THE EXCITING JOURNEY OF Writing
a Fictional Book
"IT'S A LUXURY BEING A WRITER,
BECAUSE ALL YOU EVER THINK ABOUT IS LIFE."
AMY TAN
BECAUSE ALL YOU EVER THINK ABOUT IS LIFE."
AMY TAN
IN SEARCH OF PERFECTOS MAXIMOS
10/11/2017
Perfection –the highest degree of proficiency, skill, or excellence. For most of us mortals it is an unattainable goal. Why? Who amongst us would we trust to tell us what is perfect or what is not? Why all this gibberish you ask? Because when it comes to writing a novel, most of us flounder looking for the elusive creature known as “Perfectos Maximos.” This creature is extremely rare and impossible to catch. If you do find one and touch the head of Perfectos Maximos it can and will destroy your creativity. How and why you ask? Perfectos Maximos does not exist except in our minds. Writing is an art. It takes time and constant practice. No one ever reaches perfection in their writing. Perfection is a mystery, the Fountain of Youth, Shangri La. Writing novels are different from "How to," or "Self Help," books. Subjects I know nothing about nor do I care to. I'm a storyteller, plus my whole life I always chose the harder road. Maybe one day I'll change, but I doubt it. The creativity begins inside of you. "I have a story," you say, but I ask, "Do you have the desire to write that story?" Will you sabotage that desire by telling yourself, "It's not that good?" Accept the fact that you are you going to make mistakes. Once you understand that important piece of the map, begin. But you hesitate and say, "I want it to be perfect." Do you mean that you want no misspelled words, a clear story line, interesting characters, interesting dialog, a story so compelling the reader could not put it down?" Is that what you are looking for? Those are just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to learn. This post is not to dissuade you from writing but to encourage you to start. I read these few words recently and they say everything you need to remember. Burn these into your psyche and never forget. Don't over think your craft — simply trust your ability Every author who has come before has a story about the trials and tribulations of how they became novelists. Read their biographies, but above all read their novels. Two at a time. That way you can compare styles.
Find a couple of good books on, "How to Write a Novel," and read those simultaneously. One I like, "How to Grow a Novel-Sol Stein," is very good. Write your story as you are reading those books because you will re-write it at least two more times. Above everything else, you must be patient with yourself. In time the transformation will emerge and your writing will improve. #writing,#how to write a novel,#how to become a successful writer,#how to author a book,#how to grow a novel |
AuthorRobert Stephen. Archives
September 2018
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