Greetings all!
My nose has been reapplied to that ever-abrasive grindstone. I spent the better part of today polishing chapters 4-6 of "Wallflower". I found the work both pleasant and frustrating. Since I know exactly where my weakness lies as a writer, I've gone to great lengths to educate myself and improve my shortcomings. I've attended a writer's conference, consulted with the masses on several writing community websites and bought an extremely insightful book on the subject - the subject being my descriptive prose. Each of my efforts have been mildly helpful, but I still find myself butting my head against the same brick wall.
I've heard from several different and unrelated sources that my writing is too general. "Immerse me in the situation." One writer told me. "I feel removed from the scene." Another said. The truth is that I knew I had a problem before I even met these people.
Here's my quandary:10% of the population says "I need more description." 90% continue to tell me, "Write for yourself. Don't write for anyone else. Be true to YOU!"
Okay folks, I need your input on this one. Which is it? Immerse myself in description or march to my own drummer?
I'd love to raise my nose in the air and proclaim, "I am an individual! No one has a writing voice like mine. I shall not be squelched." But my logical mind says, "Hey lady, if you ever want to get a book deal, you need to conform to the demands of the suits."
Ah yes, the suits, the big wigs, the people who sign the checks. They want the next Edgar Allen Poe; the next Hemingway. They want a strong voice; profound prose that earns high praise in the NY Times, the sort of masterpiece that finds its way to Oprah's nightstand.
This is not me. This is not my work. I do not claim to be profound, nor do I desire to become profound. I want to entertain the masses and tell delightful, intriguing stories. That is what I do. I am a commercial novelist.
That is also what JK Rowling is. Like it or not, I don't believe you're going to find anything remotely profound or life-altering in the pages of any Harry Potter novel, but if you listen closely, you'll hear the sound of Ms. Rowling laughing all the way to the bank.
The truth is folks, I write ordinary stories about ordinary people, FOR ordinary people. I can always "improve" my descriptive prose, but do I need to be downright poetic? So what's it going to be? Should I exhaust myself to learn an angle that could be valuable or should I write what I enjoy and possibly never get published? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
This will likely confuse you more, so I apologize in advance for that. My goal, however, is to free your mind. You must find a way to do both - to balance being true to you and writing to immerse your reader in the scene. This doesn't mean you have to write poetic prose. Everyday stories about everyday people have that possibility. It's all in making sure your reader gets exactly the story you're telling and wants more. Read the scenes in question and ask yourself "If I wasn't the writer, would I get it?" You'll likely find the answer is "no". That's when you know the criticism you received has a valid point. BTW, that a difficult exercise and it must be done for every scene that the feedback you've received says its not quite there. It may only take a sentence or it may take a total rewrite. Look for what completes the scene - for what makes the reader really get what you're saying. I know that is hard. We all struggle with it. You'll figure it out!!
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