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i went to work this week! I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO GLAD TO CHANGE A CATHETER BAG.
but that's not what this post is about. it is about the WRITING PROCESS, mine, specifically, and as such it's probably WAY BORING for anyone who is not me. so, disregard, unless you really enjoy reading other people's thoughts on their silly fic writing...?
I am one of those hypercritical people who is never really pleased with her own writing. Because of this, I tend to preface most (all?) of what I post with a note like, "This is pretty awful, I hope you don't poke your eyes out!"
Which can be frustrating to read, if you're not the author. If something is genuinely poor, then it shouldn't be posted at all, and if you don't believe something's terrible then you just come off as fishing for compliments, which is just annoying.
I have been trying to wean myself from adding these negative statements in my author's notes/summaries/profiles, but it's...kind of hard? And I think it shouldn't be? I know what I write is not an absolute horror, and that by e-standards it's possibly somewhat above average.
I mean, I can spell reasonably well. I have a solid if not spectacular vocabulary, I have a decent grasp of grammar rules (though I often disregard them, for stupid reasons, but more on that later) - at the very least, I know I'm coherent like, 95% of the time, which on the internet is somewhat rare. I think I have ok ideas most of the time? Sometimes I have descriptions that are not entirely cliche? I don't use too many epithets, or dialog tags!
But these things I am sometimes proud of pale when compared to what bothers me about my writing:
-my sentences are needlessly complex, full of unnecessary words and clarifications of actions whose meanings are already obvious.
-I use too many adverbs, too many squishy verbs like seem and appear. it makes the story sound unsure of itself, like I'm not convinced the events are actually happening.
-use the passive voice too often, and describe things in a roundabout way rather than a direct one.
-when I do come up with an interesting metaphor or description I destroy it with overuse.
-I don't watch my tense changes as closely as I should, considering how often I utilize them. When I'm not sure I'm using the correct tense, I kinda wing it and hope no one notices if I've done something wrong.
-I cannot pace anything, at all. I spend too much time on scene setting; I'm strangely obsessed with making sure character positioning is absolutely clear; this has the effect of bogging down my writing. But when it comes to describing a story climax, or even rising action, I tend to dash through it. So I'm heavy-handed when I ought to use a light touch, and fuzzy when I need to elaborate and clarify.
-I settle for mediocre writing. I have thought to myself, more than once, "well, there are still issues with this fic but even so, it's better than 75% of what's on ff.net's 'just in' page - why bother with revisions?' And up it goes.
...the thing is, I'm aware there are lots of things I could improve upon, but I'm not sure how to do it. and I feel like I have to somehow acknowledge that, by prefacing what I write with a "well, this isn't that great, but..." I am always thinking of some hypothetical reviewer pointing out everything I've done wrong, and I guess I'm trying to address criticism that might come in the future.
But - I realize that while I see all of these problems in my writing, the people who read me don't have the same hypercritical glasses that I have on, when I'm writing and editing my own things. I know that when I'm reading fic, I'm not in editing mode; I just want a basic level of coherency and a compelling idea. I think most readers are like this too.
So, if most people are not going to notice the shortcomings i perceive in my writing, unless someone explicitly points them out, then...do those mistakes matter? I know on a personal level, they do, because I want to become a better writer, and I ought to address any weaknesses as best as possible.
But that doesn't mean I need an author's note that says, in essence: 'hey, look at all the things I did wrong in this fic! SORRY EVERYONE.'
STILL. Even knowing that "warnings" of that sort are frustrating, it's hard to get away from them, hard to get away from proactively addressing the avalanche of negative, highly critical reviews you are convinced will come your way.
---
ANYWAY. after that WAAAAAAMbulance ride, an old but still fun link as a cookie: Every Fanfic Ever Written
my favorite is the songfic. "I hurt people with my perceived depth." GOLD.
(also fun: finding out which fanfic you are writing OVER AND OVER. i am pretty sure everything i've done qualifies as "angstfest.")
but that's not what this post is about. it is about the WRITING PROCESS, mine, specifically, and as such it's probably WAY BORING for anyone who is not me. so, disregard, unless you really enjoy reading other people's thoughts on their silly fic writing...?
I am one of those hypercritical people who is never really pleased with her own writing. Because of this, I tend to preface most (all?) of what I post with a note like, "This is pretty awful, I hope you don't poke your eyes out!"
Which can be frustrating to read, if you're not the author. If something is genuinely poor, then it shouldn't be posted at all, and if you don't believe something's terrible then you just come off as fishing for compliments, which is just annoying.
I have been trying to wean myself from adding these negative statements in my author's notes/summaries/profiles, but it's...kind of hard? And I think it shouldn't be? I know what I write is not an absolute horror, and that by e-standards it's possibly somewhat above average.
I mean, I can spell reasonably well. I have a solid if not spectacular vocabulary, I have a decent grasp of grammar rules (though I often disregard them, for stupid reasons, but more on that later) - at the very least, I know I'm coherent like, 95% of the time, which on the internet is somewhat rare. I think I have ok ideas most of the time? Sometimes I have descriptions that are not entirely cliche? I don't use too many epithets, or dialog tags!
But these things I am sometimes proud of pale when compared to what bothers me about my writing:
-my sentences are needlessly complex, full of unnecessary words and clarifications of actions whose meanings are already obvious.
-I use too many adverbs, too many squishy verbs like seem and appear. it makes the story sound unsure of itself, like I'm not convinced the events are actually happening.
-use the passive voice too often, and describe things in a roundabout way rather than a direct one.
-when I do come up with an interesting metaphor or description I destroy it with overuse.
-I don't watch my tense changes as closely as I should, considering how often I utilize them. When I'm not sure I'm using the correct tense, I kinda wing it and hope no one notices if I've done something wrong.
-I cannot pace anything, at all. I spend too much time on scene setting; I'm strangely obsessed with making sure character positioning is absolutely clear; this has the effect of bogging down my writing. But when it comes to describing a story climax, or even rising action, I tend to dash through it. So I'm heavy-handed when I ought to use a light touch, and fuzzy when I need to elaborate and clarify.
-I settle for mediocre writing. I have thought to myself, more than once, "well, there are still issues with this fic but even so, it's better than 75% of what's on ff.net's 'just in' page - why bother with revisions?' And up it goes.
...the thing is, I'm aware there are lots of things I could improve upon, but I'm not sure how to do it. and I feel like I have to somehow acknowledge that, by prefacing what I write with a "well, this isn't that great, but..." I am always thinking of some hypothetical reviewer pointing out everything I've done wrong, and I guess I'm trying to address criticism that might come in the future.
But - I realize that while I see all of these problems in my writing, the people who read me don't have the same hypercritical glasses that I have on, when I'm writing and editing my own things. I know that when I'm reading fic, I'm not in editing mode; I just want a basic level of coherency and a compelling idea. I think most readers are like this too.
So, if most people are not going to notice the shortcomings i perceive in my writing, unless someone explicitly points them out, then...do those mistakes matter? I know on a personal level, they do, because I want to become a better writer, and I ought to address any weaknesses as best as possible.
But that doesn't mean I need an author's note that says, in essence: 'hey, look at all the things I did wrong in this fic! SORRY EVERYONE.'
STILL. Even knowing that "warnings" of that sort are frustrating, it's hard to get away from them, hard to get away from proactively addressing the avalanche of negative, highly critical reviews you are convinced will come your way.
---
ANYWAY. after that WAAAAAAMbulance ride, an old but still fun link as a cookie: Every Fanfic Ever Written
my favorite is the songfic. "I hurt people with my perceived depth." GOLD.
(also fun: finding out which fanfic you are writing OVER AND OVER. i am pretty sure everything i've done qualifies as "angstfest.")
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no subject
Date: 2009-09-07 07:14 am (UTC)From:Now when it comes to art, I had to force it in the beginning, because I wasn't that good. The talent is in my genes but it took me years to finally be good at it. But even now that I'm actually half decent, I'm constantly getting down on myself about my work. I see every flaw and imperfect, and while except it's impossible to be perfect, it still kills me when I trace a line with ink and mess up.
People generally like my work. I have an amazing ability to copy pictures almost exactly. I still get frustrated most times and get furious with myself and then not draw for a long time. So I understand and my only advice that I can give about it - Take each mistake that freaks you out like a grain of salt. If people love your work, then that's all that matters. No sense in beating a perfectly good horse just because it has buck teeth or something. When it comes to reviews and such, eventually you gain readers who will always look out for you. The rare times your stuff stinks, they forgive. :)
(XD WAAAAMbulance! I loved that Burger King commerical with that! 'Quick, somebody call the WAAAAAAAMbulance.')
Btw, that essay is CLASSIC! It 0wned my ass! XD Thanks for sharing that link. The Poem was my most favorite. (CHARACTER: Oh. Sorry. Um. Angst. Woe. Depression. Sentence fragments. Oddly indented phrasing. XD That is love.)
^^; I'm horribly guilty of multiple 'Angst Romance' and 'PWP (homo)' offenses. >.>;;;;;; Good to know....
no subject
Date: 2009-09-10 03:09 am (UTC)From:but at the same time, you don't want to become so complacent that you stop trying to improve, or start foisting really horrible, unedited fic onto readers, just because you've reached a certain level of ability.
i haven't seen much of your art outside of the temporary header you posted, but i thought that was cute! one thing that really stuck out at me were the proportions; nothing seemed out of place. that always struck me as the hardest part about drawing people, even in a highly stylized way.
the best part about that essay, is that the title is not hyperbole. it really is every fanfic ever.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-10 04:15 pm (UTC)From:Oh, of course! If everyone did that, I would have plateau in my writing like six years ago when I thought I was hot stuff because my work had improved a bit. x.x Which would have been horrible considering how much more better I write now. It comes down to two things when writing fics - 1. You like it, even if it's not absolutely perfect (even published authors screw up and have to go back and put out revised publications to their books!). And 2. The reader likes it. If they don't point out your mistakes, then all you have to do is correct them when you catch 'em and leave it at that. Otherwise, insanity will become thy name.
^//^ Well, thank you. It was only a self portrait of me being a goof ball though. Ah well, I pretty much focused on learning to draw people for the last... 10 or so years? ( ._. Jeesh, has it been that long!?) Drawing people, especially proportionally, is one of the hardest parts of drawing period. I've only gotten the proportion thing down in like the last 3-4(?) years. >.> Oh, there's a link to my art work in my link section that's been there since day one of my LJ. Here's a link to most of the work that I have online (I have a bit more on my computer if your interested), plus some random pictures. (And my icon? Is from this pic I drew.)
XD Yeah! It is! XD