You’d think that after so many run-ins with rejection, I’d have grown a thicker skin by now.
In the beginning, every fledgling writer falls madly in love with his work. How could a reader not swoon over this turn of phrase or that plot twist? Never mind gratuitous clichés, the young writer rushes into a story with the reckless abandon of a protagonist in a pulp romance novel.
Sadly, the innocent fling that is writing solely for the sake of writing cannot endure. The instant it dawns on a dabbler that it would be nice for other people to read — and pay to read — his books, the self-indulgence must end.
The prospect of publishing changes everything.
No longer can the writer be content flexing his creativity in front of the proverbial mirror. He now has to consider the thoughts and feelings of others — from literary agents and editors to future customers and critics. What once was a hobby transforms into part-time job.
College classes and workshops did much to foster my approach to writing. For instance, I now understand that when it comes to editing, nothing is sacrosanct. Every manuscript can be fine-tuned, every chapter tweaked, every sentence tightened.
But none of the courses I took in college ever really addressed how to write a novel from beginning to end. Independent research turned up tips on how to construct an outline, develop three-dimensional characters and seamlessly integrate themes into the plot. There’s no one right way to do it.
There are, however, a million wrong ways.
I’ve lost track of how many agents have refused to represent my novels. And since most agents don’t have time to provide pointers to rejected writers, I had to look elsewhere for feedback.
At some point — and preferably before a draft is mailed off to an agent — an amateur writer needs to find a guinea pig, a reader who can reveal what works and what doesn’t. It’s easier said than done.
Reading and critiquing a book is a major time commitment. Even friends and family members who are genuinely curious about and supportive of your enterprise will balk when you hand them a massive manuscript. And even if one of them makes it all the way from prologue to epilogue, the comments tend to be less than helpful.
Brutal honesty is a rare treasure for a would-be author — but it’s one worth seeking.
On the second Friday of every month, there’s a note on my calendar that says, “A.A. meeting.” No, I haven’t surrendered to alcoholism (though, sadly, many writers do); rather, A.A. stands for Allied Authors, one of Wisconsin’s oldest writers’ groups. It’s based out of Milwaukee.
The members of Allied Authors take turns submitting excerpts of their projects in progress. Afterwards, everyone else makes suggestions. The point is to give and receive constructive criticism.
For me, what started as a quid-pro-quo arrangement has evolved into a true kinship of serious writers who care about one another’s success. Generally speaking, the group has had positive reactions to my current manuscript. I must be a glutton for punishment because I’ve been shopping the first dozen chapters around to other writers, searching for more opinions.
One couple was good enough to provide several pages worth of notes — and not all of them were complimentary. There’s a big difference between an informal form letter from an East Coast agent and blunt feedback from colleagues. How dare they insult my baby?
I suppose it’s the same way with any artistic endeavor: It’s difficult to separate the creation from the creator.
In addition to mastering snappy dialogue, engaging details and vigorous pacing, a writer also needs to work on humility. That way, he’ll not waste time bristling with indignation when he could be making his book better.
I’m hopeful one day, after every error and imperfection of my manuscript is exposed and then remedied, I will claim the coveted title of published author. In the meantime, I’m grateful for friends, family, colleagues and A.A.
creativity,Novel,plo,protagonist,Romance Novel
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