Comments on: Just Write the Story http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Mon, 21 May 2012 04:18:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Tami Veldura http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17909 Tami Veldura Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:46:47 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17909 Just write it. It's advice I've read, I've told, I've even managed to get my writing buddy to follow, and yet it's still very hard for me to do it myself. It's become something of a mantre when the internal editor pops in 'this isn't good enough' 'this will never sell' 'this is too much like xyz'! Just write the story. Just write it. Figure the other stuff out later, write the story first... Just write it. It’s advice I’ve read, I’ve told, I’ve even managed to get my writing buddy to follow, and yet it’s still very hard for me to do it myself. It’s become something of a mantre when the internal editor pops in ‘this isn’t good enough’ ‘this will never sell’ ‘this is too much like xyz’!

Just write the story. Just write it. Figure the other stuff out later, write the story first…

]]> By: Christophe Desmecht http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17911 Christophe Desmecht Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:46:39 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17911 I cannot agree more with the statement that you should not underestimate teens. Furthermore, I hope and pray more YA authors will write more interesting and challenging fiction. The mind-numbing must stop! (I have a few big commercial titles in mind which I will not mention, as I don't want to get "political") I cannot agree more with the statement that you should not underestimate teens. Furthermore, I hope and pray more YA authors will write more interesting and challenging fiction. The mind-numbing must stop! (I have a few big commercial titles in mind which I will not mention, as I don’t want to get “political”)

]]> By: Andie Mock http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17918 Andie Mock Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:54:42 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17918 Hi Randy - Right-brained, left-brained stuff has been pretty much left in the dust as being way over-stated. The brain doesn't really work that way. The process you describe in your interview as "visually picturing the solution and then coming up with the rational steps" is what a science-y book "The Imprinted Brain" would term as "mechanistic thinking" (which I have in spades) as opposed to "mentalistic thinking" which is all about intuitively knowing how people operate in herds and hierarchies. Stuff that is opaque to me comes easy as pie to my political theorist hubby who (poor thing) despite HIS fancy-pants PhD from Berkeley, doesn't have a single, systemic, just-do-it bone in his hunky body. This book explains why. Hi Randy -

Right-brained, left-brained stuff has been pretty much left in the dust as being way over-stated. The brain doesn’t really work that way.

The process you describe in your interview as “visually picturing the solution and then coming up with the rational steps” is what a science-y book “The Imprinted Brain” would term as “mechanistic thinking” (which I have in spades) as opposed to “mentalistic thinking” which is all about intuitively knowing how people operate in herds and hierarchies. Stuff that is opaque to me comes easy as pie to my political theorist hubby who (poor thing) despite HIS fancy-pants PhD from Berkeley, doesn’t have a single, systemic, just-do-it bone in his hunky body.

This book explains why.

]]> By: A J Hawke http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17921 A J Hawke Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:53:29 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17921 Great advice, Randy. I was getting myself tied up in knots over what might or might not be marketable a few years ago and a wise mentor pointed out to me that I was getting way too far ahead of myself. First write the story, the way you see it. Then think about who will want it. From about fourteen up I was reading more 'adult' books than YA as I was hungry to know the real life of adults. If it is a good story and well written, it will appeal to both YA and Adults. When I put well written I'm not talking Nobel prize, but well written to be read so as to lose oneself in the story and not notice the writing. That is another knot we tie ourselves up with that stiffles writing. So I can't write like whoever, but maybe I can tell a story. Go write your story Melina and then another and some day folks will read your stories. Great advice, Randy. I was getting myself tied up in knots over what might or might not be marketable a few years ago and a wise mentor pointed out to me that I was getting way too far ahead of myself. First write the story, the way you see it. Then think about who will want it. From about fourteen up I was reading more ‘adult’ books than YA as I was hungry to know the real life of adults. If it is a good story and well written, it will appeal to both YA and Adults. When I put well written I’m not talking Nobel prize, but well written to be read so as to lose oneself in the story and not notice the writing. That is another knot we tie ourselves up with that stiffles writing. So I can’t write like whoever, but maybe I can tell a story. Go write your story Melina and then another and some day folks will read your stories.

]]> By: Friday Free for All for April 1st, 2011 | T.N. Tobias http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17928 Friday Free for All for April 1st, 2011 | T.N. Tobias Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:35:28 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17928 [...] Just write the story. @ Advanced Fiction Writing Blog [...] […] Just write the story. @ Advanced Fiction Writing Blog […]

]]> By: Marjorie Reynolds http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17932 Marjorie Reynolds Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:50:09 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-17932 Years ago, I wrote a novel, THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN, that featured a 12-year-old protagonist but had an adult love triangle and other adult themes. A writing teacher at the time predicted I would never get it published because of the young protagonist. William Morrow released the hardcover edition and Berkley published two paperback editions. It sold to seven countries, and the American Library Association chose it as one of the 10 best books for young adults that year. It was optioned for film, named a Literary Guild alternate and chosen for Reader's Digest Select Editions and the Barnes & Noble Great New Writers program. To my surprise, HarperCollins recently notified me that a new trade paperback edition will be released this fall with a cover that appears to appeal to young adults. Melina, I would encourage to write the novel you want to write. Years ago, I wrote a novel, THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN, that featured a 12-year-old protagonist but had an adult love triangle and other adult themes. A writing teacher at the time predicted I would never get it published because of the young protagonist. William Morrow released the hardcover edition and Berkley published two paperback editions. It sold to seven countries, and the American Library Association chose it as one of the 10 best books for young adults that year. It was optioned for film, named a Literary Guild alternate and chosen for Reader’s Digest Select Editions and the Barnes & Noble Great New Writers program. To my surprise, HarperCollins recently notified me that a new trade paperback edition will be released this fall with a cover that appears to appeal to young adults. Melina, I would encourage to write the novel you want to write.

]]> By: Ruth Madison http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-18070 Ruth Madison Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:30:50 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/30/just-write-the-story/#comment-18070 Yes, teens can handle it, but will publishers think they can? That's the issue I came across. I wrote my story because I was driven to and when I finished it, finding a publisher was...I don't want to say impossible, and of course it's always hard. Just be prepared for them to tell you that it's too "serious" for young adult and not "serious" enough for adult! That's the crack that I fell into. Yes, teens can handle it, but will publishers think they can? That’s the issue I came across. I wrote my story because I was driven to and when I finished it, finding a publisher was…I don’t want to say impossible, and of course it’s always hard. Just be prepared for them to tell you that it’s too “serious” for young adult and not “serious” enough for adult! That’s the crack that I fell into.

]]>