WRITING BUG BEARS
Seeing something published that’s full of grammatical errors. It does happen. The odd typo happens to every writer but grammar? We should know better, yes? I dislike the fact there are far fewer editors out there going through scripts and novels before publication. Who ever thinks having a decent editor is a luxury? For a good book, having one is crucial, fictional or otherwise. I like to think of a good editor as being an author’s best friend. No author spots every error in their work and your editor should act as a second pair of eyes.
Anybody who dismisses writing as “easy”. They’ve inevitably not written anything! Short stories being considered the poor relation to the novel for “worthiness”. Both are worthy. Both have their disciplines, joys and problems. Both, when written well, should haunt you. Anyone who says they’d write if only they had the time. You make the time, even if it is ten minutes a day! Those ten minutes and your notes in that time do add up. Anyone who doesn’t understand the commitment “real” writers show. Those of us who want to write get on and do it.
Sometimes struggling to come out with the words is frustrating but what is worse is coming out with loads of good ideas and not having enough time at the time to get them all on paper before I forget them! The internet is a curse and a blessing for writers in terms of research, blogs and writing sites. Great for information and inspiration, it is too easy to spend too much time on them and not on the writing!
Wishing you could get several brilliant stories written and out at once! Not enough markets for short stories though I welcome the likes of Bridge House trying to change that. Not having enough middle aged heroes, folk with experience of life, leading books, films and so on. It’s always the young and glamorous. I want to see the middle aged and glamorous! (I confess I am one of those two qualities but modesty forbids me from saying which one!!!!)
When a certain style of novel becomes popular, you can bet there will be loads of copies shortly afterwards to jump on the bandwagon. Novels should be an individual, joyous, thrilling experience regardless of genre. Copy cat novels contribute what to literature exactly?!!!! Whilst not wishing to do down Mills and Boon and other romantic publishers, I’d like to see novels focusing on other relationships, not just the romantic or sexual one. This is partly because I write about a mother and daughter so I admit I’m not unbiased but there are so many other things to write about. Aren’t there? It isn’t just me is it?!!!!
I get tired of the literary versus commercial novel debate. There’s room for both. All novels should contribute something whether it is to make people laugh, think, cry or whatever. The literary brigade need to accept the commercial lot are necessary to subsidize them. The commercial lot need to accept the literary brigade raise the standards of English literature which should have a knock-on positive effect on all. There has been an increasing tendency recently to have literary novels that are also commercially successful. Long may that continue. I’ve a grave distrust of “barriers”. Don’t all writers want to contribute something positive to this wonderful language of ours?