It’s not always the prose.
When I wrote Come Back To Me, I told a story. The prose is rough and it might seem to some readers as if the editing is slapshod. The story shifts from past to present to past to present. I deliberately mixed up my tenses because real life doesn’t always flow in a straight line. And I did it without a second thought.
I wrote the Story. Yes, capital ‘S’ for Story. For once I ignored grammatical constructs. Screw ‘em. I needed to spit out Cara’s tale.
Had I obsessed about perfect prose, Come Back To Me would never have been written, not in a million years. The story was too gut-wrenching.
As Voltaire says - “The perfect is the enemy of the good.”
I’ve come to believe the following- Readers want to read a good story.
WHat is it “they” say - something is the hobgoblin of little minds. SOmetimes it’s heart and not grammar that’s important.
In art, sincerity is the most important component.
Yea right, making excuses for poor grammatical construction on here doesn’t cut any ice Missy. Didn’t the old French guy also say, “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” Jaye, Jaye are you reading this ……….. One to talk, I am……..
Xxxxxxx
Come Back To Me was an enveloping emotional read that cost me half a box of kleenex! I loved the writing and I loved how much emotion and subtext was conveyed without ever pandering or being graphic. If someone is complaining it’s probably because it struck a raw nerve they didn’t want to feel.
Come Back To Me was the first Barrett book I had the pleasure of reading. I’m so lucky to have found the book and my friend, Julia. Don’t change a thing.
I did do a tiny bit of editing before re-releasing the book, Stephanie. But not too much. It’s still stream of memory… And thank you.
OMG Kat! You’ll make me cry! Thanks sweetie.
That’s right, Tom- call in Jaye with her big guns! Yeah, he did say that too. Bad bad grammar. I’m all for it!
Actually, Steph, you are one of the inspirations for this post. You always appreciate a good story.
Absolutely right. I learned in my computer programming days that if it had to be perfect, it wouldn’t happen at all.
There’s a fan fic I’ve read 3 times. It’s a trilogy, each book well over 100,000 words. The grammar is ATROCIOUS. But it’s a great story. If you’re interested, here’s what I had to say. http://gretavanderrol.net/2012/04/22/the-only-thing-that-really-matters-is-the-story/
Interesting, Greta. The Twilight saga is the same thing- atrocious writing but the story hooked people. Disclaimer - not me, although I had some passing interest in the first book. But I think it is the story that garnered so many fans. That and the fact readers can project themselves onto the main characters as they are such blanks.
Wait a minute. How did I get sucked into this?
The world needs Obsessanators. Otherwise all of creation would be sucked into a black hole and would cease to exist.
For the day to day stuff, though? Eh, there are more important things. For instance, voice trumps grammar or any “rule” the purists can come up with. As long as the story is compelling, who cares if the sentences parse according to Miss Grundy’s little red book? The only time the rules of grammar matter is when either following them or disregarding them interferes with the connection between reader and story.
You are the e.e. cummings of prose. I’ll leave it at that!
You go girl. Nothing beats emotion from the heart. Not even grammar.
You definitely wrote an emotional story that required a box of tissue. I wouldn’t change a thing with your story. You’re right the writing is exactly how it should be.
A great story can make up for a bad beginning, a sagging middle, silly side-cars, crappy world building… I always go for the great story.
Totally true, Anny!
Thank you so much, Amber. Even I cry when I read it!
Sandra - Totally!
Roberta, you flatter me, ma’am! I like e.e. cummings!
Yes, Jaye. You always boil it down to its essence.