Art and Fear

[Beirut]

Unlike Lemurmania. I am not burdened by a unreasonable quest for perfection, but lack the inhibition to let my imagination hit the page.

I have been writing for regional newspapers here in Quebec for eight years now, and though I have no problems expressing opinions that drive the readers insane, I do hesitate when writing short stories. I hesitate to let out what's inside. And that is fear. And that is death.

I will never be a book writer. I don't have it in me to write hundreds of pages. But I love writing short stories. From a thousand to ten thousdand words. That's my playground. If I could just absolve myself of the responsibility of my "social conscience" I would do much better.

Fear and art. They go together like bicycles and swim fins.

[The Shadow One]

Unlike Lemurmania. I am not burdened by a unreasonable quest for perfection, but lack the inhibition to let my imagination hit the page.

* * *

I will never be a book writer. I don't have it in me to write hundreds of pages. But I love writing short stories. From a thousand to ten thousdand words. That's my playground. If I could just absolve myself of the responsibility of my "social conscience" I would do much better.

I actually don't have a problem letting my imagination "hit the page." Once it's been down there awhile, it starts to look like something that got ran over by redneck pickup while it was trying to cross the road.

I encourage you to send out your short stories. Yes, send them out. Join me in my misery. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

Seriously, when I was in law school, students used to say that professors graded tests by standing at the top of the stairs and threw the tests upward an outward. Whichever tests fell on the fourth step (or whatever) got an A. Sometimes I think editors work the same way.

Good luck.

The Shadow One