The one true way to write for publication!


 


Bet if you're a writer, especially one seeking your first publication, that headline caught your attention.

But, you see, there is no one true way. Repeat after me:

We are all unique.

Say it again, with more conviction please:

We are all unique!

I was in a chat a couple of days ago with an aspiring writer (let's call her K) who was good and STUCK. Hadn't written anything more than a couple of paragraphs in months. She was trying to:

Organize a book so each scene was 2,000 words
Write full character dossiers
Make each sentence perfect and a hook
Write each bit of dialog full of conflict
Weigh the importance of every single word, Repeatedly.
Organize and itemize an outline

Blah blah blah, you know the drill.

She was trying to make it PERFECT.

But, hey, who decides what's perfect? Who made the rule that dialog MUST be full of conflict? Who made the rule that a scene should be 2,000 words? Who said you have to write character maps and do interviews and mark off checklists of history and traits and quirks?

Other writers, that's who. Because, for THEM, character dossiers work, they organize books by 2,000-word scenes, outlines are essential, and dialog is for conflict, baby!

None of those things work for me, by the way, and I'd be astounded if all of them work for you. Some might, and that's great, but some won't, and that's great too. There are lots and lots and lots of writers out there who try to explain what they do, how they work, how they make the magic happen. But, see, they're only human too and none of us have all the answers. None of us. And even if we did, we'd only have our own answers.

I write - mostly - organically. I am, in practice, a bit more organized and anal-retentive than I might make it sound. My scenes range in size from 75 words to 7500 (as a ballpark range, neither of those numbers are set in concrete). I do write up character notes, but not until I've had a chance to get to know them (about 1/3 thru the book or later) because I want the characters to define themselves before I define them. I also do not outline at all until I have the initial story written, then I use the outline to see what's out of place. Why? Because my front-brain ideas for characters and plot are dry, cliche, trite, and BORING and I know this so I don't do them. I use the tools, and that's all they are TOOLS, not RULES, to help tidy up what I come up with organically.

But that's me. Just me.

You might be more organized. You might prefer the note-card method. Or the posty note method. Or storyboards. Or pulling names out of the phone book or from literature or off random name generators. You might have an ear for dialog, or an instinct for combat. You might click with romance or espionage or mystery cozies.

Who knows?

You do, that's who. Not me or any other writer out here who's trying to help others find a way through their story. Several of us in chat yesterday talked to K at great length and, hopefully, assured her that it's okay to write her way, whatever that is. And I want to assure all of you that it's okay to write your way, whatever that is, too. Editors don't care if you do character maps. They don't care if you work from an outline. They don't care if you have your book structured as a three-act-play or if your short story is an allegory of the dichotomy of love and hate. All they care about is that it's a good story, well told. That's it.

If writing advice doesn't work for you, don't use it. If you don't understand it, don't use it. If it makes you uncomfortable, don't use it. Honest and truly, it is okay to disregard how-to-tips if they don't work for you. There is no secret handshake, no one true path to publication. It's a crapshoot at best, a long shot, statistically improbable. Please, please, please don't make yourself miserable and lose your words all to fit into a mold some other writer says is their way. Because while it's their way, it's probably not yours.

What if you went to buy shoes and all they had were size seven open toed sandals? Would you buy them? Sure, you might, if you wore a size seven and needed open toes. But if you were a size nine and needed tennis shoes, it'd be silly to get the size seven sandals. What if you needed size ten work boots? Size six flats? Size eight-and-a-half sandals? Size seven cleats?

Find what fits you and your story and go from there. Don't fret over doing it perfect because some other writer says that's the way. Besides, none of us agree on what that way is, we all fail from time to time, and we all have questions too. Each book, each story, is a learning experience. The point is to enjoy the ride and get to your destination. Not take the exact same path as someone else.

Posted: Saturday - July 08, 2006 at 10:13 AM         |

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