Writing Doesn’t Happen in a Vacuum
Every writer has their own style of writing. Some writers do the equivalent of a core-dump on paper, letting their thoughts spill freely onto the page. Other writers plan out every word in their head before they commit even a syllable to paper. I fall into the first category; I write without looking back. I write and write and write until I can’t write anymore. When I am finished, I review what I’ve written and make changes.But telling a good story does not happen in a vacuum. When one is so intimately tied to their work, it is hard to see the bigger picture. You may know that your character has moved from the back porch to the bedroom, but did you let your audience know this? Details can get lost in the emotional maelstrom that is your character’s life. How do you avoid this? You have others review your work.
For some this can be done as they write the book. For others, it should be done when the book is complete. If your project is just getting started, critiques early on may cause you to lose your momentum. For others, it may inspire them to write more and write better.
And what do you do when you don’t agree with your reviewer? This is the rule of thumb I use. If one person does not like something I wrote, but I still like it, my opinion always wins. However, if two people do not like the same thing, as hard as it is to admit, I must be wrong. If the same thing bothers two people, I change it.
There is no “right way to write.” The only way to write is the way that works for you. That said, if your way is not working for you, you need to change it.
posted by chrmisha @ 7:59 PM
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