tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post2007570611661607980..comments2024-03-22T23:59:37.332-07:00Comments on Les Edgerton on Writing: TALKING ABOUT THE NOVEL YOU'RE WORKING ONLes Edgertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17997858985904932554noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-67126719083468815692011-02-13T14:43:09.542-08:002011-02-13T14:43:09.542-08:00Great post. Important subject. I think new novelis...Great post. Important subject. I think new novelists generally do tend to "talk out their books." It's partly that we want to know we're on the right track and partly because we're so absorbed in our imaginary worlds. (And some people are naturally storytellers rather than scriveners--Bri's idea is a good one.) I know I used to do it--until my friends' eyes glazed over, and then some. Bad for my writing, bad for my friendships. Thanks for this great reminder!Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-27449530363617939972011-02-12T16:47:10.235-08:002011-02-12T16:47:10.235-08:00Nice to meet you, too, Lydia. Hope you enjoy roami...Nice to meet you, too, Lydia. Hope you enjoy roaming around in here! Donna has a cool blog--I go there all the time.Les Edgertonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17997858985904932554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-28402803343090738532011-02-12T07:49:00.825-08:002011-02-12T07:49:00.825-08:00I found your blog from Donna Hole's. This pos...I found your blog from Donna Hole's. This post is pretty accurate for what I do sometimes. So insightful. Need to shut my trap and write sometimes, I guess.<br /><br />Nice to meet you, Les!Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-5229859342999960792011-02-11T08:42:56.338-08:002011-02-11T08:42:56.338-08:00Thanks folks for all the great comments!
Julie--s...Thanks folks for all the great comments!<br /><br />Julie--sorry, I was kidding about the "staring into space" column. Actually, I was going to write one and then just started staring into space (writing...) and forgot about it...<br /><br />Tiffany, you're fourteen years old! (Well, you look fourteen...) How can you possibly remember typewriters? :) BTW, I can't wait to read your rewrite. I'm so glad it's getting gooder. You know, we're the only two aware of that word...<br /><br />I'm with you, Patricia! No mo whiteout! Yea!<br /><br />James--rusty razorblades on a chalkboard--I love mixed metaphors! Can I steal that one?<br /><br />Crystal, I wasn't joking. Kidnap notes are an important part of literature. They make more sense (to me)than vampire stories... More profitable, at least...<br /><br />Dark Word--you just perfectly described my own experience! We now qualify for a "club." I'm working on the secret handshake thingy...<br /><br />And, Jack--this is one of the most important lessons a writer can learn. Never save anything for future work if it fits! The well will always refill, but sometimes it takes awhile to learn that. Great advice!<br /><br />You guys rock!Les Edgertonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17997858985904932554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-22504488782949867482011-02-11T08:11:46.252-08:002011-02-11T08:11:46.252-08:00I there's a lot of truth in this. Something to...I there's a lot of truth in this. Something to do with the immediacy of the process. I also found that I used to hold onto ideas to use them at a later date when they would REALLY fit in but then I'd forget to use them later.<br /><br />So I convinced myself that if I have an idea now I should use it now and trust to myself that when I'm writing the next book I'll have other ideas that will come up when I need it then.Jack Barrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05426355594223589081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-76716321798874691862011-02-11T06:10:50.433-08:002011-02-11T06:10:50.433-08:00Quote: I do that and it’s already written. Only it...Quote: I do that and it’s already written. Only it’s not yet on paper. I don’t see any advantage in that at all.<br /><br />I often can't help it. I'm so excited about this new idea, this new solution to some frustrating plot point or character clash... I have to tell *someone*. I need to *share*. And then, it all fall apart like paper in water.<br /><br />Quote: (For those of you too young to remember, a “typewriter” was a medieval machine used to create letters and stuff like that. Novels. Kidnap notes. It looked something like a computer keyboard does, but without the screen and the Internet. No porn available with it. <br /><br />Oh man, typewriters! I remember them! I learnt on those. Fun times.Dark_Wordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11120851968455856270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-13727958596314017292011-02-11T05:11:01.609-08:002011-02-11T05:11:01.609-08:00Great post! I remember those type writers, I had a...Great post! I remember those type writers, I had a modern one with an eraser key, but it never worked properly. "Kidnap notes" - that had me laughing!<br /><br />I guess with all the technology around these days, it gives us a chance to edit more.<br /><br />Best wishes, CJAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-33160452405844543852011-02-11T05:06:59.157-08:002011-02-11T05:06:59.157-08:00I think I save myself from this problem through my...I think I save myself from this problem through my innate reaction to the question, "oh you're working on a novel, what's it ABOUT?" <br /><br />I don't know why, but that question has always been like rusty razorblades on a chalkboard for me. (The fact that I know what that sounds like from experience- let's not go there.) Of course, I smile and dash off something trivial if I'm not either talking to a writer or publisher, but I've never been one for talking out a story I'm working on. It's hard enough for me to talk it up when it's through. I want to get on to the next thing. And you want me to talk about THAT old piece of garbage? You know.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04721839742206290258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-6540796061152520802011-02-10T09:06:40.802-08:002011-02-10T09:06:40.802-08:00Down to earth and honest blog. Less talk, more wri...Down to earth and honest blog. Less talk, more writing. Thanks for sharing this. I enjoyed reading it and I'm glad you said it. And I'm glad the days of whiteout/liquid paper are gone! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-7984243617689780242011-02-08T15:37:38.918-08:002011-02-08T15:37:38.918-08:00I remember typewriters too. Some of the earliest v...I remember typewriters too. Some of the earliest versions of my stuff was written on a typewriter. ...Okay, so mine had a fancy, teeny, screen that was like a .25" high and 3" wide that allowed me to see mistakes before I hit the button to make it autotype it, but I had a typewriter. A Smith-Corona. They used to look at me funny at Best Buy when I asked for a typewriter ribbon. <br /><br />I don't really talk to people much about my writing unless we're bouncing ideas off each other and even then I have a pen and notebook with me. <br /><br />That being said, I'll need your help soon. Book is getting gooder.T.M. Averyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10776344215032469226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-66510323870391338082011-02-01T19:38:30.014-08:002011-02-01T19:38:30.014-08:00This is great! I'm actually silent about what...This is great! I'm actually silent about what I'm writing about, and freeze when someone asks questions about my first draft. Not sure what that means. I'm anxious to read the next post about staring into space. And maybe we can add watching movies to the list of writerly work. (And btw, I learned to type on a typewriter, the kind with the crank for return. You're not alone out there!)<br /><br />I was honored that you stopped by my blog today. Thank you! HOOKED is amazing, and I appreciate your wisdom within those pages.Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-43921817633578179592011-02-01T16:48:26.430-08:002011-02-01T16:48:26.430-08:00Thanks, everyone! Glad it made sense.
Another thi...Thanks, everyone! Glad it made sense.<br /><br />Another thing I do is because I don't talk to people about the work any more, I'm hot to get at it each morning, but I treat it like sex in a way. I delay gratification. I begin thinking about where I left off the night before and I'm raring to go, but I force myself to drink a cup of coffee and then I go out in the backyard and shoot hoops for twenty minutes, all the time chomping at the bit to get writing. Then, when I sit down, I can't write fast enough. I do things like this all the time to "trick" myself...<br /><br />Sex Scenes, you're funny! I like contrarians. But, be careful about brainstorming too much with others... you know how the camel came about don't you? It was a horse designed by a committee...Les Edgertonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17997858985904932554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-91780512138943187842011-02-01T16:29:23.101-08:002011-02-01T16:29:23.101-08:00I've so been there. It's quite the procras...I've so been there. It's quite the procrastination plan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-70130855973281466312011-02-01T16:09:53.628-08:002011-02-01T16:09:53.628-08:00Great advice. Thanks, Les. Starting tomorrow...Great advice. Thanks, Les. Starting tomorrow...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04122270279975818113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-88468962763886437912011-02-01T13:01:53.898-08:002011-02-01T13:01:53.898-08:00I agree, except... you knew there'd be one.
W...I agree, except... you knew there'd be one.<br /><br />When I brainstorm plot holes and obstacles in my crit group, it always helps me write. It excites me.<br /><br />But ya. We're storytellers. Don't tell your story out loud or you won't bother to write it down. Hey, wonder if that's why it took humankind so long to learn to write!ssashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15527483283426518167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-90654956472446747152011-01-31T15:23:25.873-08:002011-01-31T15:23:25.873-08:00This is a truth I had once known and recently foro...This is a truth I had once known and recently forogtten. Talking about your writing is like letting the sand out of a sandbag. I need to remember to keep my lips sealed about these things. It's much better to feel like you're about to burst with the knowledge of your novel than to feel depressed about it. Thanks, Les~Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00310679955847326706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-32830844776692320672011-01-31T09:31:27.446-08:002011-01-31T09:31:27.446-08:00Great post, Les. It makes a lot of sense. I like t...Great post, Les. It makes a lot of sense. I like to talk through some ideas with my husband, but I can't stand talking too much about them. I get antsy to actually accomplish something.Shannon O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-40081490038663400962011-01-31T08:57:46.714-08:002011-01-31T08:57:46.714-08:00Glad you folks liked this. It really changed my ou...Glad you folks liked this. It really changed my output, Donna.<br /><br />Bri, so it isn't out of line to ask "Are you wearing a wire?" when one meets you? LOL I have a recorder on my phone as well and use it for interviews for books. It's very useful.<br /><br />And, Anne! I meet someone who might have more white chips than me?! Cool. At one time, I missed Jack as well, and ended up finding a replacement. Jim. Beam, that is... Seriously, good on you--that takes courage and on a daily basis. I salute you!Les Edgertonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17997858985904932554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-32714239309385002652011-01-31T04:30:26.707-08:002011-01-31T04:30:26.707-08:00I guess it's a good thing I'm an isolated ...I guess it's a good thing I'm an isolated writer then. Nary a person to talk to all the live-long day. <br /><br />I remember typewriters. I did ALL my work at VC on my trusty Smith-Corona. Can you imagine how much better my grades would have been if I'd had a computer?<br /><br />And does chocolate work the same as Jack? I've been sober for going on 7 years and although I miss Jack terribly, (he was my favorite boyfriend) I had to find something else to take his place.Anne Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05816355522284492131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-11519824267135851852011-01-30T21:30:26.176-08:002011-01-30T21:30:26.176-08:00Great post Les and I agree. Often that is the case...Great post Les and I agree. Often that is the case. However, for me personally I need to talk it out. Which is why I have a small wire attached to myself. None of my friends know and I record everything I say and the people around me so I can reference it when I do sit down to write. <br /><br />It's my generations notebook and pen. <br /><br />RoFl...no I don't do that. I do in fact have a recording app on my iphone and when I'm talking out stuff with one of those colleague that I ONLY talk to then I pull it out. I do also have a notebook that goes with me everywhere as well.<br /><br />BriAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07707709087040036470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918800617954487311.post-30685843878099604662011-01-30T21:06:11.453-08:002011-01-30T21:06:11.453-08:00Hmm, I think I'm guilty of this too. (But not...Hmm, I think I'm guilty of this too. (But not the Jack - I'm a wino) I never thought of it that way; telling the story before I write it all out.<br /><br />Something to think on.<br /><br />........dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.com