What is avant-garde?

Avant-garde refers to artistic movements that are innovative, experimental and nonconformist in nature.

This term has been used to describe various creative works that were considered unconventional or even shocking in their time, such as the stream-of-consciousness technique used by James Joyce in Ulysses or the disjointed narrative structure of William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. Avant-garde writing often involves playing with language, structure and syntax, and pushing boundaries of what is considered acceptable.

Etymologically, the term 'avant-garde' comes from the French, meaning 'advance guard' or 'vanguard'. It was originally used to describe military units that were at the forefront of an advancing army, and was later appropriated by artists who aimed to be at the forefront of artistic progress.

In creative writing, the avant-garde approach can be a way to break away from traditional forms and constraints, and to embrace the possibilities of language and expression. However, it is important to keep in mind that creativity should not be used for the sake of novelty alone, and that the best avant-garde works are those that are both innovative and meaningful.