to write a certain way, or not to write a certain way...
So I've been taking this online novel writing course with one of my most favorite, living authors (Francesca Lia Block) for the past 5 weeks. She invited writers that had existing manuscripts to come and learn under her guidance how to get our stories written in a fashion that could help us sell them (for publication). It took me awhile to figure something out about what her methods and goals were, but now that I've figured this out (for my own sake at least) I feel torn about whether I want to learn how to write this way or not.
I wouldn't call her method or goals formulaic, but in a way, that's how they are starting to seem to me. Here's what I'm starting to think is what's going on. Popular fiction has "a feel" to it. There are standard elements of storytelling involved that hook readers that work to keep them transfixed while reading a novel. The reader wants to be drawn into a mysterious series of events that contain tension and unexpected dramatic twists which will have them turning page after page until they get to the end where they'll feel somewhat satisfied from the experience.
I don't want to write out all these elements of dramatic intrigue for you because I'm not trying to sell you one way or the other on whether this method is good or right. I just want to say that for me, it's different than how I write naturally. During the first week of class I got insights into how I could change the way my story was written into this formulaic style (in order to please the teacher? in order to have a story that publishers would want to buy?).. but now after turning in 5 weeks worth of assignments I've seen that my classmates all already write in this manner, and it's quite natural to them. I feel this is partly because they both have read a lot of novels that also follow these formulas. When they turn in their assignments I find nothing lacking in their abilities. And this has added to my feelings of being disheartened. One of my classmates constantly worries that her writing is not good enough, whereas I see it being perfect. I feel like I'm out of my league.
I feel like I do not want to lose the unique manner in which I have told my story by converting it into a style that could sell the book. I mean, I could do that. I could take all the lessons from this teacher to heart and work hard to rewrite the story via her style - but is that really my goal? Was it ever my goal? To just be able to sell books? or did I just want to be able to relate a story and tell it my way. I feel like the truth of this question is that I just wanted to be able to tell the story my way. So if I finish what I have started - editing the first draft for grammatical errors and other obvious errors in syntax, etc, and then self publish it online so people that know me can buy it to read it, i'd be satisfied.
Then I'd be free to begin writing something new again. And it would come back to why I write at all. Because I find it enjoyable to do.
I wouldn't call her method or goals formulaic, but in a way, that's how they are starting to seem to me. Here's what I'm starting to think is what's going on. Popular fiction has "a feel" to it. There are standard elements of storytelling involved that hook readers that work to keep them transfixed while reading a novel. The reader wants to be drawn into a mysterious series of events that contain tension and unexpected dramatic twists which will have them turning page after page until they get to the end where they'll feel somewhat satisfied from the experience.
I don't want to write out all these elements of dramatic intrigue for you because I'm not trying to sell you one way or the other on whether this method is good or right. I just want to say that for me, it's different than how I write naturally. During the first week of class I got insights into how I could change the way my story was written into this formulaic style (in order to please the teacher? in order to have a story that publishers would want to buy?).. but now after turning in 5 weeks worth of assignments I've seen that my classmates all already write in this manner, and it's quite natural to them. I feel this is partly because they both have read a lot of novels that also follow these formulas. When they turn in their assignments I find nothing lacking in their abilities. And this has added to my feelings of being disheartened. One of my classmates constantly worries that her writing is not good enough, whereas I see it being perfect. I feel like I'm out of my league.
I feel like I do not want to lose the unique manner in which I have told my story by converting it into a style that could sell the book. I mean, I could do that. I could take all the lessons from this teacher to heart and work hard to rewrite the story via her style - but is that really my goal? Was it ever my goal? To just be able to sell books? or did I just want to be able to relate a story and tell it my way. I feel like the truth of this question is that I just wanted to be able to tell the story my way. So if I finish what I have started - editing the first draft for grammatical errors and other obvious errors in syntax, etc, and then self publish it online so people that know me can buy it to read it, i'd be satisfied.
Then I'd be free to begin writing something new again. And it would come back to why I write at all. Because I find it enjoyable to do.
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