A couple weeks ago, I blogged (some might call it more whining than blogging) about deadlines and the challenges of finishing a book that’s due to my publisher on October 15. I’m glad to say the book is done. Mostly. (Mostly done that is, not mostly glad. I’m fully glad.)
With the creative part of the work done, I’m now wearing my editor hat, and it got me thinking about how many different talents are needed to complete a book. Think most writers are total flakes who let their muses take over and their fingers just fly over the keyboard? Think again! There’s:
The logical writer who plots a book, decides what characters best serve his/her story, figures out how long chapters need to be, and where the story itself should begin and end.
The disciplined writer who sits down every day and works though there are plenty of distractions and lots of other things that need to get done.
The creative writer who dreams up the dialogue that comes from characters’ mouths, and the twists and turns that keep readers interested.
The adaptable writer who recognizes mis-steps and goes back to correct them before they erupt into un-fixable story problems.
The editor/writer who reads it all over at the end, tweaks, changes, makes lists of things that should be checked and fixed, adds more description when it’s needed and chops words unmercifully when they are fluff.
I’m at the last stage now, and closing in fast on being
The happy writer who attaches my manuscript to an email to my editor and hits the wonderful send button.
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And that’s why there are so many people who have a book inside them, but never let it out. It is truly work to write a book. No complaints…but it is work!
by Don
on October 8th, 2008 at 3:29 am
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Most professional people/positions out there do the very same thing with their talents.
A surgeon probably needs to step through an entire maze of things even before the first cut….and then there’s that mess that needs to be controled.
Work is work. Talented people like writers do their jobs so well that its hard to see them working.
Zz
by Zorro
on October 8th, 2008 at 5:20 am
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I love how you’ve divided these, Casey. I think I’m each of these at different stages in the writing. There also the “panicked writer” who isn’t sure a deadline will be met! : )
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Ah yes, I should have included the panicked writer! I SO recognize that one! And Don’t right, people talk about writing. They think it’s some easy, magical process, that you sit down at the computer and somehow, the words just flow. Then they find out it’s work. Hard work. Three cheers for all of us who slog through!!!
by Casey
on October 8th, 2008 at 7:40 am
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As Don said, I’ve met a lot of people who tell me about a book they want to write — but there have been a few who actually HAVE written a book. I may not know how good it is, but I always congratulate them on their accomplishment — because whether or not the book is any good they’ve at least done it!
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You’ve got that right, Judy! I’m always amazed how the really good writers make writing a book look really easy. You breeze through their prose. Then you hear them speak and they talk about how it took months to write what it just took you a couple days to read. That’s the sign of a real pro!
by Casey
on October 8th, 2008 at 11:49 am
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Can’t wait to read your next book. I have been waiting what feels like a long time but I know it will be worth it. Thanks for the great reads
by Dawn
on October 11th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
