On Writing Processes

by David Marcus Karp


          This is a journal I wrote about half a year or so ago and, even though I have learned more about writing and processes since, I still think this stands out for me! Enjoy!:

            I believe that the writing processes of one’s pieces are as important as the pieces themselves. This is a strong belief of mine, as it can add a lot to the plot and the characters in general.

            To admit it, the thing that made me really realize this and make me want to write about it is the play Red, which I got to see this month at the Goodman. In the play, Rothko had a process to the particular pieces that made the theme of the show. He knew that they represented something inside him that not only fascinated him, but scared him. Yet, there comes the bravery, beauty, and tragedy of art. Depending on the situation, pushing yourself to another level is part of the art. I could go on with this for hours, but I will try to condense this as much as I can.

            Here are some examples from my own work: For the first poetry series I’m writing about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and my travels to the Middle East, I set up my kitchen to look very urban looking, with a single fluorescent light illuminating the place, and the table being my work place set up in the middle of the kitchen. I set up the kitchen this way as it makes me feel like I am actually in a bit more of an urban (and I mean middle east urban, or even European urban) environment and I can feel the atmosphere around me as I work, inspiring me and rubbing off of me onto my work. I want my work to have somewhat of a raw, urban, “graffiti like” feeling to it, and I believe having myself in an atmosphere that mimics it is very helpful to put me into the writing.

            Another example, for my novel, my character is going on a journey of sorts (I won’t say much), so to write it, I have come up with a plan where I will also travel around the city with my laptop and write in a different place every day, as my character is going, so I can, in a way, see through the eyes of the character. In many cases, my work will have different processes or mindsets when then they are created.

            So in other words, I believe that sometimes it’s appropriate to put yourself into the mind and the world of your stories. If you surround yourself with whatever inspires you and the story, whether it be music, environment, place, time, I say put yourself in there! Let the world take you for a bit as you go on your own journey, because I believe you can learn a lot that way.

            The writing process doesn’t only make the artwork, it is part of the artwork, and it should illuminate on the work. As for me, I want to feel what the character does, where the character goes, and why he is the way he is. Of course, it is different with everything that is written, but I believe there is a beauty there when you can feel so connected to your artwork. It is your world, take advantage of it.