Monday, October 13, 2008

Handed my head on a silver platter

Okay, so Jared asked me to elaborate on my "book being ripped to shreds" last week.
So, the first time I read (two Wednesdays ago), I was pleasantly surprised (read: elated) to receive such high praise from several published authors (and one who has a movie deal).
They said my writing was "beautiful," "insightful," and that I was "a very talented writer."
Of course, it wasn't all fabulous. There were several mentions that I needed to bring the plot in sooner, that I was busy "world building" and doing deep character studies and needed more action right off the bat.
These were things I knew they would say. Things I was already planning on fixing. I know my writing tends to veer off into the poetic and stylistic, ignoring the action and dialogue.
Last week was quite different, however. No more excitement about an interesting young writer.
It was more, "you read that about as bored as you want us to feel," and "nothing seems to happen to your characters aside from going on dates," and "we thought something was about to happen to him, and were excited, and then it fizzled, and... nothing."
I was trying to read really slow, because I tend to speed through. So, I sounded super-bored, I guess. So much for my broadcast journalism training. I guess I didn't sell it at all.
And, once again, I guess my book's plot is too slow-coming, over-analyzed, and under-exciting. But, things do happen. Sometimes they are big, but sometimes they are just things that would happen in real life, and then I show the effects of those things on my characters.
Hmmm... I definitely need to work on it, but I actually think "The Anticool" will probably always be too much about relationships and too little about huge events. Oprah, I hope you like the emotional uncertainty of twenty-something non-conformists.

2 comments:

Alison said...

Most everything that's written well takes time to polish. You'll get your rhythm soon and it'll come together for you and for the reader. Also, remember, opinions are great and help make your work better, but ultimately, it's got to feed YOUR soul. I'm impressed that you’re so willing to put your work out there like that. I don't think I'm that brave yet. Snaps to you!

Rhia Jean said...

Well heck, I'm not even brave enough to put my thoughts down on paper yet. And just remember that there will always be someone standing by to tear your work apart, so don't get discouraged by it. And don't edit everything based on what they say...listen to Alison...she is wise.