Friday, September 18, 2009

What's better?

I've been thinking a lot lately about how literary or complex I want to make my story. Of course, visuals come to mind for me. Is it better to make the story intricate and decorative like this window,
exciting and commercial like this ferris wheel,
or simple and organic like this camellia.

Is one better than the others because of the type of image it is? Does one appeal to more people than the others? Hmmm.

Is one type of writing inherently better because it has tons of literary devices? Or is another because it appeals to a huge audience? If one appeals to a large group but has very little or no literary devices does that make it bad writing? I'm just sitting here wondering about the depths of my writing. Will I be judged harshly if I choose to make my writing less literary?

13 comments:

scott g.f.bailey said...

Judged by whom? No matter what we write, there will be some folks who don't like it for whatever reason. Just write something you'll be proud of, something you care about. Something that's you.

Nayuleska said...

Too many questions for me on a friday afternoon!

Just write what you enjoy :D You can play fit it in the boxes later.

Davin Malasarn said...

Lois, I'm not joking: I have had this same discussion with myself for about 13 years. I recently stumbled upon my old journals from when I was a teenager, and this same topic crept up...and has never been resolved. But, I've found that, in the end, the book I wrote became what it was on it's own. As I was revising, just trying to take out things that sounded awkward, it fell into it's own category. So, I almost don't think we need to make this decision. All of the styles you mentioned are fine, and chances are, when you write in your true voice, because you love all these styles, your book will be some great hybrid of them all.

Judy Croome | @judy_croome said...

Scott and Davin have said it well.

At the end of the day your voice must find its own tune. I don't think genre or literary writing is one better than the other. Both types of writing just *are*. They co-exist in the world and each have their own fan base. Write what you love and your story will find its own place in the world.

Judy Croome | @judy_croome said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Judy Croome | @judy_croome said...

Oops. Sorry. Pressed the button too quickly and double posted the same comment!

J.R. Johansson said...

Be comfortable with yourself and your writing. The rest will work itself out.

lotusgirl said...

Scott, Thanks for the reminder.

Yuna, Yes, I do enjoy what I write. so I guess I'll just let the chips fall where they may.

Davin, I keep having this discussion with myself. I'll decide I'm fine with whatever happens, and then I start second guessing myself. I'm getting better, though, at letting things just be and letting my voice come through.

Ann, My voice is finding its own tune at long last.

Jenn, I'm trying to let myself relax into my own voice.

Unknown said...

But look at the flower. It's organic, yes, just like the writing process should be organic (by which I mean, you should write from the heart, not to follow a trend). And it's simple and complex at the same time, just like writing. It has layers of subtlely, and is deceptively complicated--think of the stories that are so beautiful and simple and complex all at the same time.

Tess said...

Holy Mother of Zorg!!! Have you been creeping around my brain? How do you know my thougths? I am sooo struggling w/ this right now.

I want to write that exciting, edge of your seat, can't put it down book...but then the very next moment I think, why? why can't I just write a sweet, simple story? then the next moment I'm back to wanting to write something fast and fun......ugh.

I think I'm becoming schitzophrenic!

Tess said...

oh, yeah, and in the meantime my WIP is going nowhere! Can you help me decide???

Michelle D. Argyle said...

Davin says it well - it's not even a choice you have to make. Do you think I planned on making Monarch all commercial and exciting? No. I thought it was going to be filled with long slow literary passages. It's not.

Every work for me grows into what it is. And that's it. I can't make my writing fit into anybody's expectations. It's just what it is.

Write what you want.

And love it.

Own it!

日月神教-向左使 said...
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