Then and Now - Some Writerly Rambles

[kriadydragon]

Of course it's always interesting to go back, look at your earlier works and figure out if you've progressed - or better yet, realize you've progressed. My mom found some of my earlier novels written back in my early twenties. Just picking out paragraphs and reading them, I have to admit that - structure wise (sentences, spelling, grammar, etc) - my stories weren't as bad as I thought they would be. I'm sure that were I to clean them up they might make fairly decent young adult novels (and they would have to be YA novels or aimed at a younger audience. I have the characters walking on soft, fluffy clouds, literally, for crying out loud, because the world is that kind of ridiculously magical). But it's still the flowery language of a young writer who thought that by emulating Tolkein as much as possible it would make their stories the best thing since Lord of the Rings.

Which, obviously, in hindsight, is completely ridiculous, but it's also all part of the learning process, so it's not something I look back on and groan about in embarrassment. I might laugh, but never groan, even when I read over those early attempts. Especially since those early attempts are gold compared to my even earlier, teen-years attempts, when nothing got finished and if it did get finished it was only fifty pages long if that.

I think one of the ways that you know you are progressing (other than the gradual erosion of your ego until you feel balanced on the head of a pin between hope that your writing is at least descent, and despair that it probably isn't) is when you find yourself emerging from the desire to be "the next *insert famous author here*" and immersing yourself in being your own author. I'm not speaking for everyone, but speaking for myself I was one of those writers who really did want to be the next Tolkein - that is, Tolkein for the YA world. Now I'm just a writer with a lot of stories I want to tell, and no care about how well they're received or how popular they become. As long as someone is enjoying them, then I'm happy.

Although, yes, a little popularity would be awesome. One of my books made into a movie? That would be mind-boggling wonderful, but then so would some random artist doing a series of pictures based on one of my books.

Comments

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I also believe it's crucial to find your own thing rather than milking what's already been done. As much as I enjoyed Tolkein-like sword and sorcery novels there eventually came a point where I couldn't stomach them anymore. It was all elves, dwarves, wizards, men and I wanted something different.

Which, yes, can't be said for every reader out there - there will always be an audience for Tolkein-like fantasies. Still, the more you try to do your own thing, I think, the more your story stands out in the reader's mind (thus getting the reader to tell others about the book, who then tell others and so on. I didn't get into Harry Potter because of ads or commercials. I got into it because my dad sent me a copy after he read it).

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

"I also believe it's crucial to find your own thing rather than milking what's already been done............"

(((((NODS)))))))
So true even when it comes to ff dedicated to SGA or some other fandom. I notice a definite trend, unfortunately, to just write in the same format, ie Sheppard in trouble, team to rescue, infirmary etc.
I read and feel "been there, done that" and often move on.
It is why when I started my attempt I thought about it.......asked myself
if what I was contemplating was different or was it standard cookie cutter
format.