“Constructing “pictures with words” is paramount to creating enjoyable and satisfying novel reading.”
This morning I read this in a newsletter that I subscribe to and it got me to thinking about writing. For years now, I've been dabbling with writing what I guess I'll call my memoirs. Fortunately I have no schedule or deadline to meet so I can bounce in and out of it whenever the mood strikes me. Hence, the years..
I mention this because I've been struggling with my writing style. Of course right away I'm thinking to myself, I have a writing style. Ya, right. So as I write I tend to be very factual in style. By that I mean; I might write that I did this and then that. But, then on occasion I might do that and then this. The point is that I'm writing as if I were creating a technical reference manual full of facts. The quote above uses that phrase "pictures with words". I realize now that, that's what's missing in my writing. You can't, I don't think, read what I've written and see a scene in your mind’s eye.
How do you accomplish this? Is this a talent that one learns or is it simply a built in quality? Is one born with it, the ability to create a picture in words? I guess that's what makes a successful writer, a successful writer.
Thanks for listening.
This blog contains the random thoughts of a guy named Tommy. We'll share thoughts on writing, photography and anything else I want, because it's my blog and not yours.
“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room”.-- Anita Roddick
8 comments:
These are just my thoughts. Set a deadline even if you are going to change it. It gives you something to work towards - even just for the heck of it.
Don't worry about writing styles. Obviously some are better than others and some are even disasterous, but I believe it gets better by simply to keep on writing.
Find some good educational books to make yourself more informed - especially ones written by published authors. They have been there and done that.
There are obvioulsy lots and lots of good tips and advice, but at the end of the day I believe that (as with evrything else in life) love for what you do is 90% of the ingredients you need. Without love for your craft, it is work.
Andreas - "Don't worry about writing styles"
Interesting comment. I guess I'm so hung up on this that a lot of time I don't ask a friend to look at the writing and review it. Guess that shows how unsure of myself I really am. :-(
"love for what you do is 90% of the ingredients you need" Point well taken, thanks. I think I'll take some time this afternoon and get back to it.
Actually, I don't really know where this writing is going. I mean who is going to read it, maybe my son so that he can figure out where he came from.
The good pros say that everything else is subordinate to the interest of the story. I'd guess this goes for memoirs as well as fiction.
EO - "The good pros say that everything else is subordinate to the interest of the story."
Color me dumb, but what do you mean by this statement? What "everything else"?
It's interesting, I've done a lot of thinking about our memory abilities. I mean, ask a longtime friend, better if from your childhood, and compare your memory of an event. Typically they'll be very different. I'm able to do this with a childhood friend, and wow it's amazing how different our stories can be. So, while I'm sort of calling my writing a memoir, it's not totally. Actually, below is a small segment from my writing that talks to this.
Exerpt from The Life and Times
of a Boy Called Tommy;
"In the following pages I’m going to make an attempt to relive some of my memories and life experiences. There will probably be some sad and some happy moments. Maybe there’ll even be some controversial ones, because I don‘t know how you’d write about real people and events without someone taking offence in some way. I guess I do need to state that this work will not be based on 100% pure fact. We’ve talked about memory and your ability to remember and tie various events together. Well, as a great philosopher once said to me, “no one’s perfect” and I certainly don’t want to project the idea that my memory is so good that I remember everything between being carried down that stairwell to the car and my first day in school. Therefore, some of the people or events that occur here may or may not be based on fact. I’ll leave it up to the reader to choose which is which."
As a side, I occasionally send a letter from DOMAI to her and she really enjoys them. She has bad self esteme issues and I think it is good for her to read these."
@ Tommy -
I wish I could say there are no rules but sadly, there are, and if you'd like to find out about some of them, I highly recommend "Words Fail Me" by Patricia T. O'Conner, a former editor at the New York Times Book Review, and author of "Woe is I" another painless instruction.
None of us takes advice if we can help it, but if I could offer some,
it would be to try to keep in mind your intended readers - whoever they might be, and whatever they might be interested in, because unless you aim it at some specific recipient, you're just punching at shadows, and it won't be as effective.
Also, do it regularly. I honed whatever writing skills I have just by writing a daily fax to Dear Editor at our biggest local paper for about ten years - until I got to be their most prolific letter-writer, and got tired of it.
But it was fun, great practice, and my comments were often useful to their editorial writers looking for topics for their next efforts.
So get yourself a good dictionary, a comfortable keyboard and chair, an adequate light nearby, and then
simply "fly while you still have wings". We learn by doing.
Enjoy your day,
Ray
@ Tommy -
Here's what Patricia says about your audience:-
Sometimes writer's block is simply fear of the unknown: the audience.
When you can't picture your readers, it's hard to write with confidence.
And if you imagine the worst - a pack of snarling critics, just waiting to tear you to pieces - you'll be paralyzed. You'll be your own worst critic, picking apart every word and phrase. And fearful or self-conscious writing is stilted writing.
She continues:-
I've noticed that little children write as they speak - naturally. They haven't yet learned the fear of writing. Try to remember how you felt before the self-consciousness set in. Picture a friendly audience, one that's interested in what you have to say and that wants to believe you. Even when that's not the case, and the readers hate your guts, pretend they're on your side. The writing will be easier and - who knows? - you may win them over.
One more comment:-
Patricia and her husband do a blog on language and questions & answers about it here:-
http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/
(I just discovered this myself....)
"Woe is I". Great title for a book Ray. Your comments on getting blockage no don't go there :-) are very interesting indeed. Know who your intended audience is. This is one thing that I am definitely having trouble with, because I have not set down and figured it out. I just keep changing midstream thinking about who might be reading. That's great advice and I will do just that. It might make it an easier task if I know who I'm writing to. Thanks.
"I've noticed that little children write as they speak - naturally. They haven't yet learned the fear of writing. Try to remember how you felt before the self-consciousness set in." How true this is. I've long since forgotten how to be a kid and to speak and write like one. You know, when not everything has to be perfect. You don't even think about it or it's consequences.
I'm definitely going to look at her blog. Thanks again.
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