Black and White

Ink:  a colored usually liquid material for writing and printing

This definition is found in the Merriam-Webster dictionary.   I envision ink on a page as black on white.  The careful caress of ink in an artist’s stroke beckons our attention.  The beauty of a black on white drawing comes to life beneath his fingertips.  The haunting lines create an image that attracts the human eye.  I’m not excluding colors.  Color adds flair and builds body onto the page in a way black and white do not.  There is however, something simple and antiquated about the contrast between the colors of midnight and snow living on the same page in perfect balance.   I feel that for a writer, the ink is black and the page is white.  (For you music buffs, this is not a reference to the ever familiar Three Dog Night song.)

Long ago, a quill dipped into a bottle of ink was used to concoct letters or notes or journals or maps using quality penmanship.  Writings were truly a work of art.  Today we don’t worry about penmanship when writing in the digital age as our text is mostly produced through the computer keyboard, phone or tablet.  Using any of these as tools of communication, the keystrokes are generally black while the page is white.  With storytelling, you add color through the written word.  Interjecting hue and texture to your prose lifts the scene off the page, giving it dimension and drama, immediately bringing it to life.  Life is what every writer strives for. 

The black and white preference is solely my own.  The definition of ink above clearly states “colored” liquid.  Color may be your preference and that is perfectly okay.  In fact, color makes the natural world beautiful.  And if you’re so inclined to color your hair pink or purple or blue, that’s okay too!  You are your own story in the making.