Nothing much, but it has a little style.....

Different writing groups I am a member of, have competitions or 'challenges' to assist in the development and growth of a writer. Other writers, will then review submissions by giving constructive critisism, praise or both. Todays challenge was to produce an article about 'Nothing' . My first entry consisted of the title and the required description or motivation of the submission. My description was of sitting in front of a computer seeing nothing but a blank screen, and not wishing to contaminate the purity of the page, I wrote nothing. The blank page was duly attached. Hmm....reviewers thought I was being a smart arse. When I justified the piece on the grounds of poetic licence and artistic temperament, they reworded the challenge, making it very clear that they expected something in written form. I obliged and they were happy. The poem is certainly not one of my better ones, but they were pleased to receive it. They hoped that I understood their criticism and I did, so no big deal. However, artists of the easel type (or carpet) can produce a massive blank canvas, give it an obscure title and voilá, c'est masterpiece.
Writing as a craft can railroad many potentially good writers who, battling insecurity, work too hard to write under the direction of others. Sadly this undermines the development of their own style. Poetry is usually not so harsh a format because let's face it....who understands a lot of the modern, anything goes contents ? I don't and I write the stuff. Regardless, whether poetry, prose, stories or novels, reading is very personal and emotive. Reviewers can and should, critique a storyline, pace, interest level but not the style because for every writer, of every format, that is what seperates them from others.