Thick in The Words

My Creative Nonfiction teacher, Ms. Tamara Jeffries, one of the most brilliant teachers and people I know, has these sayings that she likes to use, and most of them I forget, but one stuck with me. She told us that she wants our writing to be "thick on the page". We need to FEEL our writing. It needs to be beyond surface level analysis.

Sounds easy, huh?

I know, I know...I'm being sarcastic.

But her advice is what I strive for in all my writing, whether I knew it or not. I want my writing to jump out at you on the page. I attempted that as I prepared to write my first memoir ever. I don't believe it turned out so well, and a part of the problem is that I tried too hard. Yes your writing should always be intentional, but I slapped on so many things about myself that it turned into a healing piece for me. I forgot about the reader. I tried to be thick but ended up being thin. So instead of going to the store and buying everything I see to make my refrigerator full, I'm going to essentially buy the things that will make me healthier, so I can live a richer life. So that my story will have a purpose, existence, instead of doing nothing but being my prayer to God. Who wants to read that?