Steven Hunley
07-18-2013, 09:12 PM
Black Writing
The trick is to produce in the reader Poe's elusive 'effect' .The piece has to be read in a single sitting. It must be short. The reader’s consciousness must be waylaid immediately, that's the hook. Unlike a song, which lasts 3 or 4 minutes at best, reading takes more time to digest. You can't have the reader just drop into a black mood like falling down a well, but rather seduce their consciousness one shadow at a time, until you get so far into the tunnel, they can't see the way out.
Then you give them a glimmer at the other end, but only if you’re so inclined. They retain the 'effect' for minutes afterwards, in a kind of intellectual afterglow. It like a roller coaster at Six Flags on Halloween, black writing is, you hope not too dangerous, you hope not too safe.
It's mixed emotions alright, mixed in a witch's caldron, left in the reader’s mind to rise up and ferment to a tasty tasty brew.
OK Lit netters, when you gotta write black, and you’re not in the mood, how do you prepare for it?
©Steven Hunley 2013
http://youtu.be/1cQh1ccqu8M How You Remind Me-Nickleback
The trick is to produce in the reader Poe's elusive 'effect' .The piece has to be read in a single sitting. It must be short. The reader’s consciousness must be waylaid immediately, that's the hook. Unlike a song, which lasts 3 or 4 minutes at best, reading takes more time to digest. You can't have the reader just drop into a black mood like falling down a well, but rather seduce their consciousness one shadow at a time, until you get so far into the tunnel, they can't see the way out.
Then you give them a glimmer at the other end, but only if you’re so inclined. They retain the 'effect' for minutes afterwards, in a kind of intellectual afterglow. It like a roller coaster at Six Flags on Halloween, black writing is, you hope not too dangerous, you hope not too safe.
It's mixed emotions alright, mixed in a witch's caldron, left in the reader’s mind to rise up and ferment to a tasty tasty brew.
OK Lit netters, when you gotta write black, and you’re not in the mood, how do you prepare for it?
©Steven Hunley 2013
http://youtu.be/1cQh1ccqu8M How You Remind Me-Nickleback