Lies, Underwear, and First Drafts
Sharing 21 LIES WRITERS TELL THEMSELVES
Love #2: All you need to be a writer is talent.
"Despite the success of many untalented writers, this myth persists.
"No, you need to be persistent, and writing needs to matter above other things. Most often, talent only means that you can do easily what others work hard to achieve-and this almost always means you don’t value it the way others do. You probably don’t even know how you do what you do. Talented people are often very frustrating to work with because they lack good work habits.
If you find you're talented, learn to work your tail off. And if you’re not (or don’t think you are), work your tail off-persistent people usually learn to do what talented people can do."
Though I don't agree with this part--this almost always means you don’t value it the way others do (I never take it for granted)--I can't argue with this: You probably don’t even know how you do what you do.
Because I don't. When I write something that turns out well, I can't begin to explain why it turned out well. The position of the stars? I drank enough caffeine. Maybe my serotonin levels are through the roof. I don't know, I don't know.
The thing is, the opposite is also true. When I write utter crap, I never know why or how I wrote it. Worse, I often can't even tell that it's crap. When I do recognize it, I don't know why it's crap. Someone else may read it over and think it's just hunky-dory. I look at it and think: This sucks. What was I thinking?
It used to drive my teachers nuts.
Them: What's wrong with this sentence, Jeannine?
Me: It's written all wrong.
Them: Written wrong how?
Me: I dunno. It looks wrong.
Them: No, it doesn't just "look" wrong. You have to be more specific.
Me: Specific?
Them: Yes. What--specifically--is wrong with this sentence?
Me (pondering): Well...specifically...it's a totally crap sentence.
More often than not, I don't know how to fix my own crap sentences, or plot lines, or conversations, or whatever I'm trying to write. 90% of my deleted scenes are scenes I simply don't know how to uncrappify.
Having just recently started a fifth novel (no, #4 isn't finished, so hold the cheers, lol) I'm dealing with crap in an near-overwhelming way. But that's what first drafts, right? No reason to freak out...yet.
MESSAGE TO MYSELF: It's a First Draft! You are Permitted to Write Crap.
The rest of this article (thank you, Tina W, for posting this on Facebook) is a stitch. Might I just add, though, regarding #2, that I never sat around in my underwear, writing. I doubt female writers do that, unless they wear boxers. I write in pajamas, or else fully dressed.*
*This same rule applies to driving.
Love #2: All you need to be a writer is talent.
"Despite the success of many untalented writers, this myth persists.
"No, you need to be persistent, and writing needs to matter above other things. Most often, talent only means that you can do easily what others work hard to achieve-and this almost always means you don’t value it the way others do. You probably don’t even know how you do what you do. Talented people are often very frustrating to work with because they lack good work habits.
If you find you're talented, learn to work your tail off. And if you’re not (or don’t think you are), work your tail off-persistent people usually learn to do what talented people can do."
Though I don't agree with this part--this almost always means you don’t value it the way others do (I never take it for granted)--I can't argue with this: You probably don’t even know how you do what you do.
Because I don't. When I write something that turns out well, I can't begin to explain why it turned out well. The position of the stars? I drank enough caffeine. Maybe my serotonin levels are through the roof. I don't know, I don't know.
The thing is, the opposite is also true. When I write utter crap, I never know why or how I wrote it. Worse, I often can't even tell that it's crap. When I do recognize it, I don't know why it's crap. Someone else may read it over and think it's just hunky-dory. I look at it and think: This sucks. What was I thinking?
It used to drive my teachers nuts.
Them: What's wrong with this sentence, Jeannine?
Me: It's written all wrong.
Them: Written wrong how?
Me: I dunno. It looks wrong.
Them: No, it doesn't just "look" wrong. You have to be more specific.
Me: Specific?
Them: Yes. What--specifically--is wrong with this sentence?
Me (pondering): Well...specifically...it's a totally crap sentence.
More often than not, I don't know how to fix my own crap sentences, or plot lines, or conversations, or whatever I'm trying to write. 90% of my deleted scenes are scenes I simply don't know how to uncrappify.
Having just recently started a fifth novel (no, #4 isn't finished, so hold the cheers, lol) I'm dealing with crap in an near-overwhelming way. But that's what first drafts, right? No reason to freak out...yet.
MESSAGE TO MYSELF: It's a First Draft! You are Permitted to Write Crap.
The rest of this article (thank you, Tina W, for posting this on Facebook) is a stitch. Might I just add, though, regarding #2, that I never sat around in my underwear, writing. I doubt female writers do that, unless they wear boxers. I write in pajamas, or else fully dressed.*
*This same rule applies to driving.