Mark Twain Said It Best
Another great quote:
There are some books that refuse to be written. They stand their ground year after year and will not be persuaded. It isn't because the book is not there and worth being written -- it is only because the right form of the story does not present itself. There is only one right form for a story and if you fail to find that form the story will not tell itself.
I don't know about you all, but this is so true for me. I've shared before that the first line of THE ROOFER was a line I wrote when I was 16 or 17. My first instinct was to look at the corpse. And that line was inserted in multiple beginnings of multiple short stories, none of which I finished. Then, the right novel, the right story came along, and the book flowed from the first line to the last.
I have dozens of unfinished works on my computer. Books and stories that REFUSE to be written. Oh, I can wrestle with them and try. But in the end, I am defeated. Which is not to say defeat is forever. It's only until the right form presents itself, and the I usually wonder why it was so hard for so long.
Anyone else have this experience?
Peace,
E
P.S. And . . . . SPY wins the the copy of BLOOD SON. Email me at my "Contact Me" with your address and I'll mail it off. Karmela was a very close second, but Spy . . . your tale showed true dedication. ;-)
There are some books that refuse to be written. They stand their ground year after year and will not be persuaded. It isn't because the book is not there and worth being written -- it is only because the right form of the story does not present itself. There is only one right form for a story and if you fail to find that form the story will not tell itself.
I don't know about you all, but this is so true for me. I've shared before that the first line of THE ROOFER was a line I wrote when I was 16 or 17. My first instinct was to look at the corpse. And that line was inserted in multiple beginnings of multiple short stories, none of which I finished. Then, the right novel, the right story came along, and the book flowed from the first line to the last.
I have dozens of unfinished works on my computer. Books and stories that REFUSE to be written. Oh, I can wrestle with them and try. But in the end, I am defeated. Which is not to say defeat is forever. It's only until the right form presents itself, and the I usually wonder why it was so hard for so long.
Anyone else have this experience?
Peace,
E
P.S. And . . . . SPY wins the the copy of BLOOD SON. Email me at my "Contact Me" with your address and I'll mail it off. Karmela was a very close second, but Spy . . . your tale showed true dedication. ;-)
Labels: Mark Twain, unfinished works
posted by Erica Orloff at 8:12 AM
7 Comments:
Hi Erica,
Yes, this happens to me. In fact I wrestle with a new wip every first few months, and then I wonder how I finished the book before this one. haha. It's a strange routine. :) :)
kelly:
Ahh, the punishment we put ourselves through!!! I picture wrestling like with an alligator.
E
I have quite a few paritally done manuscripts on my computer. I get to the stage when I think this is tooooo hard, and it's crap. So, I leave it.
sara:
I do, too. Then, I come back to it. It might be a while. Like Twain said . . . I'm usually waiting for the right form to tell the story.
I have a folder on my computer full of stories like that. I get about three thousand to five thousand words in, then realise there's nothing more to come. I might have a pretty opening, but there's no book there.
naomi:
I have definitely had the curse of the pretty opening more than a few times.
E
So reassuring to hear there are other hard drives and other binders cluttered with the brilliant beginnings of what may or may not become brilliant novels. It does seem that the ones that simply need to percolate for a while will do that and the ones whose job it was to just keep the mind going when there was nothing else to occupy have served honorably too. And then there are the ones that are a bit like compost piles out of which sometimes grow unexpected new ideas.
I hope you are doing well, Erica.
Best,
Alan
Post a Comment
<< Home