How to be satisfied with your work?
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- Staggeringmind
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How to be satisfied with your work?
I'm trying to write for a long time. I wrote 4 years back, even completed a novel which was bad, and when it got rejected, I stopped. I want to start again, and I have lots of ideas but whenever I put it down, it seems so unsatisfactory. I could not translate the scenes in my head into words on paper. They always fall very short - the structure, the image formation, something seems missing. I'm writing complex short stories about human condition and meaning of life, and whenever I read other works, my writing seems so petty in comparison, while my idea seems quite well. I'm not doing justice with the plot. How could I make a story happen?
- ShelbyJae
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- DATo
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ShelbyJae (above) offers some good advice. Using this example as a basis to work from one might take it to the next level by describing Shelby's storm in metaphorical terms, such as the approach of a charging mass of knights. You could describe them robed in colors of black, dark grays, dark greens, and purples (the clouds). Lightning could be described as the flashing of their swords; thunder, the crashing of their horses hooves. It all starts with HOW YOU YOURSELF FEEL when confronted with an approaching storm. Obviously one is rooted to one place as the storm approaches or trying desperately to get away much like people trying to avoid a calvary charge. Then ask yourself how you felt whenever you'd been in such circumstances and apply it to the metaphor you are writing. The disappearance of the sunlight could be described as the shadows cast by the thundering horde. etc.
Writing can be fun and one can certainly have fun in the process of improving. I don't think there was ever a writer born who did not feel they could do a better job. The ones who lack that attitude probably aren't worth reading anyway.
― Steven Wright
- Staggeringmind
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- Wasif Ahmed
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- Jasmine M Wardiya
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- DiverseSpirit
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He invited Stephen King's biographer to our class. (I forget his name! I think it was Albert Rolls.) I brought the biography book to class and had him sign it.
The main thing this biographer mentioned about his writing was setting up prescribed times to write. For example, some days he would write two times a day for 30 minutes. Or, he would write 2 to 4 hours in one day. I think that is a great suggestion I would give to you to feel that satisfaction. He was straight-forward with his writing life and he worked hard. Plus, writing is a time-consuming task.
I met an author at a book signing in a Barnes and Noble. Her name was Libba Bray. She was talking about her book, The Diviners. I even got that book signed. Her writing life sounded a little unstable because she was always trying to get hired to write something. Her book, The Diviners, was written after 4 years of research. This is logical because she had to use those 4 years to understand the decade she was writing about. Again, time-consuming.
To be satisfied with your work:
-Accept the challenge.
-Assign yourself homework.
-Expect it to be time-consuming.
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And if you're worried about improving, usually having at least another person with a higher level of writing skill than you read it can give you valuable feedback. If you can't find someone like that, just having a close friend or someone you trust to be honest with you read what you wrote helps too. You can ask them questions like how the story makes them feel, what do they get out of it, do they feel it could be better, etc? You're going to want to look for constructive criticism. Improving your writing skill is a journey, it's never something that you can sit down and be 'satisfied' with, but constantly improve over a lifetime. But you should also enjoy what you're writing too.
- Wasif Ahmed
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You are welcome Adhen Surrain.Adhen Surrain wrote:Wasif i am agreed with you. It is helpful.
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- JessieMarie84
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- Randomgold
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Get other people to read the things you write. Not just one or two, but several. The more the better. When most of them are satisfied (because, let's face it, you're never going to please everyone no matter how good a writer you are), then you can be mostly satisfied. Doesn't mean you should finish working on it, but still. Satisfaction in a story for me doesn't necessarily mean it's ready for publishing, just that you're either on the right track, or you're really close.
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I have also noticed that I do write better with paper and pen than I do on the computer. I write slower than I type, and that allows me to really think about my word choice. I also see it as less easy to edit, which forces me to accept my writing more without the constant desire to "backspace" every last letter.
Also, I tend to read things similar to what I want to write about in hopes that I can use several other examples combined to produce something that is all my own. I do not mean copying; but I do mean pulling words or ideas from other works to incorporate into my own. Occasionally the opposite helps just as well; reading works entirely different to what I am trying to write in order to refrain from feeling lesser in comparison to other authors.
Once you find what truly works go for it! We can often be our own worst critic. Find someone willing to check out your work and give you honest feedback. Don't let yourself get in the way of producing something great!
-- 29 Dec 2016, 21:35 --
The only way I can possibly get words out on a page is by simply writing or typing away with no editing until I reach a "milestone". By "milestone" I mean the end of a paragraph, a full page, or a chapter... depending on the size of the work. Then, I do not proofread for hours or even up to a full day. Then, when I return with fresh eyes I can actually edit without being as hard on myself.
I have also noticed that I do write better with paper and pen than I do on the computer. I write slower than I type, and that allows me to really think about my word choice. I also see it as less easy to edit, which forces me to accept my writing more without the constant desire to "backspace" every last letter.
Also, I tend to read things similar to what I want to write about in hopes that I can use several other examples combined to produce something that is all my own. I do not mean copying; but I do mean pulling words or ideas from other works to incorporate into my own. Occasionally the opposite helps just as well; reading works entirely different to what I am trying to write in order to refrain from feeling lesser in comparison to other authors.
Once you find what truly works go for it! We can often be our own worst critic. Find someone willing to check out your work and give you honest feedback. Don't let yourself get in the way of producing something great!