In today’s Journal
* Quotes of the Day
* Topic: A Primer on Learning to Write Fiction
* The Numbers
Quotes of the Day
“Those that know, do; those that understand, teach.” Aristotle
“We can know something without understanding it. But what a difference it makes when we do understand; when the subject in hand isn’t something that we know a few facts about, but we have personal experience of what that feels like.” John Dsouza
“Resident Writing Coach — [name redacted] has been a freelance editor and reader for literary agent [name of agent and agency redacted] for over five years. In conjunction with [name redacted], she offers developmental editing, author coaching, and more.” quoted from a website offering writer services
Topic: A Primer on Learning to Write Fiction
In the third quote of the day above, notice that no mention is made of any actual writing accomplished by [name redacted]. The internet is replete with sites like that one.
Yet this particular person also does “developmental editing,” meaning that for a fee, s/he will help you develop the story that’s in your mind. How insane is that?
So here are a few quick thoughts on learning to write fiction.
1. Learn — But learn from those who know and understand. Guard your greatest commodity — time — jealously. Realize there’s a point of diminishing returns in writing advice.
A. If you read a million words of fiction by a beginning (Stage 1, 2, or early 3) fiction writer, chances are you will learn nothing valuable about writing or storytelling. Read and enjoy, but don’t study.
B. If you read a million words of nonfiction by a beginning fiction writer (or someone who doesn’t write fiction at all), you might pick up a gem or two. Maybe. And chances are, the beginning writer himself won’t even realize he wrote it, definitely won’t understand it, and it will most often be advice that he himself doesn’t follow. Or she herself.
C. If you read a million words of fiction by an advanced (Stage upper-4 or 5) fiction writer, chances are you’ll learn a great deal about storytelling if you’re advanced enough in the craft to recognize it when you see it. But either way, your subconscious will absorb information about structure, description, etc.
D. And if you read ANY nonfiction by an advanced, experienced fiction writer, hang on every word.
2. Practice — Write fiction at every opportunity.
A. Write an opening every time an idea (character with a problem in a setting) occurs to you. If it runs, write the short story. If it keeps running (as happened to me recently), run with it and write the novella or novel.
B1. If you’re bent that way, write every time you have a 15-minute time period free. That’s another 250 words.
B2. If you aren’t bent that way, write every time you have a half-hour free.
C. If you trust yourself and write into the dark, You can easily write a story opening in a half-hour.
D. Don’t worry about leaving the story opening alone for awhile if you have to. If it’s going to run to a story or novella or novel, it will still run when you get back to it. And chances are, you’ll be anxious to get back to it.
E. And if you’ve already written and surpassed the opening, keep coming back. If you have a half-hour (and trust yourself, etc.) that’s another 500 words. If you have an hour, that’s another 1000 words or a scene.
If you’re a fiction writer, or if you want to be a fiction writer, write. And never trust medical instruction from a plumber or plumbing instruction from a doctor.
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
See “Write to Done” at https://writetodone.com/. Click the Fiction menu item. Some of you might find this helpful.
See “Bail, Bond, or Get Out of Jail Free” at https://leelofland.com/bail-bond-or-get-out-of-jail-free/.
See “Scamming the Scammers” at https://killzoneblog.com/2021/02/scamming-the-scammers.html.
The Numbers
The Journal…………………………………… 650 words
Writing of How “Best” Is Defined (novel, tentative title)
Words brought forward……………………………………………… 6997
Day 1…… 5644 words. Total words to date…… 12641
Day 2…… 5799 words. Total words to date…… 18440
Total fiction words for February……… 38556
Total fiction words for the year………… 136033
Total nonfiction words for February… 8820
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 34150
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 170183
Calendar Year 2021 Novels to Date…………………… 2
Calendar Year 2021 Novellas to Date……………… X
Calendar Year 2021 Short Stories to Date… 1
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 56
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 8
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 215
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31
Heinlein’s Rule #1? 😉
And you know that. 🙂