At the risk of sounding almost nihilistic, another so-what question is, I think: so you want to write a novel? So what? I find it liberating to remind myself that the stakes can be, for many if not most writers, very low. Nobody cares whether I write or not. So I might as well try stuff and go for it!
Very timely, Meta. A writing friend and I were just discussing —last night —the reasons she hadn’t progressed on her novel which she has shared with me over some time.
She happens to have been my copilot at one time. We would be arcing across the dark Pacific night, dodging the ever present thunderstorms that lie above and below the equator. Our eyes glued to our glowing radar screens, finessing the tilt and gain knobs to Suss out the hidden parts of the storms where wicked wind shears or hail stones lay behind more benign clouds in the darkness, picking our way through the ever shifting walls of towering cumulus clouds, lightning illuminating our cockpit, while trying to figure out how to resolve a couple of elements in her story. It was great for both of us to prime the creative juices.
Last night we were to meet to indulge in short writing prompts. We spent the first hour on what was really holding her back. All of the things you just mentioned were in play. I determined she was actually afraid of completing the thing for reasons you’ve described as reducing the idea in the telling. The final product not rising to her standards… perfection.
We concluded with a prompt and both of us were juiced by the process. We’ve agreed to a more regular regimen of writing exercises. She likened our program to practicing the scales. This totally resonated with me. So if one were to ask my advice…no one did, but I’m “proffering” it anyway :-)…I’d recommend these kinds of exercises to stretch your mind outside of its usual tasks. I’ve picked up an old novel I had started a dozen years ago and am back in the game with a new zeal… hope it lasts, but for now I’m on fire. Thanks again, Meta, for another well-timed piece.
At the risk of sounding almost nihilistic, another so-what question is, I think: so you want to write a novel? So what? I find it liberating to remind myself that the stakes can be, for many if not most writers, very low. Nobody cares whether I write or not. So I might as well try stuff and go for it!
Very timely, Meta. A writing friend and I were just discussing —last night —the reasons she hadn’t progressed on her novel which she has shared with me over some time.
She happens to have been my copilot at one time. We would be arcing across the dark Pacific night, dodging the ever present thunderstorms that lie above and below the equator. Our eyes glued to our glowing radar screens, finessing the tilt and gain knobs to Suss out the hidden parts of the storms where wicked wind shears or hail stones lay behind more benign clouds in the darkness, picking our way through the ever shifting walls of towering cumulus clouds, lightning illuminating our cockpit, while trying to figure out how to resolve a couple of elements in her story. It was great for both of us to prime the creative juices.
Last night we were to meet to indulge in short writing prompts. We spent the first hour on what was really holding her back. All of the things you just mentioned were in play. I determined she was actually afraid of completing the thing for reasons you’ve described as reducing the idea in the telling. The final product not rising to her standards… perfection.
We concluded with a prompt and both of us were juiced by the process. We’ve agreed to a more regular regimen of writing exercises. She likened our program to practicing the scales. This totally resonated with me. So if one were to ask my advice…no one did, but I’m “proffering” it anyway :-)…I’d recommend these kinds of exercises to stretch your mind outside of its usual tasks. I’ve picked up an old novel I had started a dozen years ago and am back in the game with a new zeal… hope it lasts, but for now I’m on fire. Thanks again, Meta, for another well-timed piece.
This helps me so much! I keep forgetting that my crappy writing leads to better writing, but only if I sit down and practice.
Yes.