Improving as we age?

[Perpetual Man]

Something that has been occurring to me of late is that, in general, it is considered our writing should improve as we get older.

When you take into account that there is a lot of practice involved, and our editing skills should become sharper as we learn what is overkill, what can be pared back etc, our manuscripts should become finer honed mini-masterpieces

But is it possible that although we learn we seem to be better able to smarten up our work, but it is not as good as what has gone before?

When I look back over things I have written in the past I think it is so much better than anything I turn out now. It's one of the reasons I've dropped back into writing short stories. I sometimes feel as though any innate talent I may or may not have had is eroding with time.

People seem to really like my descriptions and references to events, but when I put them into the context of a story they drag the story down.

Slowing it.

As is pointed out there is no hook to grab the readers attention, but neglecting the hook is something that seems to be more and more common for me, as if it is something I'm not interested in. But when I flick through old work there is something there to draw the reader in immediately.

So is it possible to get worse as you get older?

 

[Stephen Palmer]

I'd say not.

Experience counts for so much - experience of life, not just of writing a book.

 

[Tecdavid]

I'm not sure it's a matter of getting worse. Maybe it's a matter of inspiration? We're always told to keep writing, all the time, in order to hone our strengths, but there are times that involve just writing out something we have no passion for, just so we can say we've filled our page for the day.
I think, when it comes to the ever-important hook, we can tell we've got something going when we feel keen and excited to get to it. That passion. We're eager to bait that hook and drop it in. I suppose it's perfectly possible to just write, hope to bait some hook as we go, and never manage to do it because that initial excitement's lacking -- because the buzz of knowing our first passages are going to become something amazing isn't there. The buzz that means we're going to have fun building the story our hooks pave the way for.

If you remember what inspired your earlier stories, maybe you'll take up that inspiration again. And with that, maybe the hook you need will come to you more naturally.

 

[HareBrain]

Should do, but ... energy ... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Actually, I think HB has hit the nail on the head, maybe. You don't have the same time, Perp. You have the Perpettes, Mrs Perp, a job, you know... life. I don't think it'll be that your skills have become less, but maybe the time to put into it and hone it and make it just so isn't there.

Or, perhaps, you just don't want to write stuff with a hooky start? Not everything has one, and yet it's what we're often judged for here, because we're jostling our way out there in a market saturated and feel we need the attention on us.

 

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Oh, I think it depends. Some people have a lot of passion and/or great ideas when they're young but lack the ability/energy/will to keep it up. Others mature into better writers as they get more real life experience. And things we like change as we get older - I know that's true for me at least.

 

[Juliana]

Actually, I think HB has hit the nail on the head, maybe. You don't have the same time, Perp. You have the Perpettes, Mrs Perp, a job, you know... life.

When my kids were little (less than 2 years between them) I could barely pick up a book, let alone write!

If the short story format is working for you at the moment, why don't you stick with that for a while?

 

[Mouse]

I have. I thought you were supposed to. The more you do something, the better at it you get.

 

[Dozmonic]

Well it sounds like you've identified the problems already.
* Description slowing down pace of text
* Lack of hooks

Those problems have solutions
* Use descriptive text sparingly - it'll add depth but slow the story, so don't use it during an action sequence and bearing in mind problem #2, don't use it at the start of a story
* Start with a hook. Rediscover what you already knew, how to tease and pull the reader in to the story

If you seem to be getting worse with time, then perhaps you're overthinking what you're doing. Another good thing to try would be to take a look at something you've written a long time ago and think is good, then rewrite it as you'd do it now. See where the old version is better and where the new version is better. It'll give you new direction in which to write. You'll be imitating your old self and your new self to make a, hopefully, better current self.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Although my writing is much better - I do think it has lost an edge that it had when I first started.

Like others have said life goes in seasons.

 

[ratsy]

Question. Do any of you look at your children (or god children, neices, nephews) playing and wonder how that fun sense of wonderment leaves us? Sometimes I look outside and see a pile of leaves, or snow in my current case and think of how fun it was as a child to run around and play in them.

We lose that as we get older, as we get responsibility, as we get families and jobs. I sometimes think that there is something to that. That creativeness and imagination of a child needs to be sparked back into us some moments of our lives, otherwise our minds waste away and get caught up in the tides of life.

If we want to write or to just be creative, I think it becomes more work as we get older. I think that reading will help with that to an extent but really we need to get excited and motivated by something to keep growing.

Obviously that and practicing. But with out a muse or excitement, the writing may technically be there but will be missing that spark.

 

[BookerBrin]

Perhaps as you learn more of the editing process, you tend to be more aware of the requirements, and this can (a) slow down the writing process; which (b) leads to a more sterile writing style.

Also, as others have pointed out. Time is needed to write. And that depends on other commitments you have.

 

[hopewrites]

the other thing to look at is who isnt "hooked" to follow through with the fishing analogy you wouldn't use the same lure for catfish and betafish.
which is why everyone suggests a spectrum of beta readers. to find what your hook nets.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Some very interesting comments, and a lot to think about.

I know that my life is rather busy at the moment, but I have noticed a difference and I am not so sure it is one I appreciate. When I look back over my older material it seems to be so much better than what I do now.

That being said the process I am going through at the moment with my 4000th post piece is very therapeutic.

 

[jastius]

gary must be laughing his elephant off about now...

perp, its about now you choose to invest yourself. writing is a conscious product of conscious thought that is influenced, inspired, or even deterred by things that make up our environment. when we are in school one grows used to a certain production rate. we are exposed to new ideas and new companions that add more stimulus to our lives.
as we move into other circumstances we have less of that sort of stimulation and pressure ... incentive if you will to produce a great deal of intellectual material.

and negative emotional upheavals repress creativity and logic skills.
don't even think that way right now, perp.. just take some vitamins and get some sleep to let your brain heal a bit .. then when things cool off try attending a workshop or listening to some lectures.. auditing a course. new ideas and new energy for them will fix you right up..

 

[paranoid marvin]

Hooks are useful to snare the unwary, but it's quality writing and immersive storylines that keep readers dangling on the line.

From what you've said it sounds like you're writing in a way that you enjoy, but not in a way you like to read. I wonder how many of us like to read our own contemporary work? Perhaps you're writing now isn't worse , just different. Not all stories have to be page-turners, many of us enjoy a gentle ramble.

At any rate, judging by your writing challenge entries Perp, I dint think that you have too much to worry about as regards deterioration of quality in your writing.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Some very interesting comments, and a lot to think about.

I know that my life is rather busy at the moment, but I have noticed a difference and I am not so sure it is one I appreciate. When I look back over my older material it seems to be so much better than what I do now.

That being said the process I am going through at the moment with my 4000th post piece is very therapeutic.

We all go phases of thinking we're ****. It could be one of those.

 

[chrispenycate]

I have to improve as I age; I haven't got there yet. And I started late, so I haven't got as much ageing left to do as some.

 

[ZombieWife]

I think there is absolutely a potential to lose certain skill sets over time. During my M.Ed. studies (adult ed), we delved pretty deep into cognitive learning and andragogy. There are physiological changes in our bodies and brain that occur over time. At 42, I definitely am more forgetful. (That's a pretty broad/general example.)

But the way we process information also changes. The way we learn changes.

While I am definitely a better "crafter" and consider myself more craft-savvy in terms of understanding how to execute specific writing mechanisms, the hierarchy of importance (in regard to what methods I employ and how much attention I give them) has changed.

An example . . .

I used to put a lot of emphasis on "ideas" in my writing. Having that slam-dunk idea that is unique. The cool concept. The "wow" factor. Most of my writing would feed that animal. Very plot-driven. Plot above all else. Action. The physical world. World-building.

Now, I've become far more character-driven in my writing. I tend to focus on voice, motivation, and internalization.

I see the two choices above and think that there is nothing wrong with either method. But, because I have transformed into a character-writer, I have become a bit lazy on plot, on physical description (setting is a big one), and action. Whenever I write a chapter, I let it sit for a day or two, then return to edit. During that editing process, I devote one pass specifically for the things I'm "lazy" about. I have to actively assess those things or they'll slip through.

So, as you can see, it's not that I've become a poorer write generally speaking, I've simply found my groove but because of that, have developed a bit of tunnel vision in the process.

(Making sense?)

 

[AMB]

Doubt it's age or receding talent. Possibly you've improved technique at the expense of creative process?

Have you tried throwing everything you've learnt out the window and just focused on writing an interesting (not well-written, ignore well-written) story?

Suggestion I've come across before that may be useful (or may well not, we all work differently):

Try to refocus on the core aspect of storytelling. Go back to how you were writing before you "improved", the stories that seem better to you. Possibly retype them, so you remember what you were doing when you wrote that interesting little bit on page four. Try to recapture the feeling.

Slowly work on other aspects of the craft. Practise one thing for a handful of stories -- hooks, pacing, cliff hangers, whatever. Pick something else for the next batch. But only consciously work on one thing, letting the rest come as it will.

Don't edit for style or any of that rot. It doesn't matter if the writing is bad, as long as the stuff it is conveying is good. You can come back to the finer points once you've regained the spark.

It is also worth remembering that we are the worst judges of our own work. Time also does a number on you -- the longer it's been since you wrote something, the less you associate yourself with having written it, and the differently you feel about it.