'If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor.'
- Edgar Rice Burroughs
Coming from a man who explored Mars long before mankind ever made it there, I have to believe he knew a little something. While I read a few of his books as a much younger me, I have to say I never got hooked on his stories. However I must give credit where credit is due, and the man could tell a story. He had vivid imagery, excellent pace, and gripping ideas. Imagination like his is legendary for a reason.
There are many authors I admire, most for style more than individual stories. I tend to measure my writing against theirs and strive to emulate the qualities I admire most in their work. I don't want to write like them, but I want to learn how to do what they do, or did. I want to perfect my prose so to speak. I want to learn to pace my stories perfectly; craft my dialogue seamlessly; make my settings so real the reader tastes the honey in the tea the protagonist is drinking or smells the sweat of the horse he's riding on. I want to master the skills to tell the best story I can. I'll never reach the level of craft I strive for if I don't keep writing new stories and exploring new ideas.
My second novel is in the works. It's also a fantasy novel. A bit more mature than the first. A bit more complex as well I suspect. It's about 90% complete and weighing in around 77,000 words in its current condition. I still have a few scenes to work out, but I can see the entire story in my mind and it's slowly seeping out onto the pages.
I'm excited about this one. I'm looking forward to completing it, even though that
means taking it out in the yard and shooting it.
- Edgar Rice Burroughs
Coming from a man who explored Mars long before mankind ever made it there, I have to believe he knew a little something. While I read a few of his books as a much younger me, I have to say I never got hooked on his stories. However I must give credit where credit is due, and the man could tell a story. He had vivid imagery, excellent pace, and gripping ideas. Imagination like his is legendary for a reason.
There are many authors I admire, most for style more than individual stories. I tend to measure my writing against theirs and strive to emulate the qualities I admire most in their work. I don't want to write like them, but I want to learn how to do what they do, or did. I want to perfect my prose so to speak. I want to learn to pace my stories perfectly; craft my dialogue seamlessly; make my settings so real the reader tastes the honey in the tea the protagonist is drinking or smells the sweat of the horse he's riding on. I want to master the skills to tell the best story I can. I'll never reach the level of craft I strive for if I don't keep writing new stories and exploring new ideas.
My second novel is in the works. It's also a fantasy novel. A bit more mature than the first. A bit more complex as well I suspect. It's about 90% complete and weighing in around 77,000 words in its current condition. I still have a few scenes to work out, but I can see the entire story in my mind and it's slowly seeping out onto the pages.
I'm excited about this one. I'm looking forward to completing it, even though that
means taking it out in the yard and shooting it.
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