I have never claimed to be a good writer, there are many who post here who may claim that epithet, but not me. I'm a story teller, who enjoys spinning a yarn and seeing the effect it has on readers. On this site, it seems to be reasonably popular.
Some enjoy polishing and refining their story until every word is placed exactly where they want it, every dot and comma just so. I don't have a problem with that, I'm not a perfectionist however. I'm a populist. It's horses for courses. I write because I enjoy it but I also enjoy knowing that quite a few readers seem to enjoy my stuff as well. It's ephemeral, I'm aware of that, I'm no Jane Austen, more a JK Rowling, without the business sense.
So I would rather produce a hundred stories that lots of people read and enjoyed and forgot, than one which a few deemed brilliant and remembered forever.
In the last three days, I've produced four episodes of two stories at the point of writing, they've received 2006 hits, 140 votes and 31 comments.
I might not be a good writer, but I seem to be doing something right.
Angharad.
Who's Complaining?
Is there a question about this somewhere?
But I do remember your saying once, you were bothered because a story of yours, I think it was "Charlotte", which meant more to you and on which you had spent more effort, received less attention than EAFOAB. Are you backing off of that now? Or am I mistaken?
Stories involve a lot of parts, but they all wind up being a game with words. We all just mess around with those parts, and there are many ways to play with them. None of the results are going to please all; none of the ways to play the game are going to please all. Thank goodness.
I sure don't think I'm a good writer, not as good as you. I never expect to be one; it is a lot of work (regardless of whether your shooting for a movie deal or a Booker.). However, I like to play around with words, and to play around with how I play around with them. Not everything I have ever posted pleased me, nothing ever please me totally, but everything has pleased or amused at least a few other people; that has pleased me.
I enter contest and the challenges held here sometimes, for fun. But if this ever becomes a competition, based on any criterion: "hits", "votes", "comments", or "art"; I'll surrender at once and never post again; that would not be fun.
Joy; Jan
It sounds to me
It sounds to me like someone expressing satisfaction after a good day's work.
You've posted stories, Angharad?
Holy shit! Where?
Just kidding, obviously.
I was asked about being a good writer once, to which I responded as follows:
Shakespeare himself claimed but a rough and all unable pen. I would be rogue
indeed, to claim even half so much as he.
I write for myself as well. I don't get the most hits, but then I'm amazed at
anything over three. I love votes and comments so much, that I don't think I
can ever get enough; even though I think the folks here are overgenerous certain,
in the comments they've made to me. I would be just as happy with an earth changing
story that everyone remembered, as I would be with my lesser offerings that a few
people, perhaps only a very few, love. Why? Because the way that the stories
effect those few people, is probably the way that they would have already effected
me. It's the lives and trials of the characters before me, you see, that comprise
the greater entertainment for me.
It is certain sure, that you do a wonderful job, Angharad, from the tip of your
nose to the smallest hairs on the tail of a little mouse, you are a Story-teller.
A bard of epic proportion-certain sure.
If anyone said otherwise, their words are unimportant, and we did not hear them.
Sarah Lynn
I think you figured
out that a good storyteller doesn't have to be a great writer but a great writer better be a good storyteller.While it may hurt you to hear it and you may deny it you struck a grand slam with eofab.You've posted almost everyday and on very few of them did I feel shortchanged for reading them so that makes you a certainly better than average writer and certainly as good as the perfectionist types.While the characters stay basically the same you've told many different stories in eofab you can continue to do that or you can continue to do that but change the characters and storynames either way it's really the same thing accept one is called eofab and the other is yet to be named.Amy "May your pen never run out of ink and your brain out of ideas"
Something Write?
:-)
Yes, you're writing things people enjoy reading. You're writing at a pace (with the short serials anyway) that lets people stay involved. You tell compelling stories (as you say, you're a story teller).
Are you doing something right? I'd say yes, and whatever it is, please keep doing it. :-)
Thanks,
Annette
write or scribble
Curious this one and I wonder at the why of it. Why do any of us do this? I guess it's a pinch of ego, to think you can... plus a desire to share thoughts and feelings. To have others read and nod or smile or laugh or curse or cry. To touch others with our own fears and joys. Maybe help in some small way.
I've been told I can tell a decent story but I may not be a writer. Is there a real distinction? Is it some studied methodology perhaps that makes the difference? I scribble out some ideas and try to make them real so others can maybe connect. Recently I have worked with an editor to show me where things may be better than my off the cuff ramble naturally makes them. A desire for perfection? Hardly. No such thing. I do try for readability and the basic grammatical rules, but hey a story is people doing stuff and people are often not rule bound or logical. So I sought to try and see how with help I can make my scribbles connect better, I will continue to try that. At the same time I probably will write the straight stream of consciousness stuff not dissimilar to Angs and others in approach but different in style and word choice maybe. We could write almost the same words and they would be different. Different people, different life and view. So it should be.
Do your thing Angharad, you tell a good story as do others here. We's all different and we all have a view. I have read every word of Easy as... and if a very few eps were maybe so so, that's still one hell of a high strike rate. You touch people and reach the cute and cuddlies as well as the hard eyed cynics. Humour and style and simple storytelling.
Above all it has to work for the writer, if not... don't bother. Write whatever you wish and chances are plenty will read it because it will say something to some.
Kristina
ps ... I'm still sulking ya bitch. *pokes out tongue while trying to hold a straight face*