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That time a writing teacher told me 'conflict is cheap' and I still think about it

Met this older guy at a coffee shop open mic in Denver a few years back. He was a retired English professor, and after I read this gritty piece about a car wreck, he just said 'conflict is cheap, try writing about a Tuesday instead.' I argued with him for like 20 minutes about how drama needs stakes. But now I get what he meant, the real hard stuff is making quiet moments feel alive. Anybody else ever get a critique that stuck with you way longer than you expected?
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2 Comments
jamesblack
Sounds like that guy was just salty he spent 40 years grading essays about rainy days.
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ericjackson
@jamesblack I actually think he had a point, quiet moments are harder to pull off than explosions.
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