I’m interested in getting your thoughts about stuff I see and hear, quotes I read, stuff that passes as knowledge – and starting an authorey conversation.
Huge. It’s almost imperceptible how important this is. This is voice. This is ‘tude. This is greatness. This is that quality people can’t quite explain that makes a writing unique, and we all have it, but it does take practice for it to work, just like a great actor or comic or sculptor or painter, the working on the craft is also what makes it, but knowing your way of saying things, and that you do have a unique way, is special.
It’s how you write when you’re not trying.
Dan Alatorre 
You’re making me THINK! (how dare you LOL) ….
How I write when I’m not trying? I’m living the story then describing it. I’m seeing it play out in my mind, then writing it down. I’m not “trying” …. it’s more like CHOOSING to open the flap on the vacuum tube and allowing myself to get sucked in, knowing that I’ll have no choice but to put it down on paper unless I want to feel on edge and unfulfilled until I do.
When I “try” it’s torture…. like “trying” to write a synopsis (what I’m dealing with now and getting nowhere!)
Anyway, that’s what I think :o)
Hope to see you at Saturday’s book signing at the Carrollwood Book Swap!
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I will be there!
I keep thinking there is a formula for coming up with a synopsis, a series of 20 or 30 questions you can ask in those answers drop into a format or template that spits out a winning synopsis every time.
In fact, that might be one of our writing contest sometime. We need that.
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I’m actually looking at one now that I came across, at http://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/how-to-write-a-synopsis.html#
Hopefully it will give me a push and “un-blow” my mind from considering condensing 400+ pages into 1-2!
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Whatever works, right?
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This I totally agree on. Anything works if said with the right voice and words.
By the way, I have some primo property in the Everglades for sale. I’m telling you first. You interested?
🙂
E6
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Totally. It was all in the way you said it.
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Like the song says… “It ain’t what you look like, when you’re doing what you’re doing. It’s what you’re doing when you’re doing what you look like you’re doing. Express yourself!”
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I agree but I did not follow that at all…
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This reminds me of a writer’s tone and voice. It is abolsutely true in my opinion.
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Tone is crucial. I think its spills over into the reader’s understanding of the story.
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I totally agree.
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Awesome. Thanks.
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Thank you for this piece.
I love the idea of not trying. It’s what happens when I sit on my old, faded red sofa under the window in my bedroom and let words fall from my fingers onto my little ipad. I then wipe around the edges and send it off into cyberspace on my blog.
However, I am also working on a project to put together a book about being married, which just isn’t coming. It is so much harder than my blog. It feels horribly like trying. So much so that I stop trying and start blogging again.
Will writing the book ever become as easy or as fun as writing the blog?
Juliet Young
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Oh, writing the books is SO much more fun!
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I had too much to say on this topic so I wrote my own post and linked back to this one. https://allisonmaruska.com/2017/05/18/whats-more-important-content-or-style/
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Nice!
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Absolute truth! 🙂
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Yep.
I wish more new authors would just write in their own voice instead of trying to imitate somebody else. It would shave two years after learning curve!
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You’re so right Dan. But there are many writers who struggle with finding that voice. We are blessed. 🙂
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They’re everywhere.
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I think The Maltese Falcon is proof of this. They made three film adaptations before they finally ended up with one that was a hit, because the other two simply failed to handle the same material as well.
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Great example!
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