There are lots and lots of writing “help” websites out there. Some have useful advice and others are just discussions made by those of us lost in the fast-changing world of publishing. Blind leading the blind.
One of my social networks hosts a group for writers that I joined some time ago. Like most social networks I have very little time actually to spend on the site—I wouldn’t get any writing done if I put time into website browsing. Nevertheless, when a topic of importance comes up I read a little.
The other day a contributor asked my perennial question: how do you know if your writing is good? Those of us who are introspective ask that constantly. We know the inherent paradox—we like our own writing, but we’re not objective readers, are we?
Like most writers I write something and love it. Then I hate it. Then I’m not sure. Some of the responses to this post reflected that. Most wanted to give advice, and frankly, unless you’re a famous writer what can you say?
What bothered me the most was a post from a reader—a man—who said something along the lines of “if you doubt your own work you’re not a writer.” I despise this kind of military answer to what is a peaceful enterprise. I don’t have that much testosterone.
Introspective people think about writing from many different angles. I’m often not sure if what I’ve written is funny, scary, or moving. I know it is to me, but will others see it that way?
For Banned Book Week I read Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence. It is now considered a classic. The writing isn’t what I expected for a classic, craft-wise. The sex scenes are infamous, but not strongly appealing. I’m sure Lawrence thought they were.
The writer is her or his own worst critic and reader. We approach writing introspectively, wondering if others see what we see. There’s no way to answer my social network writer’s question. It’s part of the complexity we call writing.
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