I've had a terrible last 6-8 months. I thought I would never write anything decent again. I couldn't write stories that had energy and enjoyment to them.
I wrote five chapters about Sasquatches and ran out of steam on that. I tried to complete a book of essays on religious and spiritual subjects that didn't work. I also started another book of short stories that stalled. I sought out and was given advice, went on line to find things on development of characters, plots and so on. I wanted to hear genuine approval, it wasn't coming. My confidence was down.
Then today I read two chapters of my first book and there it was staring me in the face. I write best in the first person. I had been working on a short story called Copperhead Tarbox Beals and I changed it to the first person and it worked beautifully. Praise flooded in, the sun broke through the clouds and there is hope!!
Writing should have some ease to it, a flow of energy, it should be enjoyable. If its not enjoyable to you why should it be enjoyable to a reader?
Recently Margaret Atwood gave advice to writers in a National Post interview. She said you have to "jump in" just like a person taking an ice dive.
On a lighter note. In the early 70's we lived in Dawson City. There was a respected elder couple named Annie and Joe Henry. Remarkable people really. Annie took a liking to Wendy and our son Adam. She made a pair of moccasins for him. To this day I feel honored that she had done so.
The book 'Talking at the Woodpile' was once written as a novel and was changed to short stories on the advice of my editor. In the novel I write about Annie and Joe, their wisdom and Joe's interesting stories about a mammoth grave yard he discovered.
Regards
David
I wrote five chapters about Sasquatches and ran out of steam on that. I tried to complete a book of essays on religious and spiritual subjects that didn't work. I also started another book of short stories that stalled. I sought out and was given advice, went on line to find things on development of characters, plots and so on. I wanted to hear genuine approval, it wasn't coming. My confidence was down.
Then today I read two chapters of my first book and there it was staring me in the face. I write best in the first person. I had been working on a short story called Copperhead Tarbox Beals and I changed it to the first person and it worked beautifully. Praise flooded in, the sun broke through the clouds and there is hope!!
Writing should have some ease to it, a flow of energy, it should be enjoyable. If its not enjoyable to you why should it be enjoyable to a reader?
Recently Margaret Atwood gave advice to writers in a National Post interview. She said you have to "jump in" just like a person taking an ice dive.
On a lighter note. In the early 70's we lived in Dawson City. There was a respected elder couple named Annie and Joe Henry. Remarkable people really. Annie took a liking to Wendy and our son Adam. She made a pair of moccasins for him. To this day I feel honored that she had done so.
The book 'Talking at the Woodpile' was once written as a novel and was changed to short stories on the advice of my editor. In the novel I write about Annie and Joe, their wisdom and Joe's interesting stories about a mammoth grave yard he discovered.
Regards
David