Why I Love Suite 101
by Janet Cameron

The more I play on Suite 101, the more I'm hooked. I don't use 'play' in any trivial sense. Language and play are one, (I am entirely in accord with Derrida) and are relevant, pleasurable and serious. Playing with ideas is creative non-fiction writing at its best. An original, quality submission is valid, provided it shows concern for titles, summaries, search terms and keywords. I'm getting smarter; I'm accessing more tag choices, getting fewer editorial interventions. Editorial input and excellent learning tools online are making me a better writer. This combination of knowledge and freedom equate exactly with technique and the empowering properties of play.

Already, I write for money, specifically for markets. A lucrative regular column for which I'm grateful doesn't stretch me; it's practical and informative but has limited scope. I cannot use my creativity; only my basic writing skills. I also write history books - enjoyable to do and I receive regular royalties. I'm fortunate to have these options, but still, somehow, they are not enough. I don't think of Suite 101 as taking time off from my regular, paid writing. Instead, I think, 'My deadline is coming up. I'll have to leave Suite 101 for a while, darn it!'

Suite 101 gives me choices; choice of subject, choice of the style I decide to adopt, and best of all, I can write about what matters to me. I can play with what matters to me. I can pursue whatever subject I want to write about in a fulfilling way - although succinctly, in the specified '1000 words or less'. But that's not a bad thing as everything works better with a good edit.

Especially satisfying is that I can use my MA in Modern Poetry, which has languished on the shelf since 1997. Poetry analysis, while valuable as a teaching tool, doesn't represent a target for mass-market consumption. Better academic writers than I am manage to have their dissertations published for university libraries, but that doesn't mean I don't have valuable input into the Literary Canon.

I have studied the 'greats' and analysed and deconstructed and sometimes been brave enough to put in a few extra observations of my own. My accreditation has given me courage to publish my MA, broken up into appropriate, clear sections connected to particular poets, on Suite 101. Perhaps these articles will be useful for others in addressing the issues of women-poets and gender issues in literature.

I've also written on philosophy, especially aesthetics, and on history, travel and writing. I have enjoyed covering popular topics, like dating and other human stories, as well as defining problems regarding property management and noisy neighbours. There's even a quiz to see if you are a drama queen! 

Source: http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/729862

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