The Place For My Writers Notes

Original posting 29 December 2008

Lessons from an agent

Writer's Digest, February 2005, pages 38 to 40 have an article by Laurie Fox. She's a literary agent, and also a writer. In the article, she reflects on lessons that she's learned from working both sides of the field. Here's the six points:

1. Be a tough critic. You need to be able to identify and articulate what's not working in a story. "Overreliance on dialogue (or description or plotting), cliched or underdeveloped characters, monotonous syntax, dull language, or an absence of emotion or drama." You need to be able to pinpoint the weaknesses, spot them in your work, and correct them.
2. Announce your writing schedule to the world and enforce it. Whatever your quota or writing time is, be ruthless about doing it and getting back to it when you slip. Keep at it -- Laurie talks about four years to write her first draft.
3. Distance your writing from your day job. One way or another, you need to have emotional separation between your day job your writing. It doesn't have to be a writing asylum on the other side of the world, but you need enough distance to focus.
4. Embrace revision. "Fiction manuscripts require an average of two (sometimes radical) revisions, which can take months or even years, followed by a purely cosmetic rewrite."
5. Enlist the help of experts. You need experts in writing and editing, and in your subject, to really make the best story you can. You don't have to take it every suggestion, but think about what they're saying.
6. Remember why you write. Regularly, focus on what writing means to you. Publishing is an exercise in endurance, and you need to keep your goals in mind. "By sharing your work, you give it away to the world."

Kind of interesting. In a sense, these might be your New Year's resolutions? I'm going to set myself this quota, and work on it over here. I'm going to learn to identify problems in my writing, do the revision to make it better, and get expert advice on what needs to be done. Last but not least, I'm gonna remember that it's the process of building the story, of making the discoveries and enjoying working with the words, that are at the heart of writing for me. Not the money (hah!) or the fame (double-hah!).

Something like that at least.

And it's one for the money, two to get ready, and . . .