DO YOU WRITE IN THE MARGIN?
"J'écris parce qu'ils ont laissé en moi leur marque indélébile et que la trace en est l'écriture." (Georges Perec)
I want to break down the 11th page of Species of Spaces and Other Pieces written by Perec.
This is one of my favorite quotes out there. It is a typical example of writing just for the sake of writing, without any consideration to the reader. When we write a story, it's almost as if we actually need to tell it to ourselves first. Well, we know expression is nothing but personal. But when it does wait for an audience or for someone to engage with it, doesn't it automatically transition to a larger space? In case it wasn't obvious, this is precisely what I'm doing here right now...
He writes in the margin. He does that not as a form of rebellion, but strictly as a method of familiarizing himself with that new space, and understanding its function as opposed to that of the inside of the page.