If I was to list all the "expert" writing advice I've read over the years, this post would consume my entire blog. The bottom line is, there's no right way to write a novel. I've started reading books with writing styles so distasteful I dropped them. But somebody liked them, because they sold a ton of copies. There is no such thing as a generic reader, and frankly, a reader isn't going to highlight every bad word choice or clunky sentence, paste it into a nasty email and shoot it off to the author.
The only good advice is something you already know: DON'T BE BORING. An engaging story smothers any flaw.
I used to peruse a popular writing site where would-be authors sometimes posted passages from their current works. Everyone would chime in and tell the authors how they would re-order a sentence, or they'd suggest a substitute word. Who cares? What kind of advice is that? Maybe the author liked her word choice. Maybe it was indicative of that all-important "voice".
I sometimes employ an adjective as a verb. That's the way I hear it in my head, and I like it. If my reader doesn't like it, she can close the book. It's a book; not an ice cream truck. I don't necessarily only stock the best-selling flavors.
Aspiring writers often sweat the small stuff. Just get the BIG STUFF right and tell a good story.
Don't cripple your process worrying about what unpublished authors think you should do.
No comments:
Post a Comment