The Arc of the Writer’s Universe Is Long, but It Bends Toward Happiness*

Bending Genre — the ever-stellar blog about creative nonfiction writing, launched as a companion to Margot Singer and Nicole Walker’s excellent book by that same name — has posted a new essay of mine, “Writing in the Major Key.” In this piece I tackle the question of why writers (and songwriters) take ourselves so freaking seriously. Why do we focus on the sad and somber? Why does it seem to be easier to write about the negative? It’s not like we all need to be Jean “A Christmas Story” Shepherd or Randy “Short People” Newman, but there must be room for a little more sweetness and light. In my work, I know there is.

*With apologies to the great Dr. King