What You Write Will Make Others Think #IWSG
[I wrote this post as a member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our worries and also offer support and encouragement to each other on the first Wednesday of every month. If you’re a writer like me and you’re looking for a bit of support, you can click the link and sign up here
Thank you to our awesome co-hosts this month: Cathrina Constantine, PJ Colando , Sadira Stone , Tonja Drecker, and me!
Check out our IWSG homepage for recent news and events. And as always, thank you to founder Alex J. Cavaugh
This past week at work, we celebrated the top building teacher in each of our school buildings in my school district. One of the teachers honored was an elementary art teacher. She said her favorite part of teaching was presenting each art class with one project and then watching each student in that class take an individual liberty with the assignment. She loved seeing how different minds came up with so many different solutions to the same set up.
I tend to think interpreting art or writing are nearly the same. Some types of writing move us and others don’t. What moves me may not move someone else. We see things from our experiences and formulate truths based on what we know so naturally, when we produce work others will review, we will get both admirers and some who may not care for our work at all.
This month’s IWSG question asks, “Has any of your readers ever responded to your writing in a way that you didn’t expect?
I’ve always been surprised by other interpretations, and I suppose, I’ve also been honored. I used to think as an art student the only eyes that ever truly saw the meaning behind the picture or story was the artist. I still believe that’s true.
Speaking of honors and writers, I have a great Anthology to share by some amazing writers who deserve hearing exactly what you think of all of their amazing stories.
Introducing…
Dark Matter: Artificial
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
Discover dark matter’s secrets…
Ten authors explore dark matter, unraveling its secrets and revealing its mysterious nature. Featuring the talents of Stephanie Espinoza Villamor, C.D. Gallant-King, Tara Tyler, Mark Alpert, Olga Godim, Steph Wolmarans, Charles Kowalski, Kim Mannix, Elizabeth Mueller, and Deniz Bevan.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a journey across time and space. Prepare for ignition!
Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database; articles; monthly blog posting; Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram groups; #IWSGPit, and a newsletter. https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/
Release date: May 4, 2021
Print ISBN 9781939844828 $14.95
EBook ISBN 9781939844835 $4.99
Science Fiction: Collections & Anthologies / Space Exploration / Genetic Engineering
BOOK LINKS:
Amazon –
iTunes –
Kobo –
Keep your eyes posted on the next publishing opportunity.
Posted on May 5, 2021, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 42 Comments.
Cloud Nine Girl 
Thank you for being a co-host this month. I look forward to reading the Dark Matter Anthology.
Other writers interpretations of your work are insightful, aren’t they? And we can’t say – that’s not what I meant – because art, whether writing or other kinds, can always get a new and unusual angle.
We all come with different experiences which is why we see the world so differently, and that includes any form of art.
Thanks for co-hosting today!
It would be interesting to read 10 different authors twist on the subject of Dark Matter. So much unknown and rich with intrigue. Thank you for co-hosting this month.
Lynn La Vita @ http://la-vita.us/write/
Thanks for co-hosting this month. I like your thoughts on interpretation.
Thanks for co-hosting, Erika! As a writer, one of the most rewarding things I’ve done is when my son’s 7th grade English teacher found out I was an author and asked me to come in to speak. I talked about every student seeing a situation with a different eye and gave them a chose of two sentences to build a two page story then came back the next week to read them some of the results at random. They were astonished and the ones who had their work read just beamed. I’m hoping that fed the creative flame in some them.
Thanks for co-hosting, Erika. Thanks for teaching those wonderful minds. I imagine it’s very rewarding.
Art is so subjective, which is what I tell most of the submissions DLP says no to – someone else might say yes so keep trying.
I think the best artists know that their own work will never be seen exactly how they intended. Thanks for hosting!
I completely agree that we see things from our experience, we also interpret things from our experience.
Creating art of any kind is such an adventure. You never know how it will turn out, you never know what others will see in it, and, if you’re honest, you’re never quite satisfied that it’s the way you imagined it would be when you started. How exciting. Thanks for the great co-hosting job today.
Hi,
I so agree with you. Like Lee has said, creating art of any kind is an adventure. That is why it is creative. No two people have the same mind, not even twins.
Thanks for co-hosting.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Thanks for co-hosting. I agree with Lee about creating being an adventure. And you’re right, we’re all so different that we react to books and other art forms differently.
I remember having a discussion with an English teacher about the deeper meaning of a poem. I asked him if he talked to the writer. Then asked him how did he know. He told me that that was what he was taught it meant. I was disappointed and still believe that the meaning I take from art (in any form) is a personal experience, and I acknowledge the creator may have meant something completely different.
Anna from elements of emaginette
Thank you for co hosting today, you did a grand job, I enjoyed reading your post, most interesting.
Every single person sees and thinks differently. We live in a diverse and unique world. Thanks for co-hosting.
I’ve gotten the occasional message from a reader about my writing where they mentioned a theme or something in my story that wasn’t anywhere near my mind when writing. I don’t write with themes in mind, so any that are in there are by accident.
One of my favorite quotes is “What the eye sees is the mind’s best guess as to what is out front.” We all bring our history or baggage to what ever we do including reading. However you the author may direct (or push) us down another alley. 🙂
You’re absolutely right about the different interpretations. I’ve found so many things that move other people just don’t do it for me.
Thanks for co-hosting! Oh, and I clicked on your links to go to the other co-hosts and I immediately had to close PJ Colando’s link. Not sure if the site got hijacked or something…
It might have! I will look at it and fix it. Thank yoy
Love the Degas quote. Ta-Nehisi Coates said, “If you manage to relay 75% of what you’re trying to communicate to your reader you’re doing your job. You can only get down 30% at best in your first draft.”
I’m paraphrasing. I agree. It’s all a matter of perspective. Thank you for co-hosting!
Good point about interpretation of writing (and art). Sometimes, it’s a gobsmocking (sp?) surprise.
Hello delightful co-host! I have alternated between shock-and-awe and chagrin among the reader comments I’ve received. Ah, well, such is the potpourri of life!
try again, please Loni: https://www.pjcolando.com
I don’t think there is one true way of seeing a piece of art (a story, a painting, a song, etc.) Everyone sees art differently, according to their personality and life experience, and the more different views your art inspires, the better it is. Think how many different opinions were inspired by Mona Lisa. I’m sure Da Vinci didn’t intend most of them.
Thank you Erika for co-hosting this month and introducing the Anthology for this year.
What a beautiful way to associate art with writing. I agree with you Art and music teachers don’t get enough credit for opening young minds to art, whatever form it takes. I remember my music teacher playing Rhapsody in Blue on the record player (this was in France, in the late 70’s ) to us and asking us to write something about it. My love of Gershwin stemmed from this class. I wrote a short piece about stamping elephants and a bustling storm overhead. Then, in another class , she asked us to write a score and play it on the piano, mine was 1 minute too short and called Feu Follet.
Congratulations to all the authors selected to appear in the Anthology.
I really love that quote! I also consider it a life quote, too. What we bring to other’s lives, how we enrich them and help them to grow, even when that means looking inside at something painful. Thank you for sharing it and also for co-hosting this month! I don’t think I’ve ever been on your site before, so it’s great to meet you.
It’s great to meet you too 🙂
Thanks for co-hosting!
We really all do see and interpret stories, art, music, and film differently. It reminds me of the Charles Chaplin quote, “While watching a silent picture, each individual supplies the unspoken words according to his own understanding of the action. The dullard sees the story in his own way as does the intelligent, the wise, and so on–each one, as I said before, supplying his own understanding and everyone is pleased.”
What a beautiful quote, thank you Carrie-Anne. With books we supply the film and action, and even the character traits which are not always written in stone. Keep on writing, take care.
Hi, Erika! Thanks for stopping by my blog. You are so cute in your author photo! I agree that it’s cool to explore different interpretations of the same book. It’s fun to be surprised by readers’ unique takes.
I do love how different people see art in different ways.
J Lenni Dorner (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge, OperationAwesome6 Debut Author Interviewer, Reference& Speculative Fiction Author
I love how different we all are and how we gain different things from the same stories.
Every human being, or living animal or plant for that matter, shares some DNA, but personal histories and experiences make us all unique. Happy May writing take care.
So true. Art is in the eye of the beholder. We create what we feel, see, and hear. Then, turn it over to readers, or viewers. They have their own interpretation. I said that to a poet once who got annoyed with me.
Completely agree with you. All writers and artists should acknowledge this. Our fans are scattered and far between. Happy May writing, keep on doing your thing and I am sure you touch many lonely heart out there, even if they are sometimes too shy to respond. Take care.
Writers should make others think. We only hope it’s all good thoughts;-) While interpretations do vary, consideration at all is important.
Thank you for co-hosting!
Don’t they say art is subjective? I never really saw writing as an art form until recently. Writing and publishing my own memoir has expanded my realization about what you touch on in this blog. Different people, different impressions, different tastes, different reactions to our writing. Thank you for co-hosting this month. And doesn’t look the new IWSG anthology intriguing??
It really is in the eye of the beholder sometimes. Thanks for cohosting. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
I agree with your statement that people “see things from our experiences.” We all have different backgrounds and experiences in life. They shape who we are as well as how we interpret art or story. Thanks for co-hosting IWSG this month. All best to you!
i like your analogy between art and writing. Congratulations to all the writers in the IWSG Anthology! Thanks for co-hosting this month, Erika!
I love the visceral reactions readers can have lol. Thanks for co-hosting!
They say ‘art imitates life’, and I do believe experiences shape our views and that what is translated into all art. 🙂 Lovely post.
Pingback: Writing Update May 2021 – Back for Promo Work (in Massachusetts) – Roaming About