Thursday, May 23, 2013

Left-Brain Mode

I'm taking an on-line writing course called "Reading Fiction." The first lecture talks about a technique in which the main character is never seen - we only learn about her through the supporting characters.

One of the questions asked as part of the homework implies that I should have read the story.

So, I got to thinking. I'm taking an on-line writing course, the purpose of which is to read an analyze the work of other authors.

Well, that puts me squarely in left-brain mode. My left-brain mode is a very literal mode, which makes me really good at programming computers.

Unfortunately, my literal-minded left brain needs expects to be explicitly told what is expected. I don't recall from reading the lecture that the instructor asked us to read the story.

Now, the instructor may have asked us to read the story. To be honest, I didn't read the lecture very closely. You see, in left-brain mode my literal mind craves conciseness and brevity. The lecture was neither, though I'm sure if I read it in right-brain mode I'd find it very entertaining. At any rate, my literal mind skimmed through the lecture picking out what appeared to be the salient details.

I think I need a switch installed in my brain.