Some of you have asked me how I approach writing and what tips I would offer. I'll try to forego the usual "write a lot and read a lot" because if you don't know that much already, I'm afraid I can't help you. Not being rude, just a statement of fact, like the sensei saying, "You are not yet ready, my student." Not that I'm claiming to be a sensei by any means, but I have been doing this since I was 15 and I've been published, from magazines to novels, since I was 21, so I imagine I have some insight to share to those who are oblivious. So, here goes (and these are in no particular order):
1. Set boundaries of time and boundaries of space. You need to have a place where you work and can be undisturbed. If you like to play music while you write, fine, but you need to be in a place where you can hear only the music you want to hear, and zone out. If you require silence (like me), then you need to have a place where you can go where you will not be disturbed, and a definite time you spend there, just like a regular job. Set a goal of 1,000 to 5,000 words a day: whatever you pick, NEVER WAVER. It may be fun to write, but you're going to have to learn to approach it like work. Punch in, do exactly what's required of you, even a bit more if you want a promotin, and then punch out.
2. Get rid of useless, negative people in your life. This is a rule to follow no matter what your dreams are in life. Artists especially need to heed this, because, as artists, we are sensitive. I'm a student of science and a reader of studies, and it's staggering how much research has proven that having even one negative person around you can crush your ambition, self-esteem, and zest for life. I'll make you this wager: you WILL NOT become a successful writer if the top five people in your life don't believe you can, and are constantly reminding you how impossible it is. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but if you haven't gotten rid of all these people in your life, even if it's your closest family (especially if it's your closest family), you have to ditch them, or else start distancing yourself a great deal. These people are "energy vampires" and they will suck you dry, mostly because they can't do what you're attempting, probably never accomplished much themselves, and need to prove it by showing you that you can't do it, either. Remember, misery loves company.
3. Experience life and be observant of it. Sounds like a no-brainer, but so many writers that I've met, both in places like the Georgia Writers Association and just sporadically throughout my time, tend to get so focused on writing that they forget to experience the world around them. This leads to one-dimensional characters and boring prose and descriptions. You have to get out and actually interact with that weirdo from your office, even if it's just at a minor social gathering, because he and that gathering inform your character-building skills by lending behavioral mannerisms you probably never would've thought to add on your own. Go learn a martial art to see how it's done, go rafting and observe how some people enjoy getting wet and others are repulsed by it, go fall in love and out of love, go listen to your crazy uncle with all the conspiracy theories about the Illuminati and watch his fanatical eyes (recall them later to describe them to your readers), and watch something you find reprehensible (whether it's FOX or CNN or gonzo porn, just reveal something to yourself about reality that you find strange...and you might just find a new level of horror, or else something strangely beautiful).
4. Kill your darlings. This is a gem from William Faulkner. It just means that you have to be willing to not only kill characters you love, but kill those sentences and paragraphs that hold a special place in your heart. Stuff like "A needle of ice pierced his heart when he spotted his ex-wife across the room" might sound pretty good to start with, but if you go on and on, explaining what torture it is to see his ex-wife, you're going to lose the reader. Even if you have some very good stuff in there about just how shocked a person may feel after unexpectedly seeing an ex after not having seen them for years, the reader is thinking, "Okay, I get it! Now move on!" In this case, just that first sentence is enough. "A needle of ice pierced his heart when he spotted his ex-wife across the room." Good enough, kill the rest, and move on. Another writer said, "Write as if you're on a deadline and have 500 words to make your point. Then do it again. And again."
5. Be ready to starve, accept it, and keep writing anyway. Know that you will not be an overnight success like E.L. James and her Fifty Shades phenomenon. No one saw this coming, including James herself. How could they? Trends are completely unpredictable, especially in the world of fiction, because it has to do with the ever-shifting field of people's interests. So you CAN'T expect to make a good living off of this very soon. It takes time, patient nourishing of your skills and fanbase, and perseverence. If you're unmotivated by the knowledge that you won't be rich overnight, then stop reading this right now, stop attending your writer's workshop classes and go be a doctor, enlist in the military, or become a wandering hitchhiker like Dr. Banner in The Incredible Hulk series. You'll enjoy life a great deal more.
6. Copy the style of whatever you're reading at the time. No, this doesn't mean to plagiarize! This is an old trick offered by most of the pros I've studied, and it worked for me. They always said that they tended to (and sometimes still do) slip into the voice of another writer, a favorite of theirs, in order to get through a tough part in the story. This is useful especially in the beginning of a writer's life, when he/she has no idea what their "voice" is. You should play with styles, see which one fits you, and, in the end, you will likely have a blend that is uniquely yours. Like in mixed martial arts, you have to select the techniques that suit you and what you're trying to accomplish, but you must learn some tricks from the greats.
7. Click on a word and use the thesaurus. Ain't the technology age grand? Thanks to word processors, you can click on any word and make the best use of your vocabulary. That way, your style doesn't start to feel repetitive/recurring/boring/monotonous/redundant.
8. Learn to accept criticism. You're going to get a lot of critics, and it's strange when it first starts to happen. It's just as bizarre hearing a friend's grandmother say she loved the hyper-violent conclusion to one of my novels as it is to hear a good friend tell me he couldn't finish it. They're not always right, and they're not always wrong. As a point, though, I ALWAYS assume that the negative crticism is more correct and, if I hear it enough times, I reassess my work and consider changes. Criticism is GOOD. Don't be afraid of it, it only makes you better. Think: Was Steven Spielberg born a master filmmaker? Nope. He sucked at first. He sucked really, really bad. And then he listened to the advice of others around him, both professionals and the audience. He reassessed his work, he made changes, and he improved.
9. Never adhere to a set of principles and decide, "This defines me forever." Learn to be flexible, and be willing to change your style, augment your plans, simplify something you thought ought to be complex, and toss out old theories and rules. Bruce Lee said that all artists "should be in a constant state of becoming." This means you are never through learning, never finished absorbing and changing, and never done with criticism. This is a lifelong endeavor, and you cannot improve if you've decided you know all the tricks already: Google "the Dunning-Kruger Effect" for more information on the dangers of this problem.
Do you have any other tips you'd like to share? Post it in the comments section below.
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook: Twitter account ChadHuskinsAuthor
Visit my website: www.forestofideas.com
No comments:
Post a Comment