Writing advice that actually works

As an aspiring writer there is a lot of temptation to look for the big secret to doing good work, to seek that one gem of advice that will put you over the line. I found myself starting down that path. I bought a few books on the craft (at least I made sure they were produced by actual writers). I started following blogs and twitter streams of hoping to get some insight into the process that works for various authors.I started listening to podcasts about writing and writers. I've heard 'Heinlein's Rules' and read Terry Pratchett's 'Writing Secrets.' It has all been helpful, but it still didn't tip me over the edge to where I needed to be... actually writing.

Most writers seem to be in agreement that the not-so-secret path to success is to write. Write a lot. On that note I would like to introduce the most helpful piece of advice that I have come across, because it has really started to work.

These are Gene Wolfe's five pieces of 'writerly advice':

1.   Get up early and write.

2.   Read the type of fiction you’re trying to write.

3.   Remember that characterisation is what makes your story stand out.

4.   You do not characterise by telling the reader about the character, you do it by showing the character thinking, speaking and acting in a characteristic way.

5.   Do not start a story unless you have an ending in mind. You can change the ending but start with a destination.

I could have just stopped at 1. Obviously Wolfe makes some helpful points about the craft and about audience, but at this stage I am just very happy to be writing. The idea of getting up an hour or so earlier than usual and dedicating that time to writing is working. It does mean that by the time I go to bed at night I am genuinely tired, and I struggle to be productive in any way after about 9 p.m., but I am writing. Whether I am writing well remains to be seen.

Thank you Gene Wolfe.

Review: Legend by David Gemmell

Follow this link to my review, posted at The Ranting Dragon. Highlights - I gave it 2 stars. It's a significant book, but I don't think it's a particularly good book.

What I've been up to...

A week ago I mentioned my secret project. Here's the (big) reveal!

I've been investigating the possibility of writing articles and reviews for existing sites (as well as continuing with my blog) and my first such piece has now been posted. The folks over at The Ranting Dragon have taken me on provisionally as a reviewer. Here is my first effort for them (in their format, so it's a little different), a review of Legend by David Gemmell.

Any material that I post for these other sites (there are two more in the pipeline) I will obviously link here, since I created the content. So from now on some of my reviews will simply be links to those sites - I am obviously happy to engage in a bit of cross-promotion.

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss Released

The release of The Wise Man's Fear (by Patrick Rothfuss) is probably one of the most significant dates on the Fantasy publishing calendar for the year. It is the highly anticipated sequel to The Name of the Wind, which has become known as one of the best debut Fantasy novels of at least the last decade. The momentum and renown for The Name of the Wind has built quickly and consistently since its release. I only read (and reviewed) it in the middle of 2010 myself, in spite of the 2007 release.

The Wise Man's Fear was of course supposed to be released in 2008, but in the way of all good Fantasy series there have been significant delays. I only allowed myself to read this unfinished series because I figured 'How long can a trilogy take?' We will see...

As a refresher for those not willing to re-read The Name of the Wind Rothfuss has released a summary of sorts on his official website. It is hilariously tongue-in-cheek and in graphic novel form! Whether or not you become a big fan of his books, Pat (I feel like I can call him Pat) never takes himself too seriously and his blog is always enjoyable. More importantly he devotes a good chunk of his time and money to a charity called Worldbuilders. It's hard not to like the man!

Since I haven't had the chance to read The Wise Man's Fear yet, here are a couple of reviews from some professionals:

Blogger John Ottinger at Grasping for the Wind
Author Brandon Sanderson at his official website

Review: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfuss (Published 2007)

Genre: Fantasy

Sub-genre: Heroic Fantasy

Completed: June 5 2010

The Name of the Wind is widely considered to be one of the most impressive Fantasy debuts of the last decade. Its renown was sufficient for me to break my rule of avoiding incomplete series (which grew out of the anguish of waiting for the next The Wheel of Time or A Song of Ice Ice and Fire books). I don’t regret the decision at all.

Of all of the Fantasy I have read The Name of the Wind is the book that most deliberately addresses the development of a legend. I use it as an example in my definition of Heroic Fantasy. There are no epic stakes, though a broader scope of events is certainly foreshadowed. Unfortunately, given the lack of epic struggle many fantasy readers will feel that not much happens and, to be honest, about halfway through the book I felt it too. But I didn’t care. It seems that the point of the story is to demonstrate how even mundane events in the main character’s life have been mythologised by the people of his world.

The structure of the story is deliberately designed to explore these ideas. The majority of the book is a first person narrative delivered by the protagonist, Kvothe. It is framed by a somewhat detached third person narrative in which we see the main character, disguised as a simple tavern owner and calling himself Kote (for unclear reasons), lured into telling his story to the aptly named Chronicler. A memorable scene occurs after the climax of Kvothe’s tale in which a group of the tavern’s patrons, unaware of Kote’s identity, retell some of the events which Kvothe has relayed to Chronicler, blowing them out of all proportion. The irony is very enjoyable.

Rothfuss’ language is beautiful and designed to be musical, given his main character’s love of music and performance. The segments of first-person narrative are delightfully lyrical, as befitting the narrator’s training in performance of all kinds. The mysterious and magical elements are very well developed and fit the world perfectly, combining believably with science in a way that gives strength to the wise and powerful characters.

The characters are similarly real, sometimes frustratingly so, with the main character in particular displaying youthful stupidity along with flashes of incredible (and often unbelievable, to be brutally honest) brilliance. There are effectively three major characters in the story – the young Kvothe from the tale, the older, damaged Kote, and the Kvothe of legend. Though they feel real, side characters really are side characters. This just isn’t their story, and they matter to the reader only as they interact with Kvothe. Enough information is presented to show that their lives carry on when they are away from the main character, but with one exception I was never really concerned with what they were up to when absent from the narrative.

Given that the majority of the story is first-person it is of course very dependent on enjoying and relating to the main character and some people won’t like the almost super capable Kvothe. He has obvious human limitations but he frequently proves to have incredible intelligence as well as a singular gift for music. He is a prodigy in every sense of the word, and some readers will get tired of being reminded of the fact. He simply won’t be accessible to many people and many will wonder how the character can grow in the coming volumes.

I would consider this a strength of the story, given that it could be attributed to the boastfulness of the unreliable narrator. However, it seems that the main aim of Kvothe in telling his story is, ironically, to downplay his own legend. This modesty is directly contrasted with the myths that have become so well known in his world.

The Name of the Wind is the first part of a trilogy (the structure is simply but creatively established when Kvothe declares that it will take three days to tell his story). Although there is a climactic event the story is in no way complete or contained. I enjoyed the story but I’m not as effusive in my praise for it as most are. I’m giving it 4 stars. In spite of its undeniable quality it didn’t engage me as much as other books have. I doubt that casual or new readers of Fantasy would find the book particularly accessible but there is plenty to offer experienced readers, particularly those interested in a more literary experience

Read it – to enjoy a powerfully written examination of the way heroic figures become legends

Don’t read it – if it’s your first foray into Fantasy