I’m always finding metaphors for the writing life in the world around me, and this exchange from Counting by 7s
“Are you really planning on running?”
Dell mumbles a form of yes. But then adds:
“But I’m not going to join any kind of team in the spring. I made that part up. I’m just going to run for myself.”
I don’t think that’s strange because almost everything that I pursue is for my own understanding or amusement.
I believe having an audience naturally corrupts the performance.
And I believe the more private my writing is in the early stages, the more its about my own understanding and amusement, the more it will eventually connect with an audience. To invite in an audience too early, even an imaginary one, complicates things, for this writer, at least.
That doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes talk about or even show early portions of things to writing friends. But mostly I give stories the room to unfurl, to take root in the midst of their fragile beginnings.
For those readers here who write, I’m curious about how your approach this aspect of your work.
*This book comes highly recommended!
I agree completely! I can’t think about the audience when I write that first draft. I’m not writing for them. I’m writing for the story, what it wants to become. And my characters who are trying to figure out what they’re going through. I love it when it’s just me and the characters and the story. It’s like very early morning when the rest of the world hasn’t gotten up yet.
Yes! And the privacy helps me to be more bold than I would otherwise. When it’s just me exploring, there’s a lot of freedom there. Unfortunately an imaginary audience tries to push its way in, but I do my best to hold it off.
When I started out writing, I ruined some ideas for myself by showing them to critique partners too early, and I ruined one or two after that by writing it while worrying what critique partners or other eventual audiences would think.
There’s a reason our babies grow inside of us for nine or so months before they’re ready for the world, and books need time, too, to gestate and develop and strengthen, simply our own.
(And I really enjoyed that book, too!)
Lovely metaphor! I usually think of seeds, how fragile they are and how easily they can be uprooted, but your baby metaphor is right on target. Of course a baby needs time and protection to develop. Why wouldn’t our creations be the same?
Yes, I need to let my stories grow without other voices. When I get stuck, I brainstorm with perhaps one of two trusted writing friends, but even so, it’s better to invite other opinions after I’ve spent time with my stories alone. After all, the story came to me. What is it trying to say to me? I am the first audience.
Well said.
interesting post.. liked to get a glimpse behind the writing process
Thanks, Hena, for visiting today!
This is a beautiful and necessary post. I, too, tend to write with the door shut as Stephen King advises. But I’ve had to learn that along the way. Allowing too many critics inside your head during the drafting stage stifles creativity. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
It gets harder, Linda. If you can know this going into the release of your ARCs, it will make things easier. xo
This is a lovely post, with much food for thought.
Normally, I don’t show rough drafts to anyone. In fact, for the first fifteen or more years of struggling with writing, I didn’t even tell anyone I was a writer. Didn’t have a critique group, didn’t go to conferences or workshops. It felt too much like a secret I had to keep.
The problem with that extreme is that I also couldn’t see my own flaws. I’m someone who needs a lot of feedback. Now I seek it, but not until the rough draft is finished and I’ve done one or two revisions. So although I agree with your theory (and love your seed metaphor as much as Faith’s baby metaphor), there’s such a thing as keeping your work TOO private for too long. Perhaps I’d be more successful now if I’d asked for feedback sooner.
This is such great insight, Joanne. Was it hard to receive feedback after keeping things private for so long?
Oh, my, yes. But I’m learning.
I am very, very private about my first drafts. I show nothing, mention nothing, before a piece is fully written (with the exception of sending queries, of course). If somebody stands behind me while I write, I feel completely naked and quickly ask them to leave!
This makes me smile, as I told my running partner just last week that when I get editorial letters, I feel absolutely exposed. All my flaws are on full display. The nice thing is I can then work forward. I love the way my editors still believe in me after pointing our my weaknesses. We all need support like that.
Thanks for stopping by today!