[eiranae]

There's a problem I've been having, and I would appreciate some advice.

I've noticed lately that whenever I read a really well written story (like those by Neume, Nancy, and Viv just to name a few) I find my stories pale in comparison, and I slip into an old third grade habit of mine where I just want to trash the entire story and start over again (my story, that is).

Here's where the advice comes in--what helped you to develop your own style of writing, and how did you become confident in your story-telling skills?

Thanks,

Eiranae

[Alassante]

One thing you need to remember - your writing will always be worse in your own mind than anyone else unless you have an ego the size of Gondor. So its hard to realistically compare it to anyone. As someone who has worked with Viv and Nancy a few times with them beta'ing/reviewing my work, that is the best way to learn from others. Their feedback on your writing is the best way to 'absorb their greatness' lol

I'm not on your list of greats but my style developed over a long time and lots of helpful feedback from great betas and other writers I respected. Plus the more I wrote the more passion I had for the whole process - the characters, the writing process, the plotting, etc.

[eiranae]

You are on my list of greats (well, the one in my mind). I just wrote down the first few I thought of. There are many more on this site that I could name. I feel that way about all of them.

Thanks so much for the advice. I do hope eventually I can absorb some of that greatness.

[Viv]

Lordy hell, thaty's august company you're shoving me in with! I'm humbled.

You know, I have this same problem, though. I'll be going along thinkin, hey, I'm getting better or even, hey, I'm really pretty okay! Then I'll read something by somebody I know and realize I still have a looooong way to go. I guess it's those moments that keep my muse from lying to me too much.

And you have an excellent voice and style. Don't compare yourself to anybody, 'cause I don't. I think you're unique and exciting, and I love reading your work. Please, please, please don't every write like me! lol

[Viv]

Oh, and another thing: you trash Scor or Duron and I'll be after you with a metaphorical machete! Don't mess with mah dwarf!

[Alassante]

[NeumeIndil]

*reads thread* Wow. Just what I needed to read when I'm already so uncomfortable w/ my next chapter I haven't posted for 3 months. Nothing like pressure to send me whining to my LJ/friends. Seriously, though, thanks for the huge compliments. Including me w/ Viv and NB is kinda a shock since I regularly read their stuff thinking "Damn, that was a great move. Wish I could come up with stuff like that!" only to find out somebody thinks that way about my time-killing.

But, lemme let you in on a secret here: Know all those thank yous to Binka and others in my story intros? It's for putting up with my insecure whining. Case in point: Before the last big part of "Nights" I posted, Binka got this email--

"I don't like this and I can't put my finger on why. I can't really see where it's going, and it just feels sort of patch worked together without any goal. I think the ending I'm aiming for is Morwen compelled by royal order (Boromir or Grima via Theoden) to dance in the southern way, veils and all. But the path to that is invisible from this point. So, please tell me what you think when you have the time and energy to do it. "

Generally she gets at least one per section just like this, though with different quibbles on my part. Her reply to that email nudged me toward the plan of attack I used to finish "The Dark One". So, I don't think confidence in whatever storytelling ability I have is something I 'have' inherently, like brown eyes or a big butt. For me at least, the guts to put it out there come from working through the story w/ the characters and then getting at least one more opinion on how I did from someone who cares enough to not let me look like an ass in print.

I think, as a writer at least, you get so wrapped up in your perspective and the characters as they're coming to you, it's impossible to see the outcome with true objectivity, which then makes you nervous and you start doubting yourself. That's why reviews and PMs are so important to so many writers: they're proof of the support network it takes to screw up the guts to say "Hey, I think this is worth reading, so I'm going to put my name to it on a public forum and let total strangers have at it". Remember, part of the reason we have these wonderful stories to play around in is because Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and some other guys sat around in a pub in Oxford critiquing each other's stuff.

My college writing instructors were pretty unanimous in pointing out something else too: you can't change a story until it exists, and it doesn't exist until it's on a page somewhere. Style develops through time and practice and (at least for me) reading pretty much everything and anything I can get my hands on. The more often you do something, like riding a bike, the better you can do it. Sure sometimes even after twenty years of practice you'll wipe out and scrape up a knee, but that's where betas come in to hand you a band-aid or pump us your front tire.

[eiranae]

[Sulriel]

What an excellent thread.

I think we all feel that way from time to time ... a lot of the time. and I'd like to add my support to a couple of things that have been said. One is that you can't compare yourself to anyone else. I do find it useful to compare my recent writing to my older writing - to see how far I've come, but also, sometimes I find stuff I like more in the older works and it helps pull me back on track when I've been off.

The second thing, I think, is just to keep writing. The more you write, with an eye toward improving, the better you'll write. One thing I found out about myself is that I'm a slow learner. I was getting really good beta, but I couldn't fix plot and characterization and adverbs and and and all at the same time. I had to step back and let some things go and concentrate on one thing at a time. I'm not there yet, but I'm feeling better about my writing.

...don't know if any of that helps, but I hope it encourages you to hang in there.

[eiranae]

[Alassante]

[Viv]

[quote="Alassante"]

[eiranae]

You know what I really like is being able to chat with people about my stories. I guess I'm not confident enough in my skills to post it without wanting to check the thing every five minutes to see what people think.

I keep bugging my husband to tell me what he thinks of my writing, but he's not a big writing buff.

[Viv]

[NancyBrooke]