Dear Reader, I love being on faculty at writers’ conferences because it means I can also be a student. A few weeks ago, I was part of the faculty at the Midwest Writers Workshop conference, where I attended a session led by the brilliant writer, pen-pal, and train-lover—who, it must be said, has unfairly excellent hair—
Love this post! When I want to reread a piece, and then read again, because what it says needs to be well considered, I FEEL happy. And excited. Thank you!
I stumbled upon this from likely another Substack and feels synchronous. But I'm no expert so would love to know you're thoughts about the following... I've been reading Keith Oatley's "Such Stuff as Dreams" on the psychology of fiction and there seems to be a tie here between defamiliarization (which as a complete novice I've never heard of) and the concept of abstraction in prose (visual language of graphic novels) and the way abstraction is used to connect the concepts conveyed by the writer in a form that the reader can absorb, digest and integrate. Abstraction in prose/fiction allows the reader to recognize themselves in the narrative, to try on for size the feelings, actions, and emotions of the protagonist and the antagonist for that matter (Oatley talks about simulation), and perhaps the content is defamiliarized (or abstracted?) enough as a result to allow the reader to absorb and integrate a new or adjust an existing mental model in the readers imagination of how to be in the world or what our world could be or become. The impact of this transferrence of material from artist to received is that the receiver can more fully bring into oneself or develop for themselves a greater understanding of the self, character, ways of being, and the world around us (and the potential worlds we might create). I might be completely off base but figured it was worth mentioning in case there was a glimmer of connection here. Thanks so much for this post (and your drawings!). I look forward to reading more from your Substack!
What is the job of the artist?
obviously for this moment:
What fun.
http://ericlemay.org/defam.html
Thanks for the post,
Kelcey!
I made this a long time ago,
And here's a share.
Fascinating!
I just read your post, I have not been so happy to read a thing in awhile. Thank you! I’ll be looking out for ‘the keeper’.
This is wonderful! I’m also sad I missed this hour at MWW (though I enjoyed his other session, the Bad Writing Workshop).
Love this post! When I want to reread a piece, and then read again, because what it says needs to be well considered, I FEEL happy. And excited. Thank you!
Thank you for this most useful post! The concept of Defamiliarization is exactly what I needed.
Great post! I was sorry to miss that one. One thing I love about MWW is how so many faculty members attend the sessions.
I stumbled upon this from likely another Substack and feels synchronous. But I'm no expert so would love to know you're thoughts about the following... I've been reading Keith Oatley's "Such Stuff as Dreams" on the psychology of fiction and there seems to be a tie here between defamiliarization (which as a complete novice I've never heard of) and the concept of abstraction in prose (visual language of graphic novels) and the way abstraction is used to connect the concepts conveyed by the writer in a form that the reader can absorb, digest and integrate. Abstraction in prose/fiction allows the reader to recognize themselves in the narrative, to try on for size the feelings, actions, and emotions of the protagonist and the antagonist for that matter (Oatley talks about simulation), and perhaps the content is defamiliarized (or abstracted?) enough as a result to allow the reader to absorb and integrate a new or adjust an existing mental model in the readers imagination of how to be in the world or what our world could be or become. The impact of this transferrence of material from artist to received is that the receiver can more fully bring into oneself or develop for themselves a greater understanding of the self, character, ways of being, and the world around us (and the potential worlds we might create). I might be completely off base but figured it was worth mentioning in case there was a glimmer of connection here. Thanks so much for this post (and your drawings!). I look forward to reading more from your Substack!
Wow! Just wow. I love the idea of art as defamiliarization, and the part about the fisherman’s sweater blew my mind.