Why I think I'll never be a Great writer
I've always gotten compliments on my writing, and I've always enjoyed writing. And yet, during the past several years, I've often felt seriously lacking in those qualities that make Great writers, or Great writers to be. I think my friend Eileen is a Great writer to be. And I say Great with a capital G, by which I mean a writer whose work will be of lasting quality, and who will be remembered as having made an admirable contribution to the world of literature. And I don't consider just your average lit class authors to be Great authors - people like Tolkein and Orson Scott Card are up there too, as far as I'm concerned. Great writers' work has implications and suggestion that go beyond the story they're telling, whether or not those implications were necessarily intended, or if any reader can derive such deeper meaning/feeling in the work for themselves.
I think Great writers write for their readers. And I realized, that I don't really write for my readers. I write for myself. All the story ideas that have most excited me, the story elements that have really got my imagination going and my heart stirring have been, in a word, pretty self indulgent. I think this self indulgence is best exemplified by the types of movies I like the most - action and sci fi movies where kick-ass heroes rattle heads, take names, and if I'm lucky, blow shit up. I can't tell you how many times I literally squealed with delight when I saw Iron Man last week. Granted I can appreciate a well done story, but I especially appreciate kick-ass comfortably embedded in a reasonably well done story. But mostly because it makes the kick-ass that much more enjoyable.
Now, in light of my previous entry where I said I now realize that I'm capable of learning pretty much anything I want, so long as I'm committed enough to put in the time and effort - I think if I was that committed to becoming a Great writer, I could be. But as writing is not the focus of my life, I doubt I will ever have that commitment. And without that commitment, the excitement of self-indulgent kick-ass will probably be the only driver that has any serious hope of drawing me back to writing. Thus, I don't think I will ever be a Great writer. But hey, we don't all have to be Great writers, and clearly many people are not unlike me in enjoying their fair dose of kick ass, or movies like Iron Man wouldn't be made and be making as much money as they do. I think I've always had the perfectionist expectation that any serious writing I do should be aspiring towards Great writer quality, and maybe that doesn't have to be the case.
I think Great writers write for their readers. And I realized, that I don't really write for my readers. I write for myself. All the story ideas that have most excited me, the story elements that have really got my imagination going and my heart stirring have been, in a word, pretty self indulgent. I think this self indulgence is best exemplified by the types of movies I like the most - action and sci fi movies where kick-ass heroes rattle heads, take names, and if I'm lucky, blow shit up. I can't tell you how many times I literally squealed with delight when I saw Iron Man last week. Granted I can appreciate a well done story, but I especially appreciate kick-ass comfortably embedded in a reasonably well done story. But mostly because it makes the kick-ass that much more enjoyable.
Now, in light of my previous entry where I said I now realize that I'm capable of learning pretty much anything I want, so long as I'm committed enough to put in the time and effort - I think if I was that committed to becoming a Great writer, I could be. But as writing is not the focus of my life, I doubt I will ever have that commitment. And without that commitment, the excitement of self-indulgent kick-ass will probably be the only driver that has any serious hope of drawing me back to writing. Thus, I don't think I will ever be a Great writer. But hey, we don't all have to be Great writers, and clearly many people are not unlike me in enjoying their fair dose of kick ass, or movies like Iron Man wouldn't be made and be making as much money as they do. I think I've always had the perfectionist expectation that any serious writing I do should be aspiring towards Great writer quality, and maybe that doesn't have to be the case.