Work Room - Week 24

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

What can you bring to a story that no one else can?

Because that's the question, isn't it? Sure, you can say "It's entertaining" - but if you are telling the exact same story that anyone could walk pass and write, why are you bothering? It's not just with fiction either - "story" here is any narrative form. What is it that you are bringing to the table?

I've seen more "I don't know"s over the years than I personally feel comfortable with. It's your writing. Kick the tires. Look under the hood. See where the magic pixies go in and out of the tubes that keeps that engine running.

Looking back, one of the saddest moments in my life was realizing that I could no longer answer the fundamental questions of - why am I writining? What can I do that isn't a reflection of someone better, but actually morphs the work into something uniquely me? Why am I passionate about writing?

Those things are important, fundamentally important to your existence as a writer. You lose them, you lose your sense of self. Or, maybe that was just me...

I know there are plenty of people who "just write for fun" or have only vaguely entertained the idea of calling themselves a writer. Maybe they don't even talk much about it in their real lives, because they have gotten the impression that it's a hobby or just something to kill the time.

I have a secret for you though. If you didn't take it at least somewhat seriously, if you weren't a little bit in love with the words that come out from your fingertips as they slide across the keyboard, you wouldn't be here right now. You most definitely wouldn't be in Week 24 and prepared to go as long as you can in this crazy thing we call Idol. intr

For all of the worry and concern that you might not be good enough - you are here. For all of the needing encouragement, you believe enough in yourself to hope that others see it as well.

Hopefully, at some point, you'll realize that and figure out what about all of this invigorates you and makes you so passionate about sharing your work with others, and what you are hoping they take away from that experience.

(and yes, a lot of this has to do with my own thought process following a conversation with an old friend, and thinking about how passionate I used to be about writing and about how to get that back... but never you mind that, we're talking about you here! ;P )

Comments

[alien-infinity.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I worry I have too much personality in my writing, meaning the story and characters just sound like "me" and aren't believable because the "me-ness" is too strong. This is a ridiculous and silly worry, but that doesn't stop my wonky brain!

It's funny you say I'm good at details, because I've always felt that was an area of major struggle for me. I have had to concentrate to get details into my work sometimes.

Also, what kind of story would you like to see from me this week? I am SO drawing a blank on this topic, so some potential direction would be appreciated. :)

[alien-infinity.livejournal.com]

The Emmeline stories are where I borrow(ed) most heavily from real life. In fact, it was scary as hell doing other fiction because I couldn't "steal" from real life as easily. It was fun to explore less "real world" fictional universes, though. I'm not sure whether to go back to the Emmeline universe or try out some more speculative-type futuristic or fantasy fiction. Do you have any preference? Sorry to bug you, I am just SO stuck on this topic. Like I said, the one about freaking physics was easier when I'm awful at physics!

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

Don't worry about having to much of you in your writing. For one, that happens to all of us. My fairy tales are almost always written from something that's making me insecure in RL. Sometimes I don't even know it until after the fact.

My dialogue comes from real life dialogue at times too.

It's part of writing. And if you struggle with details, I can't tell. I really can't. I see that as a strong part of your writing, so see? Already you're improving on things you may have struggled with in the past.

My brain is seriously fuzzy right now and I feel really sick, but let me think more about what the topic means and get back to you. I'd obviously love to see you write more of what you love to do, and to keep stretching yourself.

[alien-infinity.livejournal.com]

If my ability to do details has improved, maybe that means one day I'll be able to develop intricate plots with no apparent trouble! I suppose I've kind of already done that, a tiny bit, with my previous week's story because it had "twists and turns" and I did NOT think I could even do "twists and turns."

I'm still kind of amazed you think details are a strength of mine.

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

Writing is a skill you can improve on over time. I've seen particular elements I've liked from other writers and I've worked on those things. For instance with this week, I asked for Java's step by step help with providing details. It's something I know I need to work on and it's something I make every effort to do. So yes, you can improve your intricate plots and anything else you want to work on. You're a good writer, you have the ability to write in a way that feels real and natural. You have a natural talent there, you just let fear get in the way. I've been where you are... I'm still sort of there... But trust me, you do have talent. Now it's just practicing and polishing up your ability to add in other elements like complex plots, more details (though I think you are great there, I remember the details from our intersection where you described the cafe and the food so well, I could see it!)

You will constantly surprise yourself at what you can do if you try. I didn't think I could write sci-fi until this season. I didn't think I could write fantasy until last season. And guess what? I didn't think I could write fiction at all until Season 6. But by trying it out and experimenting, you learn so much. I know you can do so much, you are naturally talented, you just let insecurities get in the way. I get that, I'm a lot like that too.