The gnashing sound you hear is my teeth

[megwrites]

Still angsting over what to work on for NaNoWriMo and whether any of my ideas are even worth my time. I know that ideas are only one part of the equation, and that the success of any idea depends on it's execution.

People say to write ideas that are different and dangerous, but how do you tell if an idea is dangerous or not? Danger implies that there is risk of harm, and I'm not sure how to apply that to my writing or to an idea or a story.

Besides, writing itself is a risky business. You risk dying in penniless obscurity, doomed to love doing something that may never work out for you.

So far I feel the only danger in my ideas is of them hurting people's brains.

I think part of my issue is that I have no way to gauge what my skill level is and whether I'm anywhere near being professional and publication-ready or if I need years of development yet. And I really wish that wasn't the case.

Even if finding out would mean knowing that I'm five or ten or twenty years away from being anywhere near professional, at least I'd know. At least I'd have some idea if I need to put in a lot more work than I'm already doing or what, or if I'm on the right track or not.

At least then I'd know that maybe I need to focus less on thinking about publication and more on development of basic skills, maybe I'd need to invest in a workshop here or there or in a writing class or something.

There should be signs on the road you know? 20 Miles 'til You Don't Suck or something.

Comments

Danger, Will Robinson

[merriehaskell.livejournal.com]

You know, I've been pondering what it means to write dangerously for a while myself. It's one of those things, like art and pornography: I know it when I see it.

I think writing dangerously means not being lured by convention. To wrap the story up in an unexpected way. To surprise the reader, and yourself. Sometimes it's dangerous to take away the happy ending. Sometimes it's dangerous to give it. I would posit that Stephenie Meyers wrote dangerously, because it's all so clearly her personal wish-fulfillment and LDS issues out there on the page.

Oh, and that's one of the other pieces: I think a lot of writers are afraid to put stuff out there, for fear that people might think that the story is the author. I've had people tell me that: they're impressed I can write and submit because *gasp* what if people realize something about them?!?! Something secret! Something icky?

And one other thing that has occurred to me about dangerous writing... I think people are afraid of hurting other people's brains. Of not being understood. I think we're afraid to push the envelope because we might descend into absurdity. We see it too often, after all, when an artist's vanity and self-love overcome objectivity. Typically in film projects, but also, oh, well, case in point with the Stephenie Meyer and her fourth book, or Anne Rice for the last five years...

But. I've noticed that often the piece that I think is the dumbest part of my story--the part that's too sappy, too sweet, too stupid, too dramatic--the part I almost cut because I think it will get backlash--is the part that people like the best. But I think it's embarrassment on my part for putting something out there that's less than perfect, objective, detached, polished.

Re: Danger, Will Robinson

[scififanatic.livejournal.com]

And one other thing that has occurred to me about dangerous writing... I think people are afraid of hurting other people's brains. Of not being understood. I think we're afraid to push the envelope because we might descend into absurdity.

So true! I'm so glad you made this point because I needed to hear it too. Also, you just reminded me why I love this quote by Bette Davis:

Attempt the impossible in order to improve your work.