Tag Archives: Voice

Malcolm Gladwell on “The 10,000-Hour Rule” in OUTLIERS: THE STORY OF SUCCESS

Posted on April 25, 2010 | 1 Comment

I just finished Malcolm Gladwell’s OUTLIERS: THE STORY OF SUCCESS after buying it few days ago.  I’d intended to just read a chapter a week, but instead I raced through it, unwilling to stop.  There were so many “Aha!” moments that I had to keep on going until I finished the entire thing.

For this post, I’m just going to focus on a chapter critical to new writers, Chapter 2, “The 10,000-Hour Rule.”   This chapter clarified something that I’ve been noticing subconsciously in the successful fiction writers I’ve been met over the past few years.  And by successful I mean fiction writers with over 15+ years of being published, who make a living at their fiction writing.   It also ties in with Bradbury’s advice in ZEN AND THE ART OF WRITING about writing 1,000-2,000 words/day.

Here’s what I consider a critical quote to consider:

The striking thing about Ericsson’s study is that he and his colleagues couldn’t find any “naturals,” musicians who floated effortlessly to the top while practicing a fraction of the time their peers did.  Nor could they find any “grinds,” people who worked harder than everyone else, yet just didn’t have what it takes to break the top ranks.  Their research suggests that once a musician has enough ability to get into a top music school, the thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard he or she works.”

When I read this paragraph, I got excited.   It means that even if I never sell what I’m currently working on (or the past works I wrote), the experience counts.    It’s not wasted effort–as long as I set a goal with each piece to practice a writing skill like setting, characterization, POV, plot, etc.

Another key point:

…researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise:  ten thousand hours.

This ties in with Bradbury (and other writers’ ) urging to practice 1,000-2,000 words/day, six-seven days a week.   Like any other art form, there are hours of practice to be put in to get adept at fiction writing.

So to rack up those hours, if one worked 20 hour/week for 50 weeks a year, one would hit 10,000 hours in 10 years.

Feeling restless?  Then go up to 30 hour/week for 50 weeks a year, and one hits 10,000 hours in about 6.7 years.

And so 40 hour/week for 50 weeks a year will get one to 10,000 hours in 5 years.

Crunching these numbers explained to me why I’ve felt driven (to the point of obsession) lately to free up more writing time.  I didn’t know about the 10,000-hour rule, but I knew I wanted to devote more time to writing each day.   Now I know what’s fueling this driven itchy feeling I get when I don’t get my daily writing time in.

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Posted in Craft of writing, Learning the craft of writing, Psychology of writing, Voice

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Ray Bradbury’s ZEN IN THE ART OF WRITING

Posted on February 8, 2010 | Comments Off

The strength of Ray Bradbury’s ZEN IN THE ART OF WRITING: ESSAYS ON CREATIVITY is the insight he provides into the art and psychology of being a writer.  This is not a how-to-write or how-to-get-published book, and if you go into it with those expectations you will be disappointed.

Bradbury talks about his own journey as an artist, and provides advice on how to keep the writing muse alive and happy.  Whenever I feel blah as a writer, I find picking up this book and reading an essay or two shakes me out of it quickly.  Here’s what he has to say about the joy of writing:

…if you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, without fun, you are only half a writer.  It means you are so busy keeping one eye on the commercial market, or one ear peeled for the avant-garde coterie, that you are not being yourself.  You don’t even know yourself.  For the first thing a writer should be is–excited.

He also makes the best argument I’ve read (and I’ve read way too many writing craft books) for why it’s important to write a thousand words per day:

Quantity gives experience.  From experience alone can quality come.

All arts, big and small, are the elimination of waste motion in favor of  the concise declaration.

The artist learns what to leave out.

The surgeon knows how to go directly to the source of trouble, how to avoid wasted time and complications.

The athlete learns how to conserve power and apply it now here, now there, how to utilize this muscle, rather than that.

Is the writer different?  I think not.

Bradbury also provides wonderful advice for brainstorming story ideas, but you’ll have to read the book to find out about that (look for the essay “Run Fast, Stand Still…”).

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Posted in Craft of writing, Learning the craft of writing, Psychology of writing, Voice

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National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

Posted on November 4, 2009 | Comments Off

It’s National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo.  If you have writer’s block or trouble with an internal editor voice that interferes with your writing a first draft, this month-long activity can be a fun way to deal with it.

Participants are encouraged to write 50,000 words or more in one month.

Out of curiosity I went to the website to see if one can register after November 1st, and registration is open.   So if you want to try it this year, you still can.

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Posted in Craft of writing, Learning the craft of writing, Psychology of writing, Voice, Writer's block

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Janet and Isaac Asimov on HOW TO ENJOY WRITING

Posted on July 18, 2009 | Comments Off

I stumbled across a hardback edition of Janet and Isaac Asimov’s HOW TO ENJOY WRITING: A BOOK OF AID AND COMFORT (published 1987) at a used bookstore.  The book is out-of-print, so you’ll have to buy a used copy or go to a library if you wish to read it.

This book is not written for beginners.  It does not discuss how to write science fiction or how to get published.  Readers will get more out of it if they’ve been writing for a few years and have a basic understanding of the publishing industry.  Janet Asimov chooses to focus on the psychological aspects of writing (which makes sense since she was trained in psychiatry).   The writing style of the book reminds me of long rambling talks with a favorite academic adviser.  If you don’t enjoy chatty talks, you’ll probably get restless reading this book.

Despite having read many books on writing, I found fresh insights in Chapter 3:  Coping, Ch. 5 : What Writers Go Through, Ch. 8: Words vs. Pictures, and Ch. 16: Integrity.  Here’s some advice Isaac Asimov gave a young writer from Ch. 3:

And most of all, to be a writer means to write whether there is any reward or not.   That is why a writer finds it so difficult to overcome the feeling of annoyance at any interference with his writing whether from a friend, from an editor, or even a person whom he loves above all else….

Write for the pleasure of writing only, and never think of whether of what you write is “good” or “bad.”  Do you wonder whether the echo of your footsteps is good or bad, whether the blink of your eye is good or bad?  Writing is a bodily function for a writer and it is what it is.

It may be wise to give up the illusion of being a famous writer, a renowned writer–but it is never an illusion to think of being just a writer….

ISAAC  (at the top of his voice):  Please don’t help me!  Happiness is doing it lousy yourself.

For over a century, the publishing industry has debated if books will disappear due to each new development in the entertainment industry (vaudeville, radio, movies, VCRs, video games, internet, etc.).  In Ch. 8 Words vs. Pictures, Isaac Asimov talks about this debate in depth.  Even though the chapter is over twenty years old, he brings valuable insights to share about writing as a form of communication in human history: 1) writing has been around for thousands of years and still provides a way to get certain information across that no other form can, and 2) the percentage of humans who are intense readers has been, and probably always will be, small–but those readers are loyal.  I’d rather not summarize his arguments here; better to go read the chapter to get his thoughts straight from him.

Their book also has cartoons about writing done by Sidney Harris.  My favorite is the one about Hemingway’s dog meeting Faulkner’s dog.  :)

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Posted in Business of writing, Craft of writing, Editors, Ethics, Psychology of writing, Voice, Writer's block

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Scott McCloud’s MAKING COMICS

Posted on April 1, 2009 | Comments Off

Even though I don’t write for comics, reading Scott McCloud’s MAKING COMICS: STORYTELLING SECRETS OF COMICS, MANGA AND GRAPHIC NOVELS (ISBN 0-06-078094-0) was a joy.  I can see why it won the Quill Award in 2006 for best graphic novel, and is becoming a “must read” classroom text for those entering this field.

Sometimes the best way to approach our own medium with fresh eyes is to explore the mediums of others.  McCloud goes into great depth about the issues and artistic challenges of planning, framing, drawing, inking, and finishing a comic.   He also discusses writing for comics, though mostly in the context of how words and pictures can interact in different ways to tell a story.

People who want to write picture books could get a lot out of reading this graphic novel.  He discusses in Chapter 3 (The Power of Words) mistakes made by writers and artists when they try to collaborate on a work, and I’ve seen the same problems crop up between writers and illustrators on picture book projects.

Reading this also reminded me that whatever the artistic field one is in, there are always difficulties with craft, voice, storytelling, and interpretation.  Writing is not the only field with “literary” pitted against “commercial.”   I’d like to quote from Chapter Six where McCloud talks about voice since this issue is universal for all artists:

If I had the good sense to write an ordinary how-to book, this would be the chapter where I explain how to “choose a style that’s right for you.”

But style isn’t really something you can choose off-the-shelf like a scarf or a pair of socks.  Its roots go deeper than that.  And you don’t always “choose” your style.   Sometimes it chooses YOU.

“Style” usually describes surface details like line quality, a way of drawing faces or one’s use of dialogue.  But mannerisms like that are just byproducts of artists’ attempt to present the world as they see it–and to capture the aspects of comics that may have captivated them as readers.

Behind that struggle lies their fundamental outlook on life and art–a statement of their passions and priorities–an echo of the times and places they’ve come from–and a signpost to where they want their chosen art form to take them.

Lastly, I’d like to point out that the above quote leaves out important information because the pictures have been stripped away.  This is book that teaches by “show, don’t tell,” and so both pictures and text are needed to understand fully what is being taught.

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Posted in Business of writing, Craft of writing, Markets, Voice

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Elizabeth Berg’s ESCAPING INTO THE OPEN–A Great Beginner’s Guide to Writing

Posted on March 19, 2009 | Comments Off

Take a moment and try to remember how it felt when you decided you wanted to try writing fiction by yourself for the first time.   You don’t know anything about point-of-view, story and character arcs, acts and beats, query letters and synopses, etcetera.   You had no experience with conferences or critique groups.  Everything about fiction writing was new and strange.

Elizabeth Berg’s ESCAPING INTO THE OPEN: The Art of Writing True (ISBN 978-0-06-092929-9) is a great book for those making their first tottering steps on the road of writing.   It’s the book I recommend to people who’ve expressed an interest in doing fiction writing, but have no clue where to start.

What I love most about the book are the chapters on voice (Ch. 3 ), writing exercises (Ch. 4 ), and writing with passion (ch. 5).   The book gets the reader writing on a regular basis–which is half the battle right there, since writers must write in order to get better at their craft.  I’ve seen new writers get distracted in reading too many books and sitting in too many lectures, and not doing enough writing.  I’ve been guilty of getting distracted myself, and this book got me back on track.

If you’re a more experienced fiction writer, most of the book will be “old news” to you.  However, I think Ch. 3 & 4 & 5 still have advice and guidance useful to the semi-pro (which is probably why they’re my favorites).  Struggles with voice never go away.   Here’s a favorite quote from Ch. 3 In Your Own Words:

I believe that one of your most important jobs as a writer is to be true to yourself, to honor your own notions of what you believe is important to your life and to that of others….I’m sure you’ve heard, countless times, “Write what you know.”  I would change that to “Write what you love.”  The knowledge can be learned; the passion can’t be–it’s either there or it isn’t.

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Posted in Business of writing, Craft of writing, Editors, Markets, Psychology of writing, Publishers, Submissions block, Voice, Writer's block

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Dorothea Brande’s BECOMING A WRITER–helping writers overcome behavioral problems

Posted on September 19, 2008 | Comments Off

I found out about Dorothea Brande’s BECOMING A WRITER (ISBN 0-87477-164-1, published 1934, reprinted in 1981) the same way I did Ueland’s IF YOU WANT TO WRITE, by looking in the bibliography of Cameron’s THE ARTIST’S WAY.  And I’m so glad I did, for this book tackles several core behavioral problems that can plague writers.

The 1981 reprint also includes a forward by novelist and creative writing teacher John Gardner as a bonus. Here’s what he has to say about Brande’s book:

It’s an astonishing thing that Dorothea Brande’s Becoming A Writer should ever have fallen out of print, and a lucky thing it is now back in the light where it belongs.  The root problems of the writer, whether the writer is young or old, just starting out or much published, are no different today than in 1934….

Brande’s book is mostly about the psychology of writing, not the craft (except for finding one’s voice as a writer) or business side.  Her focus is to help the writer improve in productivity and originality.  To do that, she has the writer do numerous exercises, write morning pages, and practice meditation techniques.

Here’s a quote from Chapter Two, What Writers Are Like:

After you have begun to see what it is to be a writer, after you learn how the artist functions and also learn to act in the same way, after you have arranged your affairs and your relations so that they help you instead of hinder you on your way toward the goal you have chosen, those books on your shelves on the technique of fiction, or those others which set up models of prose style and story structure for emulation, will look quite different to you, and be infinitely more helpful.

This book, combined with Mundis’ BREAK WRITER’S BLOCK NOW, helped me this past spring to come up with a specific plan to conquer my submissions block problem once and for all.  Neither book mentions submissions block by name, but their techniques work for any sort of behavioral problem a writer is facing.

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Posted in Craft of writing, Psychology of writing, Submissions block, Voice, Writer's block

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A pep talk for writers – Brenda Ueland’s IF YOU WANT TO WRITE

Posted on September 5, 2008 | Comments Off

Writing a novel can feel like slogging across a continent barefoot.  Fatigue sets in, followed by despair (i.e. “It’ll never end.”; “What’s the point?”; “I suck.”).

For those times when I feel like stopping the trek from idea to finished manuscript, I now turn to Brenda Ueland’s IF YOU WANT TO WRITE: A BOOK ABOUT ART, INDEPENDENCE AND SPIRIT (ISBN 0-915308-94-0).  Originally published in 1938, the book explores the psychological and creative aspects of the writing process.  I went looking for a copy of this book this summer after reading a brief excerpt of it in Juila Cameron’s THE ARTIST’S WAY.

Ueland writes with verve and wit about the writing profession, and has much to say about the creative process as a writing teacher.  She also provides extensive quotes from William Blake and Vincent Van Gogh on their creative methods.

Reading her makes me feel like grabbing my laptop and writing then and there.

Here’s a quote from Chapter II:

I want to assure you with all earnestness, that no writing is a waste of time,–no creative work where the feelings, imagination, the intelligence must work.  With every sentence you write, you have learned something.  It has done you good.  It has stretched your understanding.

And for those struggling to find their “voice” as a writer, she has helpful advice to give in Chapter XI:

The only way to find your true self is by recklessness and freedom.  If you feel like a murderer for the time being, write like one.  In fact, when you are in a fury it is a wonderful time to write.  It will be brilliant,–provided you write about what you are furious at, and not some dutiful literary bilge.

Ueland had a successful career as freelance writer, and was knighted in Norway for her coverage of the treason trials of Vidkun Quisling.  A friend, Carl Sandburg, considered this the best book on writing when it came out in 1938.

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Posted in Craft of writing, History of writing, Psychology of writing, Submissions block, Voice, Writer's block

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