Anju Gattani's Blog - Posts Tagged "steps"
Dancing Writers Take A Wrong Turn
Hi,
This morning was an eye-opener. We had a sub for Zumba and there was a new Zumba routine with a new series of dance steps to follow. This isn't new... I mean instructors take leave all the time and subs fill in for them. It's actually interesting to see how 'used to' you become to one person's style of dance and music. And how you start expecting the same dance moves.
So change is good!
But today was a different sort of change. Our instructor was hip-hopping away to the beat at her own sweet pace. She checked to see if we were cueing in but often times we weren't able to break the steps or series of steps and follow. However, that didn't seem to matter. She just kept on going - like a wind-up doll.
Believe me, she wasn't very popular by the end.
And that got me thinking. Hard.
How hard must it be for readers when they can't follow an author's writing? I understand that as writers we live in our own story worlds and dance to the character's music or voice in our heads. That's the creative side. But revisions and edits follow immediately after.
And that can take months. If not years.
Edits can leave you upside down - literally! They can leave you with a hurricane temper too! But at the end of the day if a reader can't follow what you've written, you're going to lose them.
That's for sure.
And there won't be a next time because they won't pick up your book again. They'll remember the unpleasant experience your words left. Your first impression will become your last.
And that's something you don't want. For sure!
This morning was an eye-opener. We had a sub for Zumba and there was a new Zumba routine with a new series of dance steps to follow. This isn't new... I mean instructors take leave all the time and subs fill in for them. It's actually interesting to see how 'used to' you become to one person's style of dance and music. And how you start expecting the same dance moves.
So change is good!
But today was a different sort of change. Our instructor was hip-hopping away to the beat at her own sweet pace. She checked to see if we were cueing in but often times we weren't able to break the steps or series of steps and follow. However, that didn't seem to matter. She just kept on going - like a wind-up doll.
Believe me, she wasn't very popular by the end.
And that got me thinking. Hard.
How hard must it be for readers when they can't follow an author's writing? I understand that as writers we live in our own story worlds and dance to the character's music or voice in our heads. That's the creative side. But revisions and edits follow immediately after.
And that can take months. If not years.
Edits can leave you upside down - literally! They can leave you with a hurricane temper too! But at the end of the day if a reader can't follow what you've written, you're going to lose them.
That's for sure.
And there won't be a next time because they won't pick up your book again. They'll remember the unpleasant experience your words left. Your first impression will become your last.
And that's something you don't want. For sure!
