I think it was Thomas Edison who said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. I'm by no means a genius, but I can definitely apply this percentage to my writing. My books are definitely 1% Aha! moments and 99% white-knuckling and teeth-gritting to get the damn book done. In other words, writing is WORK.
And yes, this surprised me. It really did, once I got serious and decided that I wanted to see my name in print. I didn't find it hard as a kid, writing bad poetry that my teachers peppered with little gold stars. I didn't find it hard in high school, where I had copious amounts of angst to fuel my inspiration. Writing got hard once I grew up. Once I started thinking about publishing. Once I realized I'd have to make sacrifices for it (like time, money, energy).
I'm not one of those writers who gets a ton of ideas. I envy my writer friends, some of whom carry around notebooks because they so get so many ideas for stories, they can't possibly keep track of them if they're not written down. Stephen King once said that he's happy if he's three story ideas ahead.
THREE ideas ahead? Guys, I'm thrilled if I have ONE idea RIGHT NOW. Seriously, I'm lucky if I get one decent idea a year. Maybe I'm not a very inspired person, but ideas don't magically appear to me. I don't have a muse. I don't write as if possessed by a higher power. I have to think up an idea, start writing it, and hope like hell it turns into something worth reading. Most of the time, it doesn't.
What I do have going for me is that I'm stubborn and I'm task-oriented. I know that when an idea starts to take shape, I'd better milk it for all its worth, because unlike buses, trains, and fish in the sea, there really isn't more where that came from. And this is where the perspiration part comes in. I've written 75,000 words for my current work-in-progress and I started in mid-August. Not too shabby, right? But what you don't know is that I started this book three times before over a period of eight months. And all three times, it fizzled around 25,000 words. That's a lot of writing that went nowhere. I wish I could say it was okay and that those three attempts paved the way for this draft to take off, but I don't think so. Sometimes wasted words are just wasted words.
What about you? What's your percentage? 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration? 50/50? 100% one way or the other?
8 comments:
I'm one of those people who has a gazillion ideas so my biggest problem can be focus which is why I like to lay out my story from start to finish before I ever start writing it. Some things may change along the way, but my beginning and ending are always cemented in my head. My inspiration/perspiration ratio changes each project. I'd say my last book was probably 40/60 while what I'm working on now (which is its sequel) is currently at 5/95.
Great post, Jenny! For me it just totally depends. I worry terribly about not having enough ideas, but just in the last year and half I've had five solid ones (not all of them developed fully, but there's no hurry). After the idea takes hold, though, the perspiration begins. An idea is just that - an idea. Premises don't sell books. Memorable characters and fantastic stories do and sweating them onto paper is my process for sure!
I think I'm going to seriously consider outlining my next project. If I'm sweating all the way through a first draft anyway, I might as well know where the hell I'm going.
I could not write without an outline. I think outlining is what minimizes the pespiration.
Behind every page devoted to a memorable character, scene, or plot event is a ten gallon bucket filled with the author's blood, sweat, and fear. I have dozens of stories on a string, but lack final products. From my vantage point, one idea laboriously carved out of tough granite is better than a hundred sketches of great masterpieces. Consider it a labor of tough love.
Separate Note: Greetings to the Killer Chicks! I am neither a killer nor a chick, therefore I lack common ground with you save for the inspiring acquaintance of Jennifer Hillier.
Write on! G3
Brian: Welcome! We don't get too many guys here so I hope you stick around. You're right, no outline = lots of sweat. Which is why I'm going to attempt to jump to the other side with my next book (whenever that may be -- remember, I only get one decent idea a year!)
G3: Even though we've confirmed your boy-ness, we're still thrilled to have you. So yay!
(p.s. Send some of your current inspiration my way, please...)
Well maybe 50/50. I get A LOT of ideas, but executing those ideas well is another thing. I was just thinking how writing used to be easy for me when I was growing up. Now? Not so much. There is definitely a lot of blood, sweat, and tears involved. People who aren't writers think that writing is so easy! If they only knew! You mentioned that you don't get that many ideas, try looking in all sorts of places like, music and tv. A lot of the times an idea will pop into my head just by seeing a scene or image on tv. Great post! :)
Oooh, I'd be thrilled with 50/50. Great ideas, Racquel.
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