First Time Creative Writing?

Question

Is it common for first time writers to read there own writing and think they are stupid? While other might think it's realy good? I wanna do some fantasy writing but I keep having this problem.

Answer 1

Yes, it is common.
But eventually you learn to trust your instincts. Quote honestly I have read what advice you got here, and some of it is really steering you in the wrong directions.

For instance, I deathly disagree with this idea of taking your simple sentence and pumping them full of adjectives and adverbs. And if you have read On Writing by Stephen King, he does, too. In fact, he states "The road to hell is paved with adverbs." Yes, it is possible to have too much information. It is possible to over adjective. It becomes redundant when you are telling people information they already know. Telling us a forest is damp and dark is kind of doing just that. Aren't ALL forests that way?

This is why Staples sells so many red pens to editors. They take all the fluff out of the work of inexperienced authors. There is a reason for reading rather than watching movies. Reading allows us to use our imaginations. Shakespeare once said "Imagine when we speak of horses that you see them..." Thanks, but I don't need to be told a forest is damp and dark. You forgot dank. There is a time and place for description and a time and place to let readers decide what things look like for themselves. Experienced writers know the difference. They know you can draw a reader more deeply into a scene by letting them add their own details. Read that masterpiece by Ursula Le Guin "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas". She is describing a utopia. But she specifically tells her readers - YOU add whatever details you need to make this place a utopia. If you want orgies, have orgies - if you want bunnies, have bunnies - if you want chocolate fountains - have chocolate fountains. The important thing is it is YOUR READER"S utopia. Maybe bunnies doesn't exactly make it for me. Or maybe Im not an orgy kind of person.

This is what I tell students who are writing and think what they are writing is stupid. Finish it. Go all the way through. Write THE END. Then go back and read it and tell me if it is stupid. At that point, if you think it is stupid, your instincts may be right. Stupid is a bad word to use. Let us say - not good enough. Go back and rework. Nobody gets it right on the first draft. Never.

And there has only been one author in the history of writing who was never edited. O Henry. He sat in debtor's prison churning out stories and sending them off to magazines where they were printed verbatim. His was a rare skill. So unless you feel you are writing things the quality The Gift of the Magi (and I assure you - you are not! None of us are.) then we can all stand for rewrites and edits.

Just do not go hog wild with the word count on those rewrites. Please do not insult your readers by leading them by the ring you have installed in their noses and telling them things they already know. A perfect example is William Faulkner. He grabbed readers from the first sentence and pulled them into his books. And he did not let go until he was ready to. But he did not have to lead you by the nose to do it. Read As I Lay Dying - a magnificent book. No - I do not need to be told how horrible it must be to be living with that casket. I can imagine all by myself. What I do need to know from him is WHY they are doing it - and he tells me - brilliantly.

You will learn how to have faith in yourself eventually. One secret is don't jump right into a novel. Write short stories until you are very comfortable at writing a story, editing it and letting it go. Then you are ready for that novel.

PS .. Generally, I love what I write. Especially if I have a great first sentence and great characters to work from.


----
They're, Their, There - Three Different Words.

Careful or you may wind up in my next novel.

Pax - C

Answer 2

It's common. The internet has opened the door for many writers to share some of their writing for wider criticism so take advantage of this. Take some practice scenes, or start a story so you can share it on the internet for feedback to improve your writing. This way you'll get a better idea and smarter criticism about your work.

Answer 3

Yes, good writers always see faults in their work. Good writers recognize their mistakes, and fix them. Bad writers just say that their writing is perfect, and get rejected a ton of times more by publishers than writers who saw the faults in their writing do. Writers who see the faults of their stories edit them numerous times to make them better, and never fully feel that their work is perfect. But these writers get rejected only a handful of times, and usually get their books published right away. So, it is good that you always see something wrong with your writing, this shows that you are a good writer. So, keep editing your stories, and you may become the nxt JK Rowling, Mark Twain, or John Steinbeck. Never give up on your writing if it is not very good, just try again and edit your story, Good luck with your stories.

Answer 4

Most writers hate their own writing! If you read the histories of many books you will find that the authors burned or destroyed parts of their manuscripts, or looked back and hated their books later. Such masters as James Joyce and Nathaniel Hawthorne have both done this, and Anthony Burgess admitted that he did not like his "A Clockwork Orange" in an introduction he wrote for a copy of the book.

John Steinbeck, author of such masterpieces as The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, upon recieving his Nobel Prize, admitted he did not think he deserved it.

I enjoy writing and many times I find myself destroying things I wrote, or reading them years or only months later and despising them

I hope this helps!

Answer 5

We are all our own critic. I first felt like this when I wrote, and then was told that my writing was actually decent. I think I finally began to accept it after I won awards in junior high. Being a creative writer opens many windows to you, so never, ever give it up.

When in doubt, always ask someone. They will be your critic as well as your greatest strength. My biggest suggestion would be to make an outline or character profile and then jump into it.

Character profile sheet http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jun98/lazy2.htm

Answer 6

I have been a writer for 14+ years and still do that! Just let it flow, other people will like it and you will learn to accept it. You will keep getting better and better.... everytime I look back on the stuff I did early on I think, "wow, how could anyone have thought this was good?" but I'm still doing it and getting plenty of assignments!

Answer 7

people like this see a paycheck or reputation, yet not the excitement featuring writing a unique or short tale. there is not any way absolutely everyone can understand till they attempt, and too many persons are too damn lazy/ignorant to even evaluate "dropping their time on a e book"! Do ask the way it quite is clever i ntheir heads, by using fact i don't see procedures to in all probability assume to advance into wealthy or well-liked devoid of certainly artwork. in fact, very few writers make sufficient funds to end their day interest. It irks me to no end that somebody can assume this! they have no concept what writers bypass with the aid of. aside from the undeniable fact that not each author receives revealed, it quite is extremely not person-friendly to end a stable novel. Writers go through; they thrive on cafine and artwork long hours conventional with a view to end that next chapters, or flesh out that flat character. in spite of the undeniable fact which you're taking a seat and style, the inventive technique is mostly a grueling one, and could bypass away you so frustraited you prefer to tear your hair out. Writing, for me a minimum of, is 10% proposal, ninety% perspiration, and one hundred% enhancing. confident, enhancing is the toughest, if not maximum severe, area. that's embarrasing to think of that persons declare to have the staying power, dedications, and adoration for writing it takes to be a author. No lie, it takes plenty, plenty greater, yet once you're actually not born with those characteristics, you weren't born to be a author. They lie. you won't be able to love writing till you have cried over that appealing passage, beat your keyboard, frolicked with characters you adore and are annoyed by utilising, and WROTE! wish I helped to 3 degree, Lena

Answer 8

You want people to believe you writing is good but in you heart it is not as good as I can write. A writer is only as good as his last book or short story. Keep on writing and try to get published.

Answer 9

Yes, i do the same thing all the time. I read my work [after i had a brilliant idea, or so i thought at the time] then I put it on paper and think it sucks. So i read it to some friends and my friends think it rocks. It happens. We are most critical of ourselves, it's normal and don't give up. Keep practicing, adn read. A Lot, it helps! trust me

Answer 10

being your hardest critic is a problem for many people.

keep writing and have some confidence.

let others read your writing and ask for feedback and if they see some major flaws in your writing ( such as plot , development of characters etc) they will tell you.

but writing is about freedom! have confidence and you will write great stories!