I have come to feel that the way a story is told matters as much as the story itself, and that the language with which a character is revealed can bring the character to life more effectively than can the very details of that character’s history and personality. Developing an ear for the music of language also helps a writer with his dialogue. Talent is required, but is not the sole factor. I suspect I have an ounce of talent, not a gallon; but what I do have is a love of craft, which is why I can sit at the keyboard long hours, revising every page many times. Craftsmanship, when it becomes a passion, can produce effects that seem magical.

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