tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post5189295383547941279..comments2023-09-12T00:58:57.476-07:00Comments on Deborah Walker: Ever Tried to Run Before you Could Walk?Deborah Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-39300571800596373202012-01-21T13:13:24.439-08:002012-01-21T13:13:24.439-08:00Yes, I've definitely run before walking. I'...Yes, I've definitely run before walking. I've had expectations that were totally unrealistic. Luckily, that changed and I buckled down and worked harder.Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-82313877052074363332012-01-20T19:53:29.458-08:002012-01-20T19:53:29.458-08:00I've heard from lots of folks that if you aren...I've heard from lots of folks that if you aren't really pushing yourself - right at the brink of something that you can't pull off - then you aren't going to get better. I hope that's true. Because each novel I attempt seems to get a bit more complicated, experimental, and abstract than the last. <br /><br />I was rereading a novella of mine than I'm going to self publish as soon as I get it cleaned up and found my characters sitting around and arguing about the meaning of life, of destiny, of God and I was thinking of how much I love reading that sort of stuff (even if what I wrote is a bit simple, it's still what I love). So your too ambitious novel sounds amazing.Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-47124939609961653952012-01-20T06:11:43.176-08:002012-01-20T06:11:43.176-08:00Walking and running vs. short stories and novels
...Walking and running vs. short stories and novels <br /><br />Hmm ...<br /><br />I'm not sure it's an equal comparison, simply because I've written two novels, and I don't think I have the talent to write short stories. I think they are MUCH harder to do well. So, maybe some writers are more naturally talented at writing short stories, and some are more naturally talented at writing novels.<br /><br />Pursue what makes you happy and read lots of great books on the craft of writing. <br /><br />Happy writing!Margo Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13474612650116392270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-54393256961547101752012-01-19T10:48:12.069-08:002012-01-19T10:48:12.069-08:00I think the trick of it is probably maintaining en...I think the trick of it is probably maintaining enthusiasm, Cate. This new wheeze is bright and shiny. So far, so good.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-64138185463884967162012-01-19T10:47:00.353-08:002012-01-19T10:47:00.353-08:00*smiles* we all have our process, Michael.*smiles* we all have our process, Michael.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-35211629655950397422012-01-19T10:40:41.065-08:002012-01-19T10:40:41.065-08:00I've written a few novels but still haven'...I've written a few novels but still haven't found the secret ingredient in how to make them work. If your wheeze works out, then I want step by step instructions ;)Cate Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634397106201021055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-27162396308515875542012-01-19T06:24:42.575-08:002012-01-19T06:24:42.575-08:00If I let myself be frustrated by not finishing, I&...If I let myself be frustrated by not finishing, I'd be in a mental institution :D<br /><br />Speaking of finishing, I should probably get back to work...Michael McClunghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14708067144914238641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-56944135481202596922012-01-19T06:00:13.902-08:002012-01-19T06:00:13.902-08:00Trisha, cool. There's no problem at all in pus...Trisha, cool. There's no problem at all in pushing yourself, in fact the opposite.What frustrates me is not finishing.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-59981010035403034772012-01-19T05:59:06.593-08:002012-01-19T05:59:06.593-08:00Lyn, when I first started I couldn't get to 10...Lyn, when I first started I couldn't get to 1000 words. So it's amazing how one can build up length. I think novella to novel is the way to go for me.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-84879649691143632572012-01-18T23:43:15.249-08:002012-01-18T23:43:15.249-08:00I think I'm always running before I've sta...I think I'm always running before I've started walking, honestly. I always give myself HEAPS to work on at any given time. I distinctly recall ripping the centre chapters out of a novel once and then going, "Huh...now how the heck do I fill in that big hole in the middle?"Trishahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16927558937796802496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-72890399991142327802012-01-18T19:20:47.628-08:002012-01-18T19:20:47.628-08:00Oh, and one thing that has helped is the practice ...Oh, and one thing that has helped is the practice of turning a micro fiction to a flash fiction and then that flash fiction into a short story...so maybe I can turn a short story into a novella and a novella into a novel. Enders Game, after all, was originally a novella, so heh.Lynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11998346902027037420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-25749392645057757592012-01-18T19:19:05.649-08:002012-01-18T19:19:05.649-08:00I'm with ya. I'm working my way to the nov...I'm with ya. I'm working my way to the novella stage - I have a series of 4 x 20k word interrelated novellas that I want to write and publish serially and then as an omnibus (well, a novel, lol) once all 4 are done. But...most of my short stories clock in at about 2300 words at the most! haha :)Lynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11998346902027037420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-58365009294793979772012-01-17T14:36:56.695-08:002012-01-17T14:36:56.695-08:00I'm quite often over ambitious with regard to ...I'm quite often over ambitious with regard to my writing. Sometimes it works - sometimes it doesn't, but then that's still the case when I attempt a piece within my comfort zone.Patsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12263765378083045973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-17440197606246887342012-01-17T09:40:42.884-08:002012-01-17T09:40:42.884-08:00Thanks Simon. I've yet to find the right proce...Thanks Simon. I've yet to find the right process for writing a novel. It will come, I'm sure. I've just got to try different things. Right, then. A smattering of sex, here I come.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-43602537353559166282012-01-17T04:20:16.381-08:002012-01-17T04:20:16.381-08:00I think you speak sense. There's no right or w...I think you speak sense. There's no right or wrong way to write a novel, but that wheeze of yours sounds great as an approach to take.Simon Kewinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11537163555998763769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-24301970713836028902012-01-17T02:43:19.272-08:002012-01-17T02:43:19.272-08:00Thanks for the comments, guys. It seems that you&#...Thanks for the comments, guys. It seems that you're all pushing yourselves, creatively. <br /><br />@Erin, I think enjoyment is a big factor for me. I enjoy short stories, novels not so much. I'm in a very interesting position where I'm pushing myself length wise, but I'm impatient with the results. <br /><br />@Milo, thanks. And good luck, you're going to write a wonderful novel, I'm sure.<br /><br />@Christine, thanks for the encouragement. I'm enjoying the ride. <br /><br />@Elizabeth, I'll have to get that book. You're quite right, sometimes stories that look simple are the most difficult to create. Good point.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-69336855938238498132012-01-16T18:18:49.390-08:002012-01-16T18:18:49.390-08:00I push myself a lot. It's the only way we'...I push myself a lot. It's the only way we'll get better. Sometimes I run ahead of myself and I've stumbled and fallen before. Yet I get right back up and start again.Christine Rainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08263694662585963900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-27062395686267267322012-01-16T17:11:10.569-08:002012-01-16T17:11:10.569-08:00My novel was my first attempt at 'real writing...My novel was my first attempt at 'real writing,' before short stories, and I told myself weekly that I had no idea what the heck I was doing. But I enjoyed it, and so kept at it. It is very different than SS writing. I really have to dig into character development and flesh out the scenes that I'd normally just try to summarize eloquently in a SS.<br /><br />I agree with pushing yourself, just beyond skill level, always. Run now while ambition is present, then walk later when you need to. Best of luck.EChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09359075647077590741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-61553024505214486092012-01-16T13:09:50.000-08:002012-01-16T13:09:50.000-08:00Reading Shirley Jackson's *We Have Always Live...Reading Shirley Jackson's *We Have Always Lived in the Castle* was a watershed moment for me. I realized that it probably requires a ton of discipline to write a smallish, concise, and razor-sharp novel with a single POV. I am not that disciplined or able (yet). Give me multi POV, metaphysics, and big action. These tools allow my clunkier talents to express themselves in a lumberjackian mode.Elizabeth Twisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133959633383307056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-82044695545297840172012-01-16T07:22:42.756-08:002012-01-16T07:22:42.756-08:00As a kid, I started out writing novels, then moved...As a kid, I started out writing novels, then moved into short stories in college -- guess I started running out of time! I'm noticing that in my current novel WiP I may be suffering from some of that overzealous ambition you mention. But I'm going to finish it, no matter what.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com