Comicality Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 It would be difficult to ever let anyone read your own story if you didn't have some level of confidence in what you do. It's already scary enough putting your heart and soul on display for anybody to read, and possibly rip apart, whenever they feel like it. But courage is a necessity. And if you're anything like me, you've got to rebuild that courage from scratch again with each and every project you put out there. The question this week is...are you an actual FAN of your own work? And don't mean in a cocky or arrogant way (unless of course, you ARE, in which case, we wanna hear about that too!), but do you have a general appreciation for the stories you write? Some authors need recognition and approval from their readers or other writers before the feel comfortable with it. Some writers really WANT to put a story out there, but never find the courage to post them, or even finish them. And some just hate their own work altogether. So what do you think? Are you a fan of your stuff? Why or why not? And if you've got a million ideas, but haven't written them out for anybody to see yet...what are you waiting for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Arbour Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 It would be difficult to ever let anyone read your own story if you didn't have some level of confidence in what you do. It's already scary enough putting your heart and soul on display for anybody to read, and possibly rip apart, whenever they feel like it. But courage is a necessity. And if you're anything like me, you've got to rebuild that courage from scratch again with each and every project you put out there. Now that's just a bunch of crap. You are one of the masters, recognized as one of the Kings of this genre. I fell in love with your stories as soon as I found GA and started reading them. If anyone gives you shit, send me an e-mail and I'll cheer you up. The question this week is...are you an actual FAN of your own work? And don't mean in a cocky or arrogant way (unless of course, you ARE, in which case, we wanna hear about that too!), but do you have a general appreciation for the stories you write? Some authors need recognition and approval from their readers or other writers before the feel comfortable with it. Some writers really WANT to put a story out there, but never find the courage to post them, or even finish them. And some just hate their own work altogether. So what do you think? Are you a fan of your stuff? Why or why not? And if you've got a million ideas, but haven't written them out for anybody to see yet...what are you waiting for? I'm not sure that I can answer that with a firm "yes." There are some of my stories that I like better than others, and some chapters that I like best. Occasionally, I'll go back and re-read them for fun. My two longest stories are sagas, where the characters live on from book to book, so often I'll go back and re-read them just to make sure I have the character right. Nothing worse than having someone in his late 20s start out at 5'10" tall and suddenly reappear a few years later as an amazon. Most of the time when I re-read them, I'm pleased, and I like them. Sometimes, I'm not. That's why I'm doing a moderate re-write of my first story, Chronicles of an Academic Predator. So after all that rambling, I'll answer your question with a "qualified yes." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 First of all, you're awesome, Comsie. I'm definitely a fan. You are a true master of 1st person and an awesome sci-fi author to boot. Am I a fan of my own stories? As a matter of fact, I am, and no, not in an arrogant way. I try to look at it with fresh eyes or, in other words, as a reader. While I went through a time where I wasn't confident in it, I am now, and it's a good step to getting back to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephylim Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 First of all I have to agree with what has been said before about the quality of your writing. GFD was one of the first stories I ever read here and I ate up every syllable, although I now like some of your other stories better. As for my own stories. It comes as a shock to me whenever someone likes what I write. I have been passionate about writing forever but until I found this place I wrote entirely for myself not thinking that anyone else would ever read them. I still have a whole file full of novels that I don't think anyone will ever read because they are straight romances.... well not straight in any sense of the word other than the heterosexual ones... and I can't see me posting them anywhere else. Because I wrote solely for myself I wrote the characters, situations and storylines that appeal to me and for that reason I do like what I write... hell I am in love with some of my characters... a lot of them actually and I re read my stories often and get caught up again in what I was feeling when I wrote them... so in that way I suppose I am a fan. However I am deeply self conscious about the fact that other people are reading them and sometimes I get overwhelmed and find it difficult to cope when people like them too much. I put my heart and soul into everything I write so every story exposes a deep part of me to the ethers and those who read it and I have confidence issues which carry over to the stories and the way I perceive them and the comments made on them. I am not saying I fall apart when people criticise them, quite the reverse it is what I expect and it's the praise I find hard to deal with sometimes. Having said that the praise and support I have received here has done wonders for my self respect and self consciousness generally. So to sum up... I like to read my stories but what I am really a fan of is the people who read them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comicality Posted January 19, 2010 Author Share Posted January 19, 2010 Hehehe, wow...thanks! :: Super Thumbs Up :: That definitely gave me my ego moment for the week. Mmmm...stroke-alicious! In all honesty though, even though it's REALLY flattering to have the compliments on my stories and all...I have to admit that I'm not really a fan of my own stuff. I try to be, and sometimes I'll see certain things and can really take pride in it turning out the way I pictured it in my head. But I ALWAYS worry. Every time. Every story, every chapter, every "Billy Chase"....I worry about it not being up to standard. Then again, I'm a harsh self critic about just about everything. So I set that standard impossibly high and just try to come close. The weird thing is...when it's just me writing the story...I feel 100% at peace. It's like the words come from somewhere else entirely sometimes. There are huge sections of storie that I barely remember writing at all. Hehehe, seriously! Once I'm done with it, I'm done with it, and I start right in on the next one. But when it comes time to send it to Myr or get it posted...the anxiety sneaks in. Trying to edit and fix stuff and make it better is where I fall all to pieces. Because it's NEVER good enough. The raw emotion part I love, and can do effortlessly, but making it that glossy 'finished' product that everybody else gets to read...it takes forever. Drives me crazy. And I agree with a big part of what Neph said, about this bearing all of your soul for other people. Especially stories like "My Only Escape", where I feel really exposed, because it's such a persoal part of my life. So I guess youcould say that I'm a fan of the 'process'. But by the time you guys get to see them, hehehe, I've torn my hair out at the roots and stressed myself out to the point where I throw my hands up and say, "Well, they'll just have to hate it, I guess. Because I can't take anymore!" Mad scientist, I am! (And you guys thought I was breezing through it all nice and easy. Psh!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Administrator Graeme Posted January 20, 2010 Site Administrator Share Posted January 20, 2010 I'd have to say that I'm more a fan of my editor(s) I have a few times gone back and read stories I wrote some time ago. Yes, I enjoyed them (to the extent that I stayed up way too long), but I also admired how much smoother the published stories are than the original drafts. I love my stories (well, most of them), but they wouldn't be as good without the thorough job my editors do. Unlike some editors, the guys I get editing my stories will rewrite sentences to make them clearer and more concise. They don't change the story itself, but they make a dramatic improvement on delivery, and delivery is important if a story is to be liked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiShadow Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 I'm taking a writing course at the moment and one of the quotes we had (I can't remember what it was EXACTLY) but the gist of it was that often a writer has to silence the little voice inside their head, their self critic who can often make us unsure of ourselves. I like my ideas sometimes and when I come up with something truly amazing it's great but I wouldn't say I'm a real fan of my stuff. I'm a fan of the people who take the time to read my stories and say "this was great", "this was bad" or "you could have done better" - I just love feedback in general. Writing isn't about loving the stories or the content in itself it's just a means to another end of me. My only hope is that I can inspire someone in the same way you've inspired me, Comsie. There's also the obvious fact that writing is a great outlet to let out some emotion. (Anyone who has read chapter one of my story 'the ascended' will understand) P.S. Ditto on what Mark said - If anyone says anything nasty about your stories, send them my way Love ya Comsie! ~Kiwi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Arbour Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 The weird thing is...when it's just me writing the story...I feel 100% at peace. It's like the words come from somewhere else entirely sometimes. There are huge sections of storie that I barely remember writing at all. Hehehe, seriously! You write when you're stoned too? When I do that, the story lines are usually interesting but there's a lot more editing to do. I'd have to say that I'm more a fan of my editor(s) I have a few times gone back and read stories I wrote some time ago. Yes, I enjoyed them (to the extent that I stayed up way too long), but I also admired how much smoother the published stories are than the original drafts. I love my stories (well, most of them), but they wouldn't be as good without the thorough job my editors do. Unlike some editors, the guys I get editing my stories will rewrite sentences to make them clearer and more concise. They don't change the story itself, but they make a dramatic improvement on delivery, and delivery is important if a story is to be liked. Speaking of editing....I couldn't agree with you more. When I talk of "my" work, I'm thinking "our" work. I get nailed for relatively few plot inconsistencies, and the reason for that is my team. I make them all the time, those nasty errors, but they catch them. They are the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comicality Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 Hahaha @ Mark! I do NOT write stoned! Although I have been known to take more than a few sips of alcohol during some late night marathon writing splurges! Hehehe, but the whole alcoholic writer thing is so cliche at this point. I think Mark Twain cornered the market on that one. ((Hugz)) Kiwi! You don't need writing classes, dude. I like your stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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