Wherein dwells the devil.What reason(s) do you write for?
Someone once said; “The only reason to write a book is that you will go mad if you don’t.” And that’s pretty much why I do it. For as long as I can remember I have made up stories to pass the time, to think through a situation or to get me to sleep. A couple of years ago I thought that it may be good to write these things down.
I greatly enjoy writing, and love the thought that someone, maybe thousands of miles away, may be laughing or crying because of it.
Do you take your writing seriously?
I take my writing exactly as seriously as it deserves.
If so, when did you start taking writing seriously?
About three years ago. I started my first novel, which I still go back to from time to time. I came to deviant art one year ago, when I decided I needed to stop bugging my friends to read my work. My desire for feedback is ravenous.
Where do you feel you stand as a writer?
I feel I have gotten as good as I can with no professional help. I very well may be changing that soon
What do you feel you do well? (ie, characterisation, dialogue, imagery, etc.)
I can characterise well, especially villains. I think my greatest strength is my ability to hold huge, complex narratives in my head, with lots of different character threads and sub plots, though this can make my work quite long.
What do you feel you struggle with?
I’m pretty good with metaphor and abstract concepts, but ask me to describe the room I’m sitting in? My that’s difficult. Though my worlds may be interesting, they may often lack colour or scale. Is that a problem? I’m kinda on the fence about that.
What do you most want to improve on?
Um, interesting question. In a non-writing sense I need to improve my ability to comment on other people work. I have a strange fear when it comes to saying something about someone else’s efforts.
In an actual writing sense? Well, I’ve written two halves of two books. So I guess I should work on my endings? (heheh). Still, those two books will continue being rewritten, as I keep finding problems with them. At least to my eyes.
Do you have any questions to ask your readers?
Hi guys, how you two doing?
Winter Downs
Devious Comments
First of all: commenting on others' work: Just do it. Especially in a workshop setting. As a writer, I love nothing more than having another writer come in and tear what I've written to shreds with loving care. I think what's most important about comments is that they come from an informed place (and not just a random passer-by who hasn't ever struggled through writing himself) and is meant as honest constructive criticism. Workshops make me so happy because it's a chance to get good feedback. Feedback is the only way to improve. I too crave it endlessly.
Point the second: Have you tried to just plow through and write the ending to the novels you've done without doing any edits at all? My advice is to create an entirely new file, well away from what you've already written so that you aren't tempted to go back and edit. Pretend the first half doesn't exist, that you right like so many of us and want to do the ending first.
Point the third: I see you are reading Terry Prachett. All I have to say about that is Huzzah!
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Anyone ever tries to kill you, you try to kill 'em right back.
~ Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly
I guess as far as the commenting goes, i worry whether 'It's good' is a worthwhile comment. I mean sure it's nice, but a little frustrating.
A strange thing with me, one of my main reasons to write is to find out the end of my story. Writing the end first would be like getting a spoiler. I know, im crazy.
Still, maybe i should just plow on and write anything. Just to get the words on the page. And then the editing wars will begin. Curse the guy who decided there would be more than on spelling of the word 'There'.
That's quite funny, that's what got me started as well.
"My desire for feedback is ravenous."
Excellent. Feedback is fuel for improvement, so this is a good thing to have. Don't lose it.
"I feel I have gotten as good as I can with no professional help."
And it's times like these where the feedback becomes important, because professional insight makes all the difference.
"Though my worlds may be interesting, they may often lack colour or scale."
Mmm, I have this same problem a lot of the time. In times like this, I'd say sit down and envision every last detail of the setting (including time! don't ever sell time short, it is a part of the setting), get every last speck of detail out of it, then decide which elements are most important and keep only those. Fantasy is tricky, as we're most familiar with our own world and something else is hard to envision without guidance. However, if you give the reader too much, then it will bog them down from the story as well.
"I have a strange fear when it comes to saying something about someone else’s efforts."
I know how this goes, too, but giving feedback is just as much of a learning tool as getting feedback is. A few good ideas to help fix this:
Thanks for taking part in details week!
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"i don't like the credit crunch and the way the banks have stopped lending. to fix this, i think we should kill paris hilton." -=bewareofthesnowman
*Adopt-A-Writer | =DailyDeviants | `seniormentors | =Trashrock | *Writers-Workshop
I have the same trouble with description. I mean, I can describe what I see, but it's about as dry as watching paint peel. My only advice on description is that less is more and leave out what readers skip.
Oy rewriting. That is a bottomless pit. I know some people like to just dive into stories without knowing how they end, but that doesn't always work. Sometimes the best thing to do is to think up a good ending first, then you'll always have something to write toward, a direction.
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"As a nation of free men, we must live through all time or die by suicide." - Abraham Lincoln
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Junior Admin for *TheWritersMeow.
I think "it's good" is always a worthwhile comment. It's nice to feel appreciated for hard work, ya know? I would just throw in a critique as well - even if it's just grammar (sometimes _especially_ if it's grammar).
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Anyone ever tries to kill you, you try to kill 'em right back.
~ Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly
When i started my current book i told myself to make sure i have an ending before i started. So i came up with one. It may not be the one i end up using, burt darn it, if i can't think of anything else at least i will be able to write something.
One of the best ways i've found of keeping names and backstories and such in mind is to write them down. Either as a shortstory themselves, or as a fact file. You won't forget a charecters name one you've written down their name/age/height/special abilities/favorite movie in an easily referanced data file. It's more fun than it sounds. B)
That sounds like a decent plan. Worth a try, anyhow. Sometimes you don't know what works for you until you try it.
Very true. I try to do that as well, though keeping track of my notes can sometimes be a challenge. I guess I need a system.
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"As a nation of free men, we must live through all time or die by suicide." - Abraham Lincoln
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Junior Admin for *TheWritersMeow.
Perhaps the best/strangest advice i would give is not to just keep notes on charecters vital statistics, but to also include one completly non-vital bit of info on each one. Something that won't come up in the story they were created for. Favorite icecream flavor, age of first kiss, opinion on reality tv shows etc...
This may just sound like a bit of fun, but it's also an effortless way of deepening the charecter and will stick in your head, giving your brain easy access to the adject, more vital, information.
Or maybe i be crazy.
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