Oulipo and Perec

I strongly agree with the Oulipian concept. I think constraints allow for a new kind of creation, not necessarily less or more "original" than simple inspiration. Lionnais explains in this manifestos the battle that we'll always have about writing. He is able to show, however, that just because someone puts constraints on their work, doesn't mean they aren't capable on their own of being creative. Oulipo simply presents different avenues that the mind can wander down, without discrediting the quality of that mind.

Perec's "A Void" is an example of how using constraints (such as omission) evokes original and outstanding results. For instance, Perec (or Gilbert Adair) explains the ear as an auditory organ. This phrasing, along with so many other interesting examples, may not have come up without the omission of the "e". I don't think that waiting around for a miracle or inspiration is the only way of writing. I believe that constraints are a credible way to evoke creative thought.