Titles!

By Rebecca WS
(Photo: Mark Gimein)

Sooo.....

How important are titles of narrative, prose, and poetry anyway?

I spent hours online last night with my WritopiaLab writers as they frantically sought to name their prose, brainstorming everything from literal or blunt emotional declarations, to elusive metaphorical abstractions. Some wanted poignancy, others wanted straight-forward clarity, most wanted a hit of poetry and to go to bed.

Everyone's excited right now since we're preparing for the Barnes & Noble reading this Monday and for the Scholastic Writing Event in January. But is a title really worth an hour or more of rigorous story-analysis mixed with mind-numbing word play?

Well, for those of us who actually enjoy getting lost in the analytical ends of the creative process, the answer is clear: There are few challenges more fun than aspiring to combine literary thought or concepts with subtle allusion. But when it's late at night, or it's not really the thing that inspires you, or it just so happens that you are NOT in the mood, then what? When everything is said and done, aren't titles as ephemeral to readers as passing scenery on a highway?

Maybe sometimes, but not when they are good! When titles have reached their full potential, they are the all-important signs that guide us as we head down a new freaky, mysterious, craaaazy... or just unfamiliar road... And they do much more than just that.

First of all publishing houses spend months debating titles of books. They consider: Will this title provoke people to buy the book? Does this title suggest something that the public has not known before? Does it rightfully convey the tone of the book? If the book has a lot of humor is the title playful enough? And, ultimately, does the title suggest the full breadth of the work?

Clearly, we are not trying to sell our short stories and poems to people as publishers are trying to do with books. But we do seek to convey a sense of originality, draw our readers in, and, ultimately, suggest a full literary experience. No big deal! (Hehe)

Well, kudos to Writopia Lab writers, because based on last night's brainstorming sessions, our titles so far sometimes intrigue our readers with a clear, albeit very short, statement regarding the heart-felt material they are about to explore; sometimes draw readers in with a bold, unexpected use of parentheses; and often win readers' trust with a poetic allusion. If we have done one or two of these things at least, our readers are on board from the start.

And, ideally, for the full literary experience, after a reader reaches the end of a story, she should be able to look at the title again and see a double-meaning, a reference to something she discovered only after reading the story.

If any WL writers are still having trouble titling their pieces, please email or call me today. Happy elections day!

~~Rebecca WS~~ Read more!

Introducing "Write On!"

Creative writing has been known to not only be an expression of self, but an interpretation of other people, and the world at large. Of course, this wisdom is learned at some point throughout life. While younger writers understandably don’t know everything about life, through their writing, they can begin to understand their own lives and observe others’ lives. It’s important for young people to express themselves through a positive outlet, and there is perhaps no more interesting release than writing fictional short stories, plays, and memoirs. This is the foundation of the workshops at WritopiaLab, and the guiding force behind the upcoming newsletter.

Write On! is a monthly reminder of why young people write. Our goal is to share our perspective and the perspectives of young writers throughout New York City. This newsletter will keep the entire WritopiaLab family abreast of what’s going on within the program and in the lives of our alumni. Each month, Write On! will feature a student-written short story and poem, demonstrating the immense talent of the kids enrolled in our workshops. We will also feature student recommendations of the most intriguing cultural spots in New York, the most inspirational vistas in the City, and in every issue, a young guest columnist will take us through the methods of their writing process. Write On! is a celebration of WritopiaLab’s incomparable students and of New York. It will be a bright, informative newsletter that maintains our mission – to bridge gaps between young, urban writers, showing them the commonalities of their intellectual pursuits, and offering them an opportunity to express themselves in ways they might not be able to otherwise. Read more!

When one boy plays video games... he finds inspiration

One of my students, Peter, a sophomore at Stuyvesant High School, has the coolest approach to writing:

As he plays a video game (I would imagine in 7 hour stints at least), something magical (or creative) happens: Within moments, characterological motives, personal histories, and superhuman powers begin to emerge in his mind, and before long he finds himself thoroughly immersed in the emotional ramifications of the game, and ultimately in front of a computer screen banging out his 86th sci-fi story of the year.

Peter's stories are dynamic, deep, and of course, action-packed. Since middle school, he has won multiple awards from Scholastic's Art & Writing event for his writing.

But of course Peter's experience raises some highly unpopular but interesting questions about the value of video game playing: Can some video games (violent ones included) sometimes play a positive role in inspiring the minds of youth? Can they transcend their insidious time-wasting, violence-encouraging, obesity-making, inclinations?

Based on Peter's experience, I think they can sometimes. And, then, his experience made me think of my own... back in the early 1980's...

I remember playing (um, 25 years ago) Atari's primitive Adventure game of dragons, swords, challises, and invisible mazes for hours on end. And I remember spending even more time afterwards hunting down huge pieces of paper throughout my apartment in order to map out my character's escape route through the game's mazes... Once I had my tools, I covered my entire living room floor with the blank canvass and began drawing. Finally, I remember triumphantly standing to view the final product.

While games may be culprit to untold social pathologies, let us acknowledge that games also seem to lend themselves to more interactive imaginative play than they are typically given credit for.

In any case, video game playing certainly has served Peter's writing much good. Not to mention my imaginative play time as a kid, too.

~~Rebecca WS~~ Read more!