Writers and Nature Vs. Nurture

I was recently asked something along the lines of what do I think makes a writer? Is it a natural predisposition? Is it a nature thing or a nurture thing? Are good writers born or is it a technical/mechanical thing? Is writing an art or a science?

I thought it was a great bunch of questions that got me thinking. I also have about a million different answers for each of the questions–which indicates that I really don’t know! Anyway, I’ve posted some of my thoughts here:

Do you really want to open to the nature vs. nurture can of worms? I felt that a great deal of the nature vs nurture argument was bunk before I had a child. I felt that the ‘nature’ aspect was a bunch of anomalies gathered together to make an argument. Now, not so much. There is a lot more to the ‘nature’ aspect of the argument than I would like to admit. There is some gender stuff that is totally nature that gets my feminist hackles up. But we won’t go down that path.

As for writers and nature vs nurture? Well, honestly I have never thought about it. Possibly certain dispositions lend themselves to ‘better’ writing. But then we could get philosophical and ask what is ‘better’? I think everyone can write. Some are just able to express themselves in a ‘better’ or more ‘pleasing’ way that makes sense and is able to reach others on more than a superficial level. This is where the mechanical/technical aspect comes in. Although I could naturally express myself from a young age (language development tends to be a female thing–stupid nature argument coming into play here), my mechanical/technical aspects probably needed help. I think to a certain extent, this can be taught (nurture). But like anything, some are able to grasp this quickly, some are ‘born’ with it (nature?) whereas others can’t ever really achieve the ‘flow’. I guess, really, when it comes down to it, writing is like anything else. Some are good at football, some are good at fixing things, others writing. (Among the zillion other things people can be good at.)

I believe that writing is art grounded in science. If it is merely a science, it is nothing but words. Meaningless. If it is simply art, again, meaningless. You need to combine the two to make something truly dynamic.

What do you think?

Work in Progress

Hey there.

I am playing with the blog’s theme again. Slowly, things will shape up and change, so if you see some strange things, fear not. So things will shape up or I will discard the whole thing and start over. (Again.) I wanted to pull my banner into the blog, but I’m having trouble finding a suitable theme to bastardize. My hacking skills when it comes to code is very limited.

 Hang in there and let me know what you think of the new theme/look.

The First Five Pages: Focus Part 2

I think I have mentioned this here and there, but here it is all in one spot.

I find writing by the seat of my pants exciting. There is nothing more exciting. And you are hearing this from the girl who loved the free fall (80 feet) ride at the Calgary Stampede. (They take you up 120 feet and drop you into a net 40 feet from the ground. THAT was fun.) Anyway, I love being a pantster writer.

But I have seen the light.

I find writing with the plot in front of me to be a bit boring. And you are hearing this from the girl who loved writing essays in university. I loved having everything researched and just laying it all out on the paper. Everything fitting so nicely together. Ahhhh…

But as I said, I have seen the light. That means I may have to give up pantster writing.

<Sob>

The works I wrote pantster style have needed SO much editing. The one I wrote plotster style has needed surprisingly little. I didn’t really realise it until well, editing it. But honestly, I didn’t really SEE it until I reached the ‘focus’ chapter in Lukeman’s book. I then proceeded to pull my hair out of my head when looking at my one story. Everything has to be focused? But I don’t know what the purpose is! I don’t know where I was going! It was FUN! That’s all and I think I got a pretty decent story out of it. Then I looked at my other story. The Plotster story. It was heaven to edit. It all had a purpose. I knew where everything was going. Everything added up and propelled the story. And sure, there were some surprises as I wrote, even though it was mostly plotted out. For example, one of the characters wanted her own point of view. It wasn’t tantalising to write and it doesn’t thrill me in the same way as my plotster story. But then again, that could come down to characters. I have some nuts in the one story. In the other, people that I would know. Not so nutty. More real, average everyday. It is less humourous and light.

So, my lesson is this: I need to plot more. It helps in the long run. But I also need to leave room for pantster action. Ooo. That sounds dirty! I need to know my characters and their motivations and where they are going before I start writing. Or at least once I am a few thousand words in. Then I will have focus. Then my work will have focus. And then I will become famous. I will bore myself, but I will be famous.

Ha, ha.

On Their Way!

My books are on their way! They have left Vancouver! I’m so pumped. I might get my books from Chapters today or tomorrow! Weeeeeeee! I love books!

Did I even mention what I ordered?

Here’s the list:

How to Write a Damn Good Novel II by James Frey (Originally, I was going to buy the mystery one so I could slip mysteries into my books as one slipped into ‘The 15 Date Rule’. But then I got distracted. I almost bought then both, but I will hold off–for now. I am also hoping that I won’t miss out on too much having skipped book one.)

Sleeping With Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner (I told you I’d have to buy it now!)

Creating Unforgettable Characters: A Practical Guide to Character Development by Linda Seger (I’ve heard good things about this one and hope that it solves some of my character issues.)

I’ll keep you posted on the books.

Currently I am reading As Seen on TV  by Sarah Mlynowski which is good. You know everything is going to blow up for the main character, Sunny. So you wait, dreading it. http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/As-Seen-On-TV-Sarah-Mlynowski/9780373250363-item.html?ref=Search+Books%3a+%2527as+seen+on+tv%2527

Enjoy!

Never Satisfied

So now that I have my site all revamped and this blog software down pat, I want to change it all. I have new ideas in mind. Ideas which, of course, will require me to learn all sorts of new stuff. That means that I likely won’t actually do it. Not yet, anyway. I think I will change the ‘theme’ of my blog page’s style though. I have decided that there are much nicer ones out there.

 There was an interesting post in the Ask Daphne section on KT Literary’s website which has got my stomach doing little flips. Here is a link: http://www.ktliterary.com/daphne.html. It is the posting on ‘what is published’. There is a growing debate in the comments section on whether to post writing samples or not on your website. I have posted mine and I think it is a good idea. At the same time, my stomach squeezes like a dishrag full of water at the thought of someone plagiarizing me or me doing something ‘wrong’ and wrecking my chances of getting published. Eeek!

I went blog hopping this morning and ended up on a blog that was really good. And it made me feel inferior. Which is silly because we all have our own style. I think fighting this cold has got me a bit down. Maybe I shouldn’t edit my own work this morning–I might slash and burn everything!

In the end, I think today is a day to hole up at home. Well, except that I have to go wrestle 20 4-year-olds wielding paint brushes this afternoon. That should be entertaining. I think I had better take some cold medication before I go. I will not succumb to this cold, I will not!

Character Motivations

Hmmmm…I’ve noticed that my protagonist’s best friends tend to be a bit…well snippy. And a bit mean. I wonder what that says about me? Maybe it is some anger I have towards an old friend or something–or the fact that I find many women to have a snippy edge to them–or the fact that I am trying to add an interesting edge to my character dynamics.

Character foils? Maybe? Maybe not.

I think I need to work more on my character motivations. They have them, they are spurring them on, but they aren’t all that obvious to the reader. Which is fine in some regards, I don’t want to be obvious and boring. At the same time, I don’t want it to be so challenging or disjointed that the reader tosses down my work in frustration.

For example, in ‘The 15 Date Rule’, I am trying to illustrate that a lot of women find my main character, who is smart and beautiful, intimidating. But how do you show that? Well, through their actions, which are not going to be favourable. But how do you show that it is intimidation or jealousy that is making them act that way? A little trickier–unless you make them really mean and again, obvious.

So, I suppose this is my puzzle of the week. A tricky, tricky puzzle seeing as I figure these things out in real life based on a feeling I get from a person rather than the words that they speak.

Signs of Spring

Spring is coming! It’s coming!

I have no idea what was discovered on Groundhogs Day this year, but here are some signs that spring is on its way:

• I sat on the front step and enjoyed the sun. The sun! And didn’t wear any mitts.
• I got to wear a vest the other day.
• I had my bike out.
• I am panicking that ski season is almost over. I’ve hardly been out!
• There is sunshine.
• We changed our clocks an hour ahead.
• I’m booking and planning our annual spring trip to Victoria. That means flowers and green grass!
• While sitting on the front step enjoying the sun, I saw an ant! a moth! a fly! and a beetle! Plus a disgusting amount of mushy dog poop from inconsiderate dog walkers all over the front yard where the snow used to be.
• Easter Creme Eggs.
• Suddenly there is wonderful fruit and vegetables in the grocery store at decent prices–meaning that somewhere in the world it is late summer.
• Muddle puddles.
• My husband shaved off his goatee.
• The cars always need washing.
• And sun.

Teacher, Meg’s Distracting Me Again!

Why it is dangerous to follow the links on Meg Cabot’s blog ( http://www.megcabot.com/diary/index.php) when you are trying to get some work done:

1. You end up laughing at some crazy kid using his cat as entertainment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGkQkVQt7ak&feature=related

2. You end up laughing at a librarians blog and then trying to post your own comment, which doesn’t go through, so you give up.

http://librarianavengers.org/worship-2/

3. You discover Patrick Swayze has cancer. And then you move on.

4. You end up following a link to Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Ward-Cleaver-Jenny-Gardiner/dp/0505527472/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204826739&sr=8-1

5. And then you end up going to Chapters to find out what the book is actually about.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Sleeping-with-Ward-Cleaver-Jenny-Gardiner/9780505527479-item.html?ref=Search+Books%3a+%2527sleeping+ward+claeaver%2527&sterm=sleeping+ward+claeaver+-+Books

6. And then you end up trying to figure out if Ward Cleaver is that TV character from that show you’ve never seen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_Cleaver 

7. You follow a link to an author’s site and realise that there is just too much to read on the Internet and you will never get back to work, so close everything down again, promising yourself you will go look at it all again later.

http://www.thedebutanteball.com/ 

8. You end up writing a blog entry so you can share the crazy links.

And then you notice that Sting’s song ‘Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot’ is song number 666 on winamp’s playlist. I’m just saying. That’s all. I’m not implying that Sting is evil or anything. Or that your soul is going to pilot you straight to hell or anything. Really, I’m not. I’m sure it is just a quirky little coincidence.

Oh my god! It’s a sign!!!!!!!!!!!

(Kidding.)