Piecrust Prose

According to the great sage Mary Poppins we should be wary of piecrust promises — easily made, easily broken. I would like to issue another recommendation, mostly for myself, and that is to strive for piecrust prose — to avoid the dry, overly worked and sometimes unsalvageable product that results from too much fussing and instead fashion a more pliable product.

Pie crust dough, as bakers know, must be handled lightly. It isn't kneaded like bread dough, but turned lightly onto a floured board, then rolled, trimmed and tucked gently into a pie pan. Words are like that too. They must be handled lightly enough to fit and sing, but not so much that they lose their juice and joy.

I have been known to belabor the writing process. Words may tumble out joyfully enough in the beginning but I often work the poor things to near oblivion. It was in part to sidestep this tendency that I started A Walker in the Suburbs.

But such is the power of the nemesis that I now have two writing styles: blog-writing and everything else. Instead, I should have just one — and the light touch, the piecrust promise, must apply.

(Photo: Wikipedia)