Maggie, thanks for using food comparisons! Now I'm sure to remember this valuable advice, since I basically experience the world through lasagna and chocolate layer cake. I don't think I've ever gotten this advice from any of my former teachers. I'm so glad I decided to sign up for your newsletter. I adore your writing.
This is such good advice! And a good reminder to ask my first readers if the book delivered on the promise! And if the first chapter actually fits with the rest of the book. Because I've read a lot of books that start with a very hype-y, intense scene and then the next two thirds of the book are very calm and slow and you're like ?? I thought I was promised ACTION.
This is great advice. I often end up forgetting which book I intended to write once I'm in the prcoess of doing so. Even while I'm revising it doesn't take long for me to completely lose track of where I actually wanted to go, or I change my mind midway through and when I read the story again, it feels mismatched and like it was written with different purposes in mind.
I'm sure every reader has picked up a book before, expected one thing, and gotten something entirely different. This can be a good thing, but often leads to severe diasppointment. I have, however, never bothered to investigate what exactly led me to have those expectations in the first place. Alas I'm still working hard to write with more of a set purpose in mind and to think less about single scenes, and more about the long-term effects small writing choices have on a story and how they influence atmosphere etc.
Really, really, really love this advice, just like the last piece you wrote!
Ah, the two kinds of good advice: The witchy-dark-forest one that you can't understand yet but feel you should trust. And the clear sighted, just-cleaned-my-window one that you can't unsee once you learned it, because it is so obviously true. This is certainly the latter, thank you. (Afterthought: I guess it makes more sense for writing advice if people understand what you're trying to say and I have no idea how witchy writing advice would look like, but Maggie, I got to say: If you have some witchy advice - bring it!)
I really like the thought in this. I wonder if this can sometimes be frustrating for a writer although certainly as readers we appreciate the consistency. I have been learning to compose music for a few years and while my own music will probably never "make it big", my teacher explained the interesting dilemma popular musicians face. Much of the time when they are writing, they have to write "to" their audience, in terms of lyrics, melody, etc. That is the music that is most popular, and as you've indicated here with writing, most widely appreciated. Sometimes musicians write for themselves, something that probably won't be widely heard or appreciated. A few of us, though, can appreciate that music and maybe even think it's some of their best. Maybe that chocolate cake really is what you didn't know you wanted. Tricky things, expectations . .
We’re reading Eye of the World in book club and I suddenly know at least one of the reasons why I was so Grumpy with it: the prologue is all about Egwene; Egwene who has magical powers. BUT the book—the over 800 page book— is about the boy who likes her????
Maggie, thanks for using food comparisons! Now I'm sure to remember this valuable advice, since I basically experience the world through lasagna and chocolate layer cake. I don't think I've ever gotten this advice from any of my former teachers. I'm so glad I decided to sign up for your newsletter. I adore your writing.
This is a really lovely comment, thank you!
This is such good advice! And a good reminder to ask my first readers if the book delivered on the promise! And if the first chapter actually fits with the rest of the book. Because I've read a lot of books that start with a very hype-y, intense scene and then the next two thirds of the book are very calm and slow and you're like ?? I thought I was promised ACTION.
This is great advice. I often end up forgetting which book I intended to write once I'm in the prcoess of doing so. Even while I'm revising it doesn't take long for me to completely lose track of where I actually wanted to go, or I change my mind midway through and when I read the story again, it feels mismatched and like it was written with different purposes in mind.
I'm sure every reader has picked up a book before, expected one thing, and gotten something entirely different. This can be a good thing, but often leads to severe diasppointment. I have, however, never bothered to investigate what exactly led me to have those expectations in the first place. Alas I'm still working hard to write with more of a set purpose in mind and to think less about single scenes, and more about the long-term effects small writing choices have on a story and how they influence atmosphere etc.
Really, really, really love this advice, just like the last piece you wrote!
Ah, the two kinds of good advice: The witchy-dark-forest one that you can't understand yet but feel you should trust. And the clear sighted, just-cleaned-my-window one that you can't unsee once you learned it, because it is so obviously true. This is certainly the latter, thank you. (Afterthought: I guess it makes more sense for writing advice if people understand what you're trying to say and I have no idea how witchy writing advice would look like, but Maggie, I got to say: If you have some witchy advice - bring it!)
I really like the thought in this. I wonder if this can sometimes be frustrating for a writer although certainly as readers we appreciate the consistency. I have been learning to compose music for a few years and while my own music will probably never "make it big", my teacher explained the interesting dilemma popular musicians face. Much of the time when they are writing, they have to write "to" their audience, in terms of lyrics, melody, etc. That is the music that is most popular, and as you've indicated here with writing, most widely appreciated. Sometimes musicians write for themselves, something that probably won't be widely heard or appreciated. A few of us, though, can appreciate that music and maybe even think it's some of their best. Maybe that chocolate cake really is what you didn't know you wanted. Tricky things, expectations . .
It was lots of fun to read the comparison Lasagne vs. Chocolate Cake!
This made SO MUCH SENSE to me. Thank you.
Thank you for this! I often struggle to understand writing advice and how to put it to practical use. But this was very clear to me.
We’re reading Eye of the World in book club and I suddenly know at least one of the reasons why I was so Grumpy with it: the prologue is all about Egwene; Egwene who has magical powers. BUT the book—the over 800 page book— is about the boy who likes her????
I was promised cake and instead I was given plain oatmeal!