"I write a story as if it were a letter to someone and essentially, that’s what you do."
-Theodore Sturgeon
I came across this quote today and it made me start to think. I feel like this has hit the basic idea of writing on the head. When you are writing down a story, it can sometimes seem like you are recounting an event or series of actions that happened in your own life. You put yourself in the place of the main character. You can choose to either recite past actions or narrate as the story moves in time. You can comment on the experience or present it point-blank. All in all, you are expressing what has happened to the reader.
Then, I was struck by the idea that some of the younger generation may not completely understand this quote. Besides the occasional school exercise or required essay, a letter has become a lost form of communication. Emails and text messages don't quite convey the same thoughtfulness, consideration, and detail as a letter. In a world of instant gratification, where you can tell the whole world each moment of every day, how do you apply this theory to today? As a series of Facebook statuses and tweets? It just doesn't convey the same meaning.
Instead of mourning this change, however, I prefer to look at it as a chance to become more creative. With more and more stories becoming popular that utilize an alternative writing style, this could be a chance for the next generation to come up with their own way of telling the stories in their heads.
What do you think, opportunity for new ideas or tragic loss of an art? Leave your ideas in the comments.
