There are two things that I disagree with most authors on. One, (write what you know)you've all ready heard me talk about. The second is that unless you know the story is good, publishable, awesome etc. don't write it. Now, granted if your a famous author and only have time to write the sequel or the new idea you pitched to your publisher definately dont write it.
But if you are an author with some time or a writer who's not famous or busy yet, and you get a good idea I say play with it. Write it out play with the plot and the characters. It can't hurt, and someday you might just come up with that blockbuster idea that makes you famous or rich or both.
Why do you ask? Even if you don't become famous or rich, your muse has been fed. You have broadened your horizions. You have added words, and I believe the more words you type, write, create, the closer you are to being published, rich and famous. Even if the story peters out at 40,000 words or less? You ask. Yes. Even if the story never sees the light of day? Yes. Even if the story is silly, or dark, or unnaturally you, or anything not normal? Yes yes yes yes.
To deny a story life, I think, supresses that creativity we as writers have and to deny is to starve that muse. Because as well as feeding that muse by reading listeing to music and watching movies. Creating also feeds that creative side of you by validating what you have inside you.
Why do I tell you this with such conviction? A few rough draft reasons. I have a few stories that I have written as the whim has hit me everyone of them is good in its own right. I have a witchcraft story and a few romances and two vampire stories sitting there on my laptop just waiting for the right time to pull them back out. So what if ALL of them need to be rewritten? The stories have merit. All of them. Do I worry that with the vampire craze that my story may seem redundant? If they sparkled yes, I would worry. But my vampire world is diferent and amazing and I will not abandon a good story because some people think that the trend is dead. There's always room for a good story especially when its amazing and diferent.
So to my fellow writers out there, feed that muse, write that story, don't deny a good story life because someone says it's not good enough, or all of the other excuses that are listed somewhere. You're a writer, wrte it. Isn't that what we do?
6 comments:
Great Post, Michelle. And I totally agree with you. I'm quoting you on my blog today. Check it out this afternoon. HUGS
I'm with you on this. I think it comes back to "to thine own self be true" and you really need to when writing. Authenticity is passion and readers can spot it. =] Plus, I think it's just good for the heart of a writer.
Even if I'm busy writing the sequel to a novel I haven't sold yet? Sometimes I think I'm crazy, but it's what I want to write! You are so right.
I love the line about denying a story life. Very true, in so many ways!
People sometimes say not to write a story idea? Weird! I always write it. Very often the best I can do is write the synopsis, but at least it's SOMETHING so that when I have the time/inclination I haven't totally lost that idea.
I can't imagine every being cavalere enough to just throw out an idea because . . . well, for just about ANY reason!
Ditto, ditto, ditto to what Ali said. And you, too, Michelle. I have one thing to add, though. Sometimes we get ideas for stories we aren't ready to write. In those cases, I write the germ of the idea down, continue to gather ideas around it over the next weeks--years, and then write it when I feel the time is right.
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