tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post9053558200952217121..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: What Matters More? Story Execution or the Idea? Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-46636972260065937352023-03-14T13:49:08.571-04:002023-03-14T13:49:08.571-04:00That last line is golden and so true. Maybe you...That last line is golden and so true. Maybe you're a short story writer and not a novelist? I can't do short stories at all. I just don't think in that word count and it always gets overly complex. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-1129512119900685932023-03-10T21:58:51.842-05:002023-03-10T21:58:51.842-05:00I have so many unfinished things. Finished "w...I have so many unfinished things. Finished "won" nano once even at 50k but it's languishing because I lost interest. I've invested some time learning about plotting thinking that would help but... hmm... that seems worse for me than my usual discovery writing. I can sit down and write a few thousand words no problem but trying to organize the story beyond the initial idea is rough. Maybe it's my hell on earth punishment for past life sins... to be stuck in short story mode and never finish a full length novel. Or as I told my daughter when she marveled at how I wrote 1000 words in a half hour... writing words is easy, writing good words is the challenge. =D Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-60027352042124705642019-07-29T16:45:47.925-04:002019-07-29T16:45:47.925-04:00I'm speaking specifically of the "story i...I'm speaking specifically of the "story idea" here. This post addresses writers who have trouble getting any writing done because they're too focused on an aspect they might not need to worry about yet. <br /><br />In the end, of course every writer needs both, and no book will do well without a good story behind it. But a mediocre story is just fine for a new writer trying to develop their writing skills. trying to find the perfect story when you're still trying to figure out how to use point of view is probably putting your energy in the wrong place.<br /><br />That's what I'm talking about here. Yes, writers need a story, but it doesn't have to be a "perfect" story or idea for their very first novel. They have time to develop their storytelling and developing skills same as their craft skills. There's a stage for both. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-18712616132632678862019-07-29T16:29:30.356-04:002019-07-29T16:29:30.356-04:00I can't get my head past the old adage 'Yo...I can't get my head past the old adage 'You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear'. I'm also a little baffled that you are calling the story an idea. An idea is rarely more than a couple of sentences. When I pick up a book to read it doesn't matter how beautifully it is written - if I can discern no story developing I'll ditch it pretty quick. So my reasoning is that you need to learn to develop a story and learn the writing craft while doing it rather than practising on a non story. If your first effort at a decent story is poorly written you write it again, and again. Far more can be learnt by rewriting and editing than countless stories only brought into existence to perfect your execution. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05595647256954321107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-90650218811577633542019-07-18T07:58:20.322-04:002019-07-18T07:58:20.322-04:00That's a good plan--as long as you don't l...That's a good plan--as long as you don't let the idea stage bog you down!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-593506777046791582019-07-18T07:56:31.832-04:002019-07-18T07:56:31.832-04:00Yay! That's a good thing. There's always t...Yay! That's a good thing. There's always time for analysis in revisions. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-22675802525548967062019-07-15T11:46:57.524-04:002019-07-15T11:46:57.524-04:00I think the idea should take the lead with the 1st...I think the idea should take the lead with the 1st draft. After that, it should be the story execution.G. J. Jollyhttps://ascripedmaze.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-46880009998157821702019-07-15T10:48:38.507-04:002019-07-15T10:48:38.507-04:00I am leaving analysis paralysis behind, and just w...I am leaving analysis paralysis behind, and just writing for the WIP...JJ Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07288344012655785464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-74160227545939226222012-07-29T04:06:51.034-04:002012-07-29T04:06:51.034-04:00You have a good point and i admire it, however, we...You have a good point and i admire it, however, we must not forget that before a man pick the piece of wood the idea of picking the wood comes first before the action of picking.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190721894079289587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-40643384503827764732011-02-28T09:40:20.939-05:002011-02-28T09:40:20.939-05:00Paul: I did the opposite. Worked on craft, then ha...Paul: I did the opposite. Worked on craft, then had well-written books that bored the snot out of you. :)<br /><br />Roberta: That's so true. And often you just have to tell that voice to shut up and keep writing, then you find that awesomeness again. Manuscripts do go through an ugly stage, LOL. <br /><br />Jill: It really does, and I can never stress the importance of revisions enough. I think almost everyone will query too early at least once (also part of the process) but the ones who learn from that are the ones you'll see in print one day.<br /><br />Jami: Thanks! I'll have to go take a peek at that post. Might be a good one for a noon link. <br /><br />Shannon: My blog is evil. Or was. I'm not evil anymore it seems, LOL.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-59901280749912539312011-02-27T19:25:02.352-05:002011-02-27T19:25:02.352-05:00On a completely tangential note, you've reache...On a completely tangential note, you've reached 666 Followers. What a number!Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00456068019298922261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-89151413997965898212011-02-27T14:17:37.829-05:002011-02-27T14:17:37.829-05:00Wow, what a great point! I'd tackled a simila...Wow, what a great point! I'd tackled a similar take on this in my "What Makes a Story Worth Writing" series, but there I focused more on the story seed itself, rather than the skills necessary to pull it off. I like this breakdown of how to make the two things work together. Great post!Jami Goldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00957122956518765455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-5857710471535827332011-02-27T09:14:05.065-05:002011-02-27T09:14:05.065-05:00Writing is indeed like going through the stages of...Writing is indeed like going through the stages of walking-running-flying. The thing a number of people forget is that writing is a process and involves revision again and again. I know of a number of people who had great ideas but didn't spend enough time polishing them before pitching-querying-submitting them. Thi sis too bad - it leads to major feelings of discouragement.Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05152599507268946811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-85685404205647025812011-02-27T06:42:17.124-05:002011-02-27T06:42:17.124-05:00Every idea I've had ends up a love/hate relati...Every idea I've had ends up a love/hate relationship. Ideas that seem so amazing when you type that first sentence often get that voice inside your head screaming "it sucks!" by 30K words. The hardest thing in the world is to make that idea seem awesome again through good writing.Roberta Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10806214081554970161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-18279705882040671612011-02-27T06:23:28.450-05:002011-02-27T06:23:28.450-05:00For years I was all about the ideas, and assumed t...For years I was all about the ideas, and assumed that'd be enough to keep me going. I ended up scrapping a lot of books that way. It wasn't until I started actually learning to improve my writing that I was able to put something solid together.Paul Anthony Shortthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.com