Oh, I understand! It's been a long dry spell for me. Then today as I was putzing along with a computer game the reason dawned. It's damn hard to write when you don't really care what happens to your characters. I think we've been victims of our success.
Back in the beginning when we didn't know much, we just wrote. All those things we worry about now like POV and character development and grammar and blurbs and other crap too stupid to even discuss just gets in our way. We've forgotten how to just tell the story. We're worried about writing the great romance/mystery/paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy novel--instead of just writing the story.
How did this happen? I think we're all so hung up on 'improving' and 'honing our skills' and all that other stuff that gets in the way that we're afraid. Yep. Afraid we can't measure up. Afraid we won't be a success. Afraid someone won't like what we write. Too bad. So what if someone doesn't like it? Back in the beginning, weren't we eager to share our stories with someone...anyone? And didn't we write because we loved writing? Didn't we love our characters to the point of living with them day in and day out so that the rest of the world didn't really matter?
If we aren't involved with our stories, why would anyone else be? That's what we're missing. Recently, I've read several books, some that we'd even call novellas, that are NOT the great American romances. But you know what? I love them. I can't wait until the next ones in the series come out. And do you know why? Because it's obvious their creators love them. They're engaged in telling their character's stories. They want to share their character's adventures.
I have a story I've struggled with for several years. And here is why. I forgot to just tell the story. I was afraid I couldn't do justice to this character. That his story would be a 'throw-away'. And in refusing to share his story, his triumph, I did him a great injustice. I didn't trust him to let me tell his story. I was afraid.
We have to get back to the basics. Tell the story. Let the characters shine through.
You make a great point. I've had trouble writing for the last year or so. This is certainly part of the reason. Let me know if your epiphany helps and you're having better luck with your writing!
ReplyDeleteOf course there are other things, Francesca, but I suspect we could work through them if that fear didn't nibble away at us. I'll keep in touch.
DeleteI kinda think it has more to do with the glut of stories out there. At least for me. I feel like nothing I write will be read. Thus I'm discouraged. I have 4 WIPs on my desktop. Can't bring myself to finish them despite the passion I feel for them. Of course if I were to write now there's a chance I'd be incoherent anyway. :))
ReplyDeleteYep. That's one of my fears. Will anyone read it? Will I find any readers who care? I'm going to shove that to the side...because without a story, those fears have no where to go.
DeleteGirl, I HOPE you're feeling better!!!
Anny, I think you hit the nail on the head. or the head on the nail..... Either way, I think you're right. My writing does fine, until I start thinking about all the extraneous stuff, instead of just telling my story. I let my doubts and fears get in the way.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great article, and a timely reminder.
Heh, Tamye! Whatever works! I'm going to focus on the story and pretend I'm writing it for me. When I'm happy with 'my' story, I'll worry about someone else reading it.
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