Today is IWSG Day. IWSG stand for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of IWSG is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! You can follow other IWSG members here or on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a Facebook page.
Today’s IWSG question is: What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?
I loved writing in high school and like most teens, had a notebook full of poems, but I became serious during the days of Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying. I remember reading a review that labeled her book confessional. My writing became confessional too. Easier to exaggerate what I knew than to create characters and a plot I didn’t know.
I wrote a short story for Redbook’s annual fiction contest and received a wonderful, personal letter from the editor, but ultimately a rejection. Later, another letter came asking for another read, but once again it was rejected. At that point in my writing I didn’t understand that I should give each character motivation.
In a college independent studies class, I wrote a novel based loosely (very loosely) on my wild, impulsive life. I never tried to market it to a publisher. My character had motivation, but she didn’t have introspection, or maybe it’s called Deep POV these days.
Both the short story and the novel are packed away. This post makes me wonder if I should destroy them.
The first thing I published was a prayer in True Story magazine. It was called Prayer from a Divorced Woman and I was paid $25.00. No byline—just my initials. It didn’t matter. That was enough encouragement to last me a lifetime.
I’ve been writing for newspapers and magazines off and on for 40+ years. Fiction will always be my first love but it’s a challenge. There are rules I break that are totally unacceptable. Rules I know nothing about. Rules I plain don’t like. Crazy rules I don’t understand. There are So. Many. Rules.
I’ve answered the IWSG question, now answer one for me:
What makes good writing?
Some readers throw a book across the room if the author tells more than s/he shows. The word said is a thing of the past because attributions are interruptions and telling. Set the scene and POV at the beginning of each chapter because your reader might get lost. Learn how to write deep POV. If you don’t understand deep POV, here’s an excellent blog post explaining exactly what it is. Join me in my frustration.
Think about my question and the best of the best books you’ve read lately then tell me what makes writing good? Following the rules or following the heart rhythm of your story?
I am going to be very honest with you and say what I think. I believe good writing is subjective. It is an opinion of one or two, maybe three people who share the same ideas about writing. However, there are many of these clusters of people who have their own ideas about what good writing is. I don’t think Faulkner, Hemingway, Fitzgerald worried about rules and I don’t think Toni Morrison or any other good writer concentrate on rules.
I do believe a reader feels when a writer is writing from the heart because they get caught up in the story.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia
Thanks Pat, I agree with you. 😄
Ooooh, I forgot to mention in my post that I wrote poetry in my teen years and beyond.
I think good writing captivates and never bores. Easier said than done, though. 🙂
Teresa
Hi Teresa. Captivate… That’s interesting. I visualize good story and good writing hand in hand working together.
Good writing pulls me into a story, makes me keep turning the pages, makes me think about the story long after I finished it. Regarding rules: know them and have a good reason for breaking them. Some people make up the “rules” then act like they know it all. Find a good book and analyze why it’s good. Good luck with that. If it’s really good, you’ll forget analyzing and keep reading. 😉
I agree, Diane. I love it when a story yanks me in and I forget all about studying, analyzing and critiquing as I read. Doesn’t happen often but when it does–wow!
I’m reading ‘Pines’ right now and its kept me up late at night which is good since most people think of it as horror. So far still not scared. :-/
Anna from elements of emaginette
I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for popping in.
I would have been just as proud of that $25!
To me, good writing is a story where my writer brain shuts off and I’m just enjoying the ride. I might pause on particularly good phrasing, but I’m not analyzing the book so much as letting the story lead.
Here’s my August IWSG post on my first novel attempt (note I said ATTEMPT). YA Author Stephanie Scott IWSG August
Stephanie, today I think they pay 75.00. 🙂
$25.00 is great! Good writing keeps me reading even if there is down time or data dump. Even Harry Potter has some of that in the 700 page books but it’s that good writing that keeps people reading.
Stephen Tremp
IWSG Co-Host August 2016
http://www.stephentremp.com
Thanks for commenting, Stephen. I believe they pay 75.00 for those prayers today. I need to try again. 🙂 I love it when I get lost in a book and forget to notice if the author is showing vs. telling or following other rules. Some say story is everything … I think I agree.
Some good answers, Jess.
Last year I read The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson.
First off, I ordered the paperback.
I jumped right in, without reading any reviews beforehand.
A part of me didn’t want to like the story as much as I did.
I can’t explain why.
It’s the kind of story that evokes conflicting emotions… a sort of love-hate thing…(if that makes sense? But more love…)
It’s controversial. Cruel. Complex. Compelling. Multi-layered. Stories within stories.
It’s a story of love. Of pain. Of loss.
I could go on and on.
What an AMAZING story. I want everybody to read it! If I had my way/the finances, I’d buy 100 copies and gift the books to friends.
I haven’t stopped thinking about the story 🙂
It’s the kind of book you can read over and over and learn something new every time.
Happy IWSG Day!
I went to Amazon and looked up Gargoyle. Don’t know if I’m up for it. 😳
It makes me a little crazy when I’m reading along, enjoying a story, and all of a sudden I’m pulled out by a thought like, “Hey, she’s head hopping!”. It’s not the head hopping that pulls me out – I happen to like third person omniscient – it’s the fact that someone got published writing in a way I’d like to write but have been told will keep me in the ranks of the unpublished. Head hopping is a big no-no. Agents and editors would be appalled. NO contract for you, head hopper!
Yeah, I get tangled up in all those rules.
Didn’t have that problem with my first book. Wrote it in high school, in a spiral notebook, in longhand. And I didn’t know any of the rules except basic grammar and punctuation. I still have it, but – thank goodness – it will never see the light of day.
Hi LD, so glad you came to visit. I know exactly what you mean! I re-read my old Silhouette Romance published back in ’96 and it has some head hopping. They let it pass. 😱 I’m shocked!
Thanks for the link on POV. I have so much learning to do about all of the rules and when to follow them and when to break them.
I just finished “Sandcastle Girls” by Chris Bohjalian and “Prototype” by MD Waters. Two very different books, but I couldn’t put either of them down. To be honest, I have no idea if they were following the rules. It was the stories that engaged me. I just had to know how they ended.
Ellen, writers never quit learning so relax and enjoy it. 😀 Thanks for the book titles. I’ll check them out on Amazon. To me, story trumps good writing but if a writer can tell a wonderful story and write beautifully, what an amazing experience for the reader!
I wouldn’t destroy that old writing. I’ve still got the first novel I wrote. It was very bad but I have used bits and pieces of it in later work.
Charles, I was thinking more for its content than the writing. 😱
The “Rules” are subjective, and also reflective of the times. I you read older literature, they aren’t following the same rules. They often start slow, include tons of back story, and not much dialog. We couldn’t get away with that pace if we tried to get something published today. You have to write from your heart. Don’t worry about the rules as you’re creating. And, above all, never stop writing your stories!!
Mary at Play off the Page
I commented two days ago, but apparently it didn’t get through. Ugh. Anyhow, I’m a huge fan of deep POV. There was a survey I was reading the other day where they said that more than 20% of people put a book down because of poor writing. Telling VS showing is definitely one of those aspects. Still, what really makes a book for me is one thing: character. If I love the character, I will stick with the book. Granted, I want a plot almost as amazing as the character. Those are the two biggies for me. Throw in some beautiful prose, and I’m sold.
I think bad writing is easier to define than good writing. You can love a book to death but someone can hate it just as much. But we can agree what constitutes as bad writing. For me, it’s writing full of cliches and mistakes. It just shows me the writer didn’t care enough about their story or the readers to give it the polish it needs to strengthen it and make it enjoyable. What’s worse, is if I can accurately predict what’ll happen next. To me reading is being transported to another world, going along the ride/journey of the character(s). If there’s no surprises, welcome and unwelcome, I’m not going to enjoy the trip.
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