Manifesto--Kate

In my writing I make my women weak. With the exception of one. They’ve all been trapped by some (often internal) force that never seems to subside. And I’d like to break out of this routine. I think new role models are needed to reverse or dilute the imaginary order of what constitutes inspiration for many younger generations. When I think of role models I think not only of writers and musicians and philosophers, but of common people, too: blacksmiths and farmers and men who drive Peterbilts, dine at truck stops along Interstate-80 in the Midwest. I don’t think of people who host TV shows with 500-pound women. And it’s painful to know that such icons are what drive young people toward their signification of success. * * * I like to think that the written word has the potential to illuminate situations, present or prophetic, and should thus be treated with respect. I’d also like to think that the mind needs protecting, which should be considered when it’s fed. Writing can explore politics, but without the polarity. * * * In writing something new I think about what I like to read, or what I’d like to read, but doesn’t yet exist, and I try to write from there. I try to test my own ideologies in the process, and I hope to make readers question theirs as well. I like to think that all good writing does this. I also try to respect readers’ imaginations by not creating clear cut situations. I aim for ambiguity and contradiction that leaves open-ended and multiple interpretations. Except romance novels. I don’t want my writing to be interpreted as that.