On Writing
This is a bit of a rant, that, as many things I write here are, is more for me than anyone else...
See, I want to write. Sometimes I even think I have the ability. I get so caught up in the wrong things though.
For one, I worry when I borrow ideas from other places, or see an idea similar to one I had in another place (they occur about equally. Actually, when I have what I think is a really unique idea, I usually see it elsewhere within a month. Its why I have some of the beliefs I do..) I don't outright copy, nor do I ever find an exact duplicate. But similarity, I worry, will make others think less of me if I ever get to the point where I make something publishable. Theres my first two problems. First, I am ashamed to get help.. but truth is, probly 99.9% if not 100% of people do get inspired by something else.
Second is that I am already thinking ahead to some reader down the road.
I'm reading a Stephen King book at the moment... The Dark Tower (The seventh in a series) and its very good. He's always been one of my favorite authors. In it, he talks a lot about his writing process. What parts are fiction and what parts are fact blur, and perhaps maybe there aren't even seperate parts.. maybe its 100% one way or the other. Who am I to say? If some of the less believable things in the book really did occur, I wouldn't find it hard to believe really.
The point is, in it he says.. more verbosely, albeit... essentially that he does not always feel like he is creating so much as observing. Reminds me of a preview I saw for The Secret Window, or some name like that. Never saw the movie though, maybe a shame. Anyway... I feel that way too. At once it feels somewhat arrogant to compare myself to someone who is an accomplished, highly talented author. Nevertheless, thats how I've always felt when I try to write. The words flow, and when I don't take the time to correct them they usually come out so much better. If I don't hear that special voice, or see that scene in my mind.. then the result is crap. I can force it, but it isn't pretty.
So here comes why point #2 is a problem. If I worry about a reader... who may or may not exist besides.. I start to change what comes out. And thats like losing the voice or losing my sight. I still feel the story somewhere, but its no longer flowing. I get too tied up.
Another problem seems to be my own odd mixture of arrogance and modesty. At once I might think I'm good at something, yet feel its awfully pretentious of me to think so. Or, like I said, I'll compare myself to someone who I might semi-idolize(a clearer definition in a second...) and then immediately think it was silly. Again with the secondguessing I suppose.
As for idolatry... I gain respect easily. All someone need do is do something I wish I could. I often feel quite a bit of respect-- bordering on idolatry even-- for Caspian, the owner of a certain MUD I play, though I will often disagree with how he runs things. Fact is, he /runs/ them. Whether it could be done better or not, it works whereas I have not made such a thing and thus am not worthy of questioning. Then I think... well, maybe mine don't work out because of some other factor.. maybe the way I would do it really is superior, but __________ keeps it from taking off.
I think I might be getting slightly off subject...
Yeah, thats the way it is with quite a few authors, not the least of which is Stephen King. A very good writer, that one, and I hope to someday be so good... though I doubt I will.
In truth, if I were to look up to a writer as a role model for my own writing, he'd be on the list. I doubt I'm the only one to say so.
Anyway.. if I were able to take a select group of writers and mix their styles into the Ultimate Writing Style... heres what it would be composed of:
Stephen King (multi-talented... but mostly his ability to create suspense and drama. As far as sucking a reader into a story wholly, he is the champ)
Scott Adams (not so much his writing as the way he thinks. Aside from his most famous contribution, Dilbert, you should try reading his non-fiction books. Its like the LJ of a genius, in book form. I'd want to incorporate some of his ideas on life and existence into a book. If you check out his fiction, he manages it very well, but not really in as compelling a way as some other authors might)
Anne McCaffrey (she brings an element of romance into her books that I think is unparalleled. Apparently she has an actual romance series, but as for her SF books... there seems to be a way that she can add in romance without making me-- a male without much interest in such things-- lose interest. Actually, it quite enhances the story)
Between those three, and my own main plot ideas, could totally make the best stories ever.
If, for some reason, you like the authors I listed and want some good ideas, I feel like I should write down some of my favorite stuff:
David Weber's Mutineer's Moon series (has some other good stuff, but some of his books get a little too thick with political detail for my tastes)
Isaac Asimov's robot books (he has some other stuff, but this is my favorite.. and what he is most famous for, I'd say)
Maybe I'll add more later, I know there are some more.
Anyway
As far as future plans to fix it..
I think I've said this before but.. I need to just let it flow. Practice and all that. Don't mind that they are all so short.. I think when I develop it, I'll be able to go longer.
Wish me luck on getting past these problems, and maybe some day in the far future producing something readable.
See, I want to write. Sometimes I even think I have the ability. I get so caught up in the wrong things though.
For one, I worry when I borrow ideas from other places, or see an idea similar to one I had in another place (they occur about equally. Actually, when I have what I think is a really unique idea, I usually see it elsewhere within a month. Its why I have some of the beliefs I do..) I don't outright copy, nor do I ever find an exact duplicate. But similarity, I worry, will make others think less of me if I ever get to the point where I make something publishable. Theres my first two problems. First, I am ashamed to get help.. but truth is, probly 99.9% if not 100% of people do get inspired by something else.
Second is that I am already thinking ahead to some reader down the road.
I'm reading a Stephen King book at the moment... The Dark Tower (The seventh in a series) and its very good. He's always been one of my favorite authors. In it, he talks a lot about his writing process. What parts are fiction and what parts are fact blur, and perhaps maybe there aren't even seperate parts.. maybe its 100% one way or the other. Who am I to say? If some of the less believable things in the book really did occur, I wouldn't find it hard to believe really.
The point is, in it he says.. more verbosely, albeit... essentially that he does not always feel like he is creating so much as observing. Reminds me of a preview I saw for The Secret Window, or some name like that. Never saw the movie though, maybe a shame. Anyway... I feel that way too. At once it feels somewhat arrogant to compare myself to someone who is an accomplished, highly talented author. Nevertheless, thats how I've always felt when I try to write. The words flow, and when I don't take the time to correct them they usually come out so much better. If I don't hear that special voice, or see that scene in my mind.. then the result is crap. I can force it, but it isn't pretty.
So here comes why point #2 is a problem. If I worry about a reader... who may or may not exist besides.. I start to change what comes out. And thats like losing the voice or losing my sight. I still feel the story somewhere, but its no longer flowing. I get too tied up.
Another problem seems to be my own odd mixture of arrogance and modesty. At once I might think I'm good at something, yet feel its awfully pretentious of me to think so. Or, like I said, I'll compare myself to someone who I might semi-idolize(a clearer definition in a second...) and then immediately think it was silly. Again with the secondguessing I suppose.
As for idolatry... I gain respect easily. All someone need do is do something I wish I could. I often feel quite a bit of respect-- bordering on idolatry even-- for Caspian, the owner of a certain MUD I play, though I will often disagree with how he runs things. Fact is, he /runs/ them. Whether it could be done better or not, it works whereas I have not made such a thing and thus am not worthy of questioning. Then I think... well, maybe mine don't work out because of some other factor.. maybe the way I would do it really is superior, but __________ keeps it from taking off.
I think I might be getting slightly off subject...
Yeah, thats the way it is with quite a few authors, not the least of which is Stephen King. A very good writer, that one, and I hope to someday be so good... though I doubt I will.
In truth, if I were to look up to a writer as a role model for my own writing, he'd be on the list. I doubt I'm the only one to say so.
Anyway.. if I were able to take a select group of writers and mix their styles into the Ultimate Writing Style... heres what it would be composed of:
Stephen King (multi-talented... but mostly his ability to create suspense and drama. As far as sucking a reader into a story wholly, he is the champ)
Scott Adams (not so much his writing as the way he thinks. Aside from his most famous contribution, Dilbert, you should try reading his non-fiction books. Its like the LJ of a genius, in book form. I'd want to incorporate some of his ideas on life and existence into a book. If you check out his fiction, he manages it very well, but not really in as compelling a way as some other authors might)
Anne McCaffrey (she brings an element of romance into her books that I think is unparalleled. Apparently she has an actual romance series, but as for her SF books... there seems to be a way that she can add in romance without making me-- a male without much interest in such things-- lose interest. Actually, it quite enhances the story)
Between those three, and my own main plot ideas, could totally make the best stories ever.
If, for some reason, you like the authors I listed and want some good ideas, I feel like I should write down some of my favorite stuff:
David Weber's Mutineer's Moon series (has some other good stuff, but some of his books get a little too thick with political detail for my tastes)
Isaac Asimov's robot books (he has some other stuff, but this is my favorite.. and what he is most famous for, I'd say)
Maybe I'll add more later, I know there are some more.
Anyway
As far as future plans to fix it..
I think I've said this before but.. I need to just let it flow. Practice and all that. Don't mind that they are all so short.. I think when I develop it, I'll be able to go longer.
Wish me luck on getting past these problems, and maybe some day in the far future producing something readable.