Silly Writing Expectations

Silly Writing Expectations

Do you think you can play the piano like Mozart without any lessons? Can you swim like a fish, never having been in the water before? What about fly an airplane like an expert pilot? Or even bake a cake without a recipe? This is a no-brainer. Of course you cannot. It does not take a genius to figure this out. No one would expect you to be able to do these things unless you were some sort prodigy. But yet on the same token, we expect to be able to write like a best selling author on the first try. No one looks at this as being odd. Yet most of us have had no formal training and very little real practice when it comes to writing.

So what is it that makes us think this way? Why is that we expect to be able to write well from the get go? There is a simple answer to this question. Quite simply, it is because you usually write on a daily basis. Just think about how much you write on a regular basis. We sign our name and address on documents. We write notes to our family. We write memos at work. We write letters to friends and family. We make to do lists and grocery lists. And we jot down reminder notes. That seems like quite a bit. All of this is writing, but it is not “writing.”

What that means is very simple. Think about it for a second. There is not a plot to your grocery store list or main character in your to do list. These are two totally different kinds of writing. One requires thought and planning while the other does not. What it all boils down to is as with anything, practice makes perfect. To become good at writing, you have to write. It’s as simple as that. To be good at writing short stories, you have to practice writing short stories. To be good at writing articles, you have to practice writing articles. To be good at writing poems, you have to practice writing poetry.

Bestseller status may still not be just around the corner. What that means is do not expect your first to be great. It is possible, but highly unlikely your first attempt will be a masterpiece. It takes a lot of hard work to be a good writer. You have to practice, practice and then practice a little bit more. With each new piece that you write, you will find your skills improving. To speed this up a bit, read the advice of experts. There are many to choose from. A good start is Stephen King’s On Writing and Gary Provost’s 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing. Give these a try and see how they work for you. Soon, you will be writing in ways you never thought possible. I’d love to hear about your progress. Drop me a line and let me know how you are doing. shaniaduncan@altimatepublishing.com

BONUS : Small Wonders: The Power Of Independent Publishers And Invertebrate Creatures

Over the course of the past decade, authors and readers alike have been heard to utter a collective groan of dismay as the once elite publishing industry continues to resemble the multiplex tripe factory of Hollywood, churning out one cookie cutter product after another.

This situation would be funny (considering the supreme cultural snobbery most New York-based editors feel for their moviemaking brethren on the opposite coast) were it not for the fact that each new conglomeration in publishing has a chilling effect on both the quantity and quality of new books released.

This law of diminishing returns is frightful in its implications. With every major publisher looking to balance out its annual loss leaders with one big Potter-esque mega-hit, it's inevitable that midlist authors are all but ignored. What chance do aspiring voices have in this environment, particularly those who seek to produce works of bold innovation?

Though the situation looks bleak, there is one very bright silver lining. The recent emergence of independent publishers has brought to light many excellent books that would have otherwise languished in obscurity. A prime example of this happy trend is Borderlands Press. Since 19989, publisher (and prolific award-winning author in his own right) Thomas F. Monteleone has been putting out deluxe limited edition releases of works by some of the biggest names in genre and horror fiction. Starting in 2007, Monteleone decided it was time to broaden his horizons with a new line of trade paperback originals.

Having already released Virgin by esteemed horror scribe F. Paul Wilson earlier in the year, Borderlands is now offering a wildly original collection of three new stories in one volume. Fables From the Mud by Erik Quisling is already being hailed as an instant cult classic that will rank along with "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" and the collected works of Shel Silverstein.

Applying robust humor and a decidedly philosophical approach to some of life's greatest mysteries, Quisling introduces us to three extraordinary invertebrate heroes: the Angry Clam, Glen the Ant, and Julius Gunther Weems the Warrior Worm. Page by page, Fables From the Mud dazzles readers with the gripping stories of these three small wonders. Though at first glance it may appear to have the simplicity of a children's book, be forewarned this is one tome that packs a king-sized wallop.

Hilarious and thought-provoking by turns, Fables is sure to challenge even the heartiest of readers. It is a book to cherish long after you've finished it for the first (of many) times.

Meanwhile, Thomas Monteleone continues to push ahead with his ambitious trade paperback line. In late October, Borderlands Press releases his own novel, Serpentine, and January of 2008 will see the release of Crimson Orgy, the much-anticipated debut novel by Austin Williams. As long as Monteleone and other trailblazing publishers of his ilk keep promoting quality fiction from talented new voices, book lovers across America can feel confident there will always be something interesting to read outside the narrow parameters of what the elite publishing industry deems "commercial."