Eudora Welty and the Worn Path of Story

Had I not spent time as a high school teacher in Normal, Illinois, I doubt that I would have discovered my favorite short story, "A Worn Path."  I doubt very much if I would have ever come across the work of Eudora Welty.

My life would have been different, poorer.

People may be surprised by that.  After all, I am a notorious Stephen King fan.  Edgar Allan Poe, Dickens.  I love horror stories.  No ghosts in "A Worn Path."

Maybe.

Today I walked about the campus of Northern Colorado University and observed the trees, the sidewalks, and the blanket of snow.  I looked up at the blue sky and the clouds on the horizon, noting that perhaps more weather--more of the white stuff-- was on the way from the mountains to the west. Looking down at the path ahead of me I saw footprints in the snow.

I wondered about Phoenix and her endless journey to get medicine for her grandchild in "A Worn Path."

I am haunted by that journey of love.  No less grand, nor less important a journey than that of Odysseus.

And that leads me to the connection with writing-- with storytelling --that I want to make today.

Every story begins with a character on a journey of some kind.  That journey may be a journey of the mind, but a journey, a change of some kind-- be it locale, or mind, or life, or relationship-- must take place.

We like to explore, we like the road.  We like stories.

Readers also like arrivals, destinations.  And we like coming home again.  In other words, we like satisfying endings.

It is unwise to take your reader for granted.

Take us on the road with your characters.  Take us on their journey.  We will gladly take that ride and explore.  Exploration is truly the subject of every story from the dawn of culture.

Remember that every journey--even a good journey, even a fulfilling journey that makes us better or stronger or just fills us with fond memories--every journey comes at a cost.  So it is for our characters.

As we witness the dawn of a new year let us not be afraid to take that first step toward the horizon.

Enjoy the journey.

Have fun and keep writing!