Every time I think everyone has gotten over the ridiculous question of whether writing is an art or a craft, someone else pops up to argue. On the one side, you have people who claim writing is art. They’re the same people who believe you can’t plan things out or radically alter the mechanics of a novel. The people who think you have to be born to write. The people who think you have to have a muse or some otherworldly inspiration. On the other side are people who claim that writing is like plumbing. Hook the pipes up properly and the water goes here. (Jim Butcher used that very metaphor.) These are the people who think you can plan everything, that there is no subconscious at work, no underlying themes, just story.
And then there are the people like me, who very vividly recall that summer camp activity called Arts and Crafts. Arts AND Crafts. Not Arts OR Crafts. AND.
Lovely AND Practical
When I was a child, my family occasionally vacationed in New Mexico, where we made several visits to the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The chapel is famous for a spiral staircase built in 1878. The staircase is remarkable for several reasons: it’s beautiful and it was a late addition to a church whose blueprints contained no means to get from the ground floor to the upper floor. (Oops!) Beyond those two minor things, the staircase has no central supporting post. It is made entirely of wood (pegs were used instead of nails) and makes two full 360 turns as it ascends from the chapel to the choir loft.
Hard work is the unmiracle
Over the years, many people have mistakenly concluded that the staircase is a “miracle,” because of its unique design. This is silly, of course, as are most claims of miracles. I guess it’s just easier to say, “Miracle!” than it is to do a little research and put your ignorance to rest. From an engineering standpoint, the staircase is perfectly sensible. The narrowness of the stairs actually allow them to serve as their own spiral support structure. That the stairs can be explained by other than miraculous means in no way diminishes their elegance.
The design is unusual and striking. The carpenter who built them was gifted, not only in his ability to imagine such a staircase but in his ability to execute the design. The construction took both artistry and craftsmanship.
Just like writing. It requires both vision and skills. One without the other is a dead end. The staircase in the Loretto Chapel has stood for over a hundred years and will likely last another hundred. (There are so few termites in arid New Mexico.) The same is true of good writing. If it is both practical and lovely, a joy to read and well-built, it will endure after the person who wrote it is dead.
Bryn Greenwood 
Agreed.
Writing is an art. The art of bullshit.
Just sayin’…
Well, sure, but you’ve got to craft that bullshit into something people are willing to pay money for. It’s like politics–bullshit, but you’ve got to craft it into something people are willing to vote for. 😀
BWAH. (Sorry, reading Gretchen’s post reminded me of my college English classes, where it often felt like the farther I got from reasoned thought the better I did grade-wise. I never did figure out why that was.)
Anyway. I was just having this argument the other day, and I’m going to go wave this post triumphantly in a family member’s face now. Because it’s exactly what I was saying, only without the Loretto Chapel (which I got to visit this past fall!).
All Arts (dance, painting, writing) involve standards and techniques that require practice to perfect even with a handful of talent. So I’m with you. Some might lean towards one or the other but juggling both is best.
And as with other Arts, you can sometimes tell the difference between the artistry and the craft, as when people occasionally complain of a musician who is technically proficient but lacking in “soul.”
An excellent post and I agree with you. It really irritates me when someone assumes writing is either only a gift from the gods or a matter of learning the basics. Good writing requires talent and mechanics. I could go on, but it would be a rant and I think you already said everything I feel very nicely! And less ranty!
What a silly debate. I totally agree with you that it’s both.
But as a point, I despise people who think you need to be ‘born to write.’ It reeks of elitism.
Nice staircase too! By the way, how did you frame them with those captions?
Writing is the perfect blend of art AND craft. You can be inspired and incredibly talented and have the greatest ideas ever–but if you don’t have the skill, determination, and perseverance to actually WRITE your book, it will never move from the idea stage to the printed page. Anyone who believes he can write the Great American Novel during his two-week vacation has never tried it. Trust me, it’s a lot easier said than done. But it’s definitely worth the effort!
Bryn, I’d forgotten about the wonderful Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe and the exquisitely balanced, intricate staircase inside until I viewed your site. You’ve chosen the perfect metaphor for writing in this beautiful example of art AND craft–thanks for reminding me.
Many thanks,
Amber Austin