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SOME THOUGHTS ON WRITING…
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Good post. I wholeheartedly agree with your points.I think I can safely say I've read enough "how to write" type articles etc. to say that there is no fixed way, not much in the way of firm rules and that every author is likely to find that different things work for them.
All your points are good ones.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. If I come up with anything else, I'll add them.
Denise, great comments... "Show them, don't tell them." You're absolutely right.
K.D. wrote: "As I’ve been working on my new novel, I’ve tried to keep in mind some of the things I learned while writing my first book. Actually, I’ve been thinking about some of this for a long while. I’ve lis..."I think your points are right on. I'd like to add another. Proper editing is extremely important.
I agree, editing is important... [don't fall in love with your own words]. Proofing, also...
I agree with everyone's comments, and I offer similar new author advice on my website if you're interested. http://www.florenceosmund.com
Florence wrote: "I agree with everyone's comments, and I offer similar new author advice on my website if you're interested. http://www.florenceosmund.com"Florence, You have a very nice website. good information.
#1. THERE ARE NO RULES
Where would Picasso be if he had followed rules? If it works, it works; if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Don’t be afraid to experiment. You can always take something out later if you don’t think it fits. The important thing is to follow your own voice; be true to yourself. “Art is just another way of man communicating one’s humanity.” My quote.
#2 DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR OWN WORDS
As Mark Twain once said, “When in doubt, strike it out.” I always feel better when I just get rid of something if I’ve been agonizing over whether I should leave it in or not. It could be just a word or sentence, but it could also be something bigger. If after a week or so, if I’m still wondering if I should leave it in, well, that’s usually a good sign that I should “strike it out.”
#3 DON’T USE TOO MUCH DESRIPTION
That is, don’t use too much description in describing your hero or heroine. Of course, there are always exceptions [again, no rules], but for the most part I believe it’s best to let the readers fill in the blanks. We all have our own ideas about what the ideal man or woman should look like. So let the readers decide for themselves. On the other hand, I believe there should be a little more description of the secondary characters. Just don’t go overboard. To give you an example of where I thought a writer described his hero in too much detail, is in the book, “Rabbit, Run,” by John Updike. I read this book a long time ago, and Updike described Harry Angstrom, the main character, has having a small nose… unlike Updike’s, whose nose was fairly prominent. Well, this ruined the story for me, because the more I read, the smaller Harry Angstrom’s nose got—until, eventually, he had hardly any nose at all. I’m not sure if this is what Updike had intended. So, I always keep Harry Angstrom in mind when describing my characters.
#4 WATCH OUT FOR HOLES
We’ve all read books or seen movies where the holes in the plot were so big you could drive a truck through them. [I once had a football coach that said that about our defensive line.] Don’t let this happen to you.
#5 EACH SCENE SHOULD PROPEL THE PLOT FORWARD
As always, there will be exceptions, but this is something else I try to keep in mind. So many books today go on forever. We’ve all read them, or tried to. But I don’t think it’s necessary. Of course, I understand bigger books = more money, but I don’t think it makes for a better reading experience. Would any of these books be better if they were longer?
POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE
DOUBLE INDEMNITY
THE KILLER INSIDE ME
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
CATCHER IN THE RYE
THE GREAT GATSBY
THE RAZOR’S EDGE
I could go on forever, but you get my point. These books were lean and mean, with no extra padding. Of course, there will be those who will point out books like MOBY DICK and WAR AND PEACE that are very long and are considered masterpieces. Again, there are no rules, but for the most part, I believe that if a scene doesn’t further the plot along, then it’s just a lot of filler. A good thing to remember is: Always leave the reader wanting more.
#6 DON’T FOLLOW TRENDS
We all know what’s trending right now, don’t we? I think it’s safe to say that the market is getting pretty saturated with vampires and paranormal romances… The problem is that once you’ve spent months or years writing something that you think will have some commercial value, the public will most likely have moved on to something else. Already a lot of books about zombies are popping up, and it’s only a matter of time before the reading public gets tired of them, also. What’s sad is that you might have written a great book about zombies, but because of the saturation, it will often get overlooked… Also, as a writer, you really need to be passionate about your subject. If you don’t really feel it, and are just writing about something because it’s trending, then your readers won’t feel it, either.
#7 IF YOU’RE WRITING A NOVEL, THEN WRITE A NOVEL
And if you’re writing a film, then write a film. Don’t get confused. When writing a novel, you’re not a film director, ordering your characters to just move about from scene to scene—you’re an author. If you’ve read enough good fiction—and lord knows, I’ve tried—then you know the difference. I know, some of you will say, “No kidding.” But believe me, I’ve looked at a few novels [ebooks] recently that read more like screenplays, than novels.
#8 STAYING POSITIVE
Over the years some people have told me that I should try to write faster, and then once I get the novel finished, I can always go back and rewrite it, or make corrections where they are needed. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for me. Like a lot of writers, after I get about halfway through a novel I start to get depressed, and I start to doubt myself, thinking that nobody will like my work. One of the ways I try to overcome this doubt is by going back and re-reading everything that I have done to that point; and, more often than not, I will think the writing is pretty good, and it will give me the confidence to continue. I don’t think that would happen if I rushed through the writing process, and just tried to finish it, first. When I say “writing process,” it means that every day before I write something new, I go back and go over everything that I had written the previous day, changing things, and making corrections. Sometimes I spend as much time on that as I do writing anything new. That way, when I do hit that wall of doubt, I can always go back and read what I have already done, and, hopefully it will somehow inspire me to finish the book…
Well those are just some of the things I think about—usually when I’m on my second Corona. I don’t often get to talk about writing or art with friends or family; they don’t find it too interesting. That’s why forums such as these can be so useful. It allows us writers to stay connected. Who knows, maybe one day I can share a beer with you guys… Until then—Cheers!