Which Craft?

By John J. Zelenski 

It seems obvious that the word “craft” can be associated with various meanings when applied within different contexts. To some, the term craft could be identified with beer or micro brewing. To others, perhaps crocheting, flower arrangement, or a trip to the local hobby store comes to mind?  Conceivably to a few, a large ship or vessel, either from space (we’ll leave those folks alone) or crashing through the ocean’s mighty billows, will register within the brain.  And yet to others, a delicious ham sandwich smothered in…oh wait, not that kind of craft!

What may not be as obvious to some is how the word craft is applied within our chosen passion – writing!  I believe a rough definition of how the term can relate to writers might be conveyed as:

“The art form or profession of manipulating words into mental pictures that requires above average skill.”

We as writers are gifted with the endeavor of taking a canvas (paper) and painting (with words) scenes, dialogue, and interactions that should leave the viewer (reader) feeling that they are smack dab in the middle of our romantic, beautiful, historic, mysterious, horrific, adventures.  This sounds easy on the surface, but to accomplish the task, the writer needs to be a master of his crafts. 

To me, the art of writing is made up of several different sub-crafts that must come together as one to produce a final masterpiece.  I believe every writer has their own special insight when it comes to their field of expertise.  Since I write primarily in the supernatural/paranormal genre, I must be extremely well-versed and knowledgeable in the field of ghosts, demons, angels and the unexplainable.  

That is where my stories and ideas are born and the roots begin to sprout.  Then, I must master the craft of developing the story into a plausible plot that may or may not include twists and turns and things that will leave you scratching your head.  Next, the craft of creating and developing my characters must be excellent so that they will flow seamlessly into the story and develop their own personalities as the story unfolds.  The “word craft” is arguably the hardest to master as each word must be used as a precise stroke; the end result should ultimately lead the reader to swallow hard, take a deep breath, and quickly turn to the next page – engulfed in pure trepidation!

When all of these “crafts” come together as a fully functioning unit, the end result is a printed master craft of living words.  So “which craft” is your forte?  Me?  I think I‘ll have a bologna on white bread with….mustard!

___________________________________________________________________

John J. Zelenski is an award-winning author who has appeared on television, radio, and has been featured in numerous print articles as well as receiving high-profile reviews from the popular community. Having been inspired, in part, to write his first novel Walker's Vale, by his own paranormal experiences as a child, John has developed a keen understanding of the supernatural. His second novel and prequel to Walker's Vale - The Journal of Ezekiel Walker - continues with the saga of Walker's Vale, with a future third installment presently in the works.
Walker's Vale, the film will be released through Allegentsia Productions with possible filming scheduled to begin sometime in 2015. John, along with his wife and two children, love to watch the seasons change in beautiful Northeast Pennsylvania. My social media links are: www.johnjzelenski.com   https://twitter.com/johnzelenski   https://www.facebook.com/WalkersVale?fref=ts  http://www.amazon.com/John-J.-Zelenski/e/B00S05HZXW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0