My bird’s favorite sentence - “Wake up.” She says it every morning and every night, even though at night I say to her, “Night Tib.”
I think my bird is very wise. Wake up, writers. It’s a tough world out there. Learn to write well.
I’ve read a couple of impressive books this past week - Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel, and When There Is Hope, by Jane Goodger. Wolf Hall is extraordinary. When There Is Hope is just a flat out fun, engaging romantic story. Thanks to Barbara over at Basia’s Bookshelf for the recommendation.
Unfortunately, I’ve also experienced some pretty dramatic book fails recently. Why? Poor writing, pathetic editing, zero storytelling. Your story must go somewhere. Your characters cannot remain static.
A story is a journey. Seriously. Take the reader on a journey. I’d prefer an interesting journey.
Writing requires both aptitude and practice. Even if you’re not a natural born story teller, please take the time to learn the craft.
Would you expect to be proficient at ice sculpture or ballroom dancing if you’d never done one or the other? Have you watched the people who are rejected on American Idol - those people who think they can sing but in actuality make themselves a laughingstock? Don’t be them. Yikes!
Take a class. Join a writer’s group. Attend a writer’s conference that addresses the actual art of writing. Above all, read.
I know, I’m lecturing. I’m trying to improve my work and my voice as well, so there you are.
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It’s so true. Reading, studying your craft and practice are so important for growth. It amazes me how those poor people on American Idol believe they can sing.
I have this topic for an upcoming blog post, too. My main problem is that sloppy writing = bad pacing = boring. When you tighten up your writing, the pacing for the story picks up, and the reader’s interest picks up, too.
I’m off for my morning walk….thinking about bearded heroes!
The learning curve between good and great is steep.
I’m having to buckle down in student mind as well. It’s the only way forward.
XXOO Kat
In the eighties everyone thought they could cook so they opened a restaurant or if they couldn’t cook they opened a store .
In the nineties we all (me included) thought we could paint, so we took up a brush.
In the in the 20s e-publishing has made people believe they can write and also believe the only reasons they are not published is because : (choose all that apply) the publishers are stupid, agents are stupid, everyone but me is stupid, publishers, editors and agents do not accept unsolicited manuscripts, only take one genre, you have to know someone.
The fact is, it is hard to get published and it is easier to e-pub oneself. More people can write as essayists than can write fiction well. I constantly have someone, usually my mother, say, “Why don’t you write a novel.” To paraphrase the late Mitch Hedburg, that’s like saying, “you cook, why don’t you start farming?” Those are also people who think writing is easy and that authors once published are wealthy. They also use the phrase “We can send a man to the moon, why can’t we _________.”
I wish I could write fiction. I even have a title for a book and its concept in my tiny little head. And, that is where it belongs. Writing fiction requires innate talent AND practice. I have the innate talent of being able to pick up languages but it doesn’t mean I can listen to it in a dialogue and then speak it. I advise people to learn to write, then try to publish via traditional means. If that fails, instead of assuming that the traditionalists are all stupid, please find someone who is neither an employee, family or friend and ask them to critique or beta read your work. Your family, friends and employees will not tell you what you need to hear.
If you then decide those people are stupid you need to seek professional assistance of another nature.
Because this is so long and wordy, I apologize. I will also be using it as my post at http://wingedeffigy.blogspot.com tomorrow.
Yes, to all the above (I loved Wolf Hall and am looking forward to the Goodger book).
Great writing doesn’t happen by accident. It requires a lot of learning and tons of practice. Every new project is a new learning experience, too.
ICAM, Jaye. Yes, occasionally I’ll write a scene and it turns out to be entirely different than I originally intended and somehow it’s better than I intended. That may be a happy accident, a fortuitous event or simply kismet. While great writing may appear effortless to the reader… It ain’t!
Oh, Steph, can’t wait to read your post tomorrow! Be as wordy as you want. And this is why you review - you write entertaining reviews and your reading tastes are very eclectic. Therein lies your strength!
Right, Kat. We never stop learning. If we think we know it all, we’ve just screwed ourselves.
Oooh, great, Penny - I’m looking forward to both your post and Steph’s. We must all have experienced some major book fails lately.
Hi Amber - yes, Both of us have grown so much over the past four years! Let’s keep it up!
I joined a writer’s group on Facebook for a brief period. (One week actually.) And I posted a short bit for critique. It was an illuminating experience. I learned amazing things about my writing from their comments. Unfortunately, there were a couple individuals who turned stalkerish and abusive so I left that group.
What’s the point? We can learn something every day . If we choose to do so.