Writing As Art

Contrary to popular belief, writers are artists. They're not just English Students who couldn't handle Shakespeare so went off to write something a little more user friendly themselves. Nope, writers are as artistic as painters, sculptors and musicians, except Morrissey, who is better than anyone really.

Like artists, writers have a pallet, tools and colours to use in their writing. We paint a picture in the mind, not just on a piece of paper or on a wall or something, which I think is better in a way. Something that prints in the mind stays in the mind, where as a piece of paper could tear or get burnt. Surely it's just common sense? What we do is eternal, as long as you actually get published, and if you don't in your first year then it's not worth it. Take it from me.

But as I mentioned, writers use colours too. I don't mean like 'the chair was red', or 'the building was dark black', or 'that lump of something probably shouldn't be green'... or maybe I do mean that. Even I, your tutor, is a little confused on the subject on colour, and maybe that's the point. Perhaps some examples?

RED: The colour of love, and blood and guts and entrails. The juxtaposition alone there is enthralling for the reader. Use it.

YELLOW: The worst colour ever. But some flowers are yellow. Yellow is also the colour of cowardice. Why not make your next cowardly character in a fantasy a yellow imp? It's stuff like that that wins awards.

GREEN: Green with envy, obviously. And grass and things. Is your character in a field? Think green then.

ORANGE. A common misconception is that the sun is orange. It is not orange, it is white. It's a star after all. Sort it out. But orange is a type of fruit too...

PURPLE: That monster thing off of McDonalds.

I've lost my way somewhere there, but I think you get the picture. Use colour in your writing, bring things to life in the mind of the reader.

Take care, enjoy freedom,
Matthew Rain