You, too, might be tempted to mimic your subject in your writing style. But is that really the best way to convince your readers that something is happening fast, or slow? That your character’s life is boring? Or that the situation you’re describing is chaotic? Dull prose certainly can be used to describe a tedious date, as muddled verbiage might mirror a mess, but your readers won’t thank you for boring or confusing them.
Hello Loreates,
When I was Susan Cheever’s MFA student at Bennington, she taught me a number of terms that illuminated my understanding of literary craft. One was “unpack,” which I now consider a core concept in both writing and reading literature. Another was “the fallacy of form and content,” which has stuck with me for decades, even though I’ve never heard anyone else use that exact phrase.
I’ve been meaning for some time to unpack the fallacy of form and content for you. Today’s the day!
Kindly read on,
Aimee
P.S. Today’s also the day of our very first Take 5 Writing workshop for Premium subscribers here at MFA Lore. I’m so excited by this new addition to the Take 5 program. It allows me to offer even MORE of the essence of the MFA experience in a true workshop setting. And you’re invited to join us! Get all the details here:
Save the Date!
Next Tuesday, March 3 at 11 am PT
Well Published: Short Stories with Rachel Khong
I’m absolutely thrilled to invite you to my video chat with Rachel Khong, author of Real Americans, about the release of her new intriguingly speculative story collection My Dear You. Please RSVP and tune in live using this link:
Write from the inside-out rather than outside-in. Less about the event and more about the experience of the event. Even if that means your final draft hardly even mentions what appeared to happen.
The Fallacy of Form and Content
I was once in a workshop with a writer who tried to convey the tedium of an LA freeway commute by narrating every turn, exit, traffic jam and interchange between Irvine and Silverlake. Nothing else, just the interminable road. That vicarious ride was tedious, all right, and unforgettable, but not in the way the author intended. It had fallen prey to the fallacy of form and content.
