On Writing
Warning: A rambling and somewhat personal post follows…
Some readers of this blog may be aware that I dabble in fiction writing, among other interests. In the past year, I’ve tried my hand at writing a novel, but given up. I don’t think I’m ready yet, and it certainly needs a lot more discipline that what I bring to it now. What I have been working on though is short stories. And, I have been working consciously on improving them - not just writing a story as it takes my fancy (as I used to), but writing more thoughtfully, paying attention to the language, to the characters. Yet, I would not place myself in the category of highly innovative or experimentative writers. No modesty here, just an awareness that I tend more towards a classical style and am still in favour of a good story told well even if the narrative is not earth-shattering.
I’ve never made any serious attempts to get published, partly because I don’t yet have a large enough body of work and partly because I’m too lazy to do what a friend calls ‘the incremental route’, i.e. submit to contests and anthologies, start getting in your leg slowly and hope to get noticed. Frankly, that is a lot of work, and it’s something I haven’t been very focused on.
In some ways, I haven’t actually thought too much about getting published. I have been sharing my work with a few good friends who’ve really enjoyed it, and that, along with the process of writing itself, has been a delight. So, yes, even if I were never to be published, I’m not likely to kill myself.
Yet, a few days ago, I’d sent a sample to someone who is familiar with the publishing industry and this person got back to me in five minutes flat, saying that he thought it was unlikely the work would find a market, because it was just too plain and old-fashioned. In all truth, my heart sank.
While I haven’t been really focused or even enthusiastic about getting published, the thought that it could never be, still felt depressing. When I really thought about it, it wasn’t even so much about the not getting published bit - it was the feedback that my style was too plain and old-fashioned. Nobody wants to hear that of course!
On the other hand, as I spoke to another fellow-writer, surely there is space for different kinds of writing. And while ‘big publishers’ may only look at the next big avante-garde thing, surely there must be people around who are interested in the ordinary lives, the story of everyman and everywoman well told? While I want to keep improving my writing, I don’t want to transform it into something that doesn’t come naturally to me, for the sake of what the market wants. My work tends to be spare and the language doesn’t particularly stand out, but I like to think that the stories do capture something of the essence of people’s lives, especially lives that look ordinary on the surface.
The one thing about feedback of this sort though, is that it forces you to take a close and hard look at your work. I’ve been doing that for the last few days and I’m not vain enough to suppose that there isn’t plenty of room for improvement. Description and setting, for instance, continues to be a weak spot for me. So, back to the writing desk it is, I guess!
p.s: An interesting discussion on short stories here, over at Lotus’ blog.
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You are right in thinking that “……….the stories do capture something of the essence of people’s lives, especially lives that look ordinary on the surface.”
So i will be there to buy your book whenever
till then i look forward to them on the blog or on mail. . .
‘Old-fashioned’ - now that’s an adjective I never thought I’d hear associated with writing. The kind of response you seem to’ve got for your writing does not sound terribly professional.
Art, thanks for the encouragement!
Ammani, nice seeing you after ages… Though the choice of word may be peculiar, this person is fairly conversant with the industry as it is today…I think what he meant was that it didn’t have any “tricks”!
Apu, sad though isn’t it? That what is deemed ‘good’ or ‘pubishable’ should rely on gimmicks.
Have been visiting regularly.
*publishable
“My work tends to be spare and the language doesn’t particularly stand out…”
actually that simplicity will make you stand out.
You have good control over langguage and making the flow happen in the whatever you are saying….Langguage does not have to ornamented….it should be something which touches heart and not brain….I think you will be great! Go for it!
Ammani, yes, but I think it has become a market like any other…
Ananmika - thank you for the good words….I do post some of my work here from time to time and then you can decide
@apu
looking forward to it….
I was equally upset when my own daughter said that my writing centred around good people and out of the world characters and was therefore boring.’No spice- no readers’ she declared. so I worked on including an imaginary villain character into my writing and failed miserably.i think we all have our style and even if no one reads our work we should enjoy writing it.