Wendig | Write what you love...

[Fishbowl Helmet]

As always, Chuck Wendig is more inspiration than anyone ought to be using language that's sure to make old blue-haired ladies blush. On burnout and writing what you love.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Yes! So true. Thanks, FBH.

And I would add, WWYL from another perspective, too: I see much 'advice' is given to writers that involves 'you can't do that' etc; might not follow a hero's journey, a three act structure, a popular POV, or whatever. But if you love it - and you've done your homework - you can pull it off.

pH

 

[E.Maree]

Loved this post a lot. I was needing it, I think.

 

[Pentagon]

As much as I don't want to be the bad guy, villain, [Insert villainous trope]. When I find myself really tempted to write a really badass looking in the mirror scene, or whatever- I find the rules which I agree are kinda drilled into you.

Thau Shalt not start the novel with looking in a mirror.
Thau shalt not have 47 POV's...
Thau shalt not reveal that half of the story was a dream!

However, those rules exist for generally good reasons, because deceiving or short changing, or confusing your reader is bad. Whilst, I have had some terrific idea's when I came to do my homework, I realized that the good bits could be salvaged and interpreted in a way that didn't screw over your reader, and the bad bits, well they go to the recycle bin. Whilst there are good ways of breaking these rules, I believe that in many cases that effort would be better invested in looking at alternatives and deciding if that doing something generally warned otherwise is needed.

Unfortunately, just because you worked hard on something and love it, doesn't make it good. Though, conversely, it is very hard to write something good if you don't work hard and love it.

 

[Gonk the Insane]

Thau shalt not have 47 POV's...

Okay, fess up, who was supposed to tell GRRM that one? Because I'm pretty sure nobody's told him yet

Uh, it wasn't me, was it?

 

[Pentagon]

Problem is, that so many people are inspired by GRRM et al. and come into Sci Fi writing convinced that they want to write a story with 47 POV's spread over 9 books and a movie.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

that so many people are inspired by GRRM

I read two of his books before he was "famous" or on TV. Didn't like.

 

[Pentagon]

But two books is only 33 POV's... without the other 14 how were you supposed to make an informed decision! and the story only starts making sense in book 5, how the hell can you make a decision on it by book2.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

But two books is only 33 POV's...

One was massive collection of his short stories. Only read the 1st Song of Ice & Fire book.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I seem to recall counting the POV's in ASoIaF at 27 so far...

Which in itself is not a problem - multiple independent protagonists in sf/f are seriously rare. Most stories with multiple POV's remain dependent upon a central protagonist, with the other POVs being characters defined only by their relationship to that protagonist, not least love interest, best friend, mentor, antagonist, etc.

 

[The Big Peat]

But two books is only 33 POV's... without the other 14 how were you supposed to make an informed decision! and the story only starts making sense in book 5, how the hell can you make a decision on it by book2.

Objection, y'honour! Surely Martin only made sense in book 2, how can we make a decision by book 5?

Tbh, I wish there were more authors more willing to risk confusing their readers.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Re POVs and series; I'm slightly bemused when I hear someone talk of their (as yet unstarted) project in terms of it being a trilogy or a series of X books. I wonder how they know.

But I'm normally a limited POV writer (my wip makes me a liar on that count though) as for me a story is the character's journey, not a news report of occurring events. To me the events are the backdrop to the character. It makes me wonder if those writers are more concerned about cool events than taking people on a journey.

However, I'm not as familiar with the traditions of sci fi and fantasy so I usually think it's a case of different tastes.

pH

 

[Fishbowl Helmet]

I think the biggest problem, especially with amateur writers hoping to cross the threshold and become professionals, is the inability to distinguish between "writing" and "publishing". You write for yourself. You publish in the hopes other people will like it and give you money for it. They're vastly different enterprises. Writing is magic. Publishing is commerce.

Wendig's article admonishes writers to write what they love because their chances of professional success are slim to none. That life's too short to write to the market and dread booting up your word processor of choice. You sitting there at your computer, you should write what you love because you're the one writing it and that love or loathing will seep into your writing (see method writing, the written word equivalent to method acting).

But make no mistake, he's talking about writing, not publishing. Sure, write what you love, and if you edit it and put it out there great. But the market doesn't owe you anything. Just because you love it doesn't mean anyone else will. It's a realists article. Write what you love because your chances of professional success are slim to none. Find the joy in the writing and don't worry about the publishing. Still publish if that's your thing, but put your enjoyment of the writing first.

Not a great happy thought, but true nonetheless.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Find the joy in the writing and don't worry about the publishing. Still publish if that's your thing, but put your enjoyment of the writing first.

Mark Coker of Smashwords in his Marketing book says most writers could make more in McDonalds. Some get lucky. Me envious of J.K. Rowling? No, actually.
Don't we do it primarily because we want to write? There are better income plans.

 

[genocon]

as for multiple POVs. surely there are times when plot threads go separate ways. the princess is kidnapped, and the hero is on a quest to find her. we go back and forth between their points of view. and maybe sometimes an ambitious writer has 27 plot threads that are all germane to his story.
and to writing what you love. it's like writing what you know. it's ok, but unless you try writing about something you don't know, you can't learn anything new.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Re POVs and series; I'm slightly bemused when I hear someone talk of their (as yet unstarted) project in terms of it being a trilogy or a series of X books. I wonder how they know.

I've spent 20 years living with my grand WIP. I've had plenty of time to figure out how far it must run.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

I think the biggest problem, especially with amateur writers hoping to cross the threshold and become professionals, is the inability to distinguish between "writing" and "publishing". You write for yourself. You publish in the hopes other people will like it and give you money for it. They're vastly different enterprises. Writing is magic. Publishing is commerce.

Wendig's article admonishes writers to write what they love because their chances of professional success are slim to none. That life's too short to write to the market and dread booting up your word processor of choice. You sitting there at your computer, you should write what you love because you're the one writing it and that love or loathing will seep into your writing (see method writing, the written word equivalent to method acting).

But make no mistake, he's talking about writing, not publishing. Sure, write what you love, and if you edit it and put it out there great. But the market doesn't owe you anything. Just because you love it doesn't mean anyone else will. It's a realists article. Write what you love because your chances of professional success are slim to none. Find the joy in the writing and don't worry about the publishing. Still publish if that's your thing, but put your enjoyment of the writing first.

Not a great happy thought, but true nonetheless.

This is very well put.

 

[Toby Frost]

Seconded! I think it is also worth mentioning that if you write what you don’t enjoy, the chances of producing a second-rate book rise considerably.

 

[Kieran Song]

I completely agree! I actually wrote romance for a while to make a few bucks. I did quite well, got on a few best sellers list, but then realized I'd rather chew glass than write one more 'smexy' scene. My 2 year old princess also kept asking me what 'that' book was.

Moral of the story, I love scifi and fantasy so that's what I'm going to write.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Re POVs and series; I'm slightly bemused when I hear someone talk of their (as yet unstarted) project in terms of it being a trilogy or a series of X books. I wonder how they know.

But I'm normally a limited POV writer (my wip makes me a liar on that count though) as for me a story is the character's journey, not a news report of occurring events. To me the events are the backdrop to the character. It makes me wonder if those writers are more concerned about cool events than taking people on a journey.

However, I'm not as familiar with the traditions of sci fi and fantasy so I usually think it's a case of different tastes.

pH

My basic problem is all my character's go on a sodding journey. Hence why I'm pov wrangling at the moment. (And, also, I find multiple povs easier to structure and keep pace.)

As to how you know. I have no idea. But i knew Abendau would be a trilogy and I know my stormmages will be a duology. I've stopped wondering how I know and I just trust my sub conscious now. It seems to be the planner od the two of us.