Subjectivity

And so begins a new semester. I managed to switch into Writing Workshop, and even after two days of class I can already tell that this was a brilliant choice.

Today, I was asked one of the most difficult questions I have faced in a long time; what is "good" writing? My answer? "Thought-provoking! It doesn't need to be violent or dramatic, but if it provokes thought or reflection in the reader, it is good writing. The writing takes twists and turns, however little, and covers ideas that few have tread on before, or looks at a typical object in a new lens. 'No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.'"
Among the class's answers were: distinctive voices, vivid characters, pleasing language, variety, and conflict. Is good writing all subjective? How do you classify powerful writing? How is one piece more powerful than another?

This, in addition to our discussion on freewriting and its multiple purposes, is not helping me in my state of writer's block. Although, I wouldn't really call it writer's block. It's more like a cluttered mind. Hopefully this three day weekend will help me sort through my head. There is so much writing I want to be doing, but then other things come up and suddenly writing is shoved to the end of my list.

Life's rough, isn't it?