One Last Workday This Week...
What a week. With my poor DH down with diverticulitis and, after beginning to heal from that, coming down with the beginnings of the flu, it's been unbelievable stressful and I've had to work a six-day week. On the writing front, I finished and turned in a LOTR Community story, I'm almost finished with my SV story, and I did another drabble - this time to address the word "borrow". My first attempt was dismal and I pulled it the next day. My second attempt moved it's scope over to one of my more familiar playgrounds - Ost-in-Edhel and the admittance of Annatar into the Gwaith-i-Mirdain. This version I was pleased with and put it up for concrit. Changes suggested were looked at and, if I felt they were consistent with my inner view of the scene, were incorporated.
When an author, a student writing a paper for his fourth-grade class or a professional author with many books on the shelves bearing her name, constructs a scene, s/he develops a mental image of what is being written. In many cases the author lives the work, walks through the rooms, looks at the content on tables, and sees the layout of the buildings. Each author's vision is unique. Unless they are writing a purely factual text, everything is subject to interpretation. In a fictional work, everything is up for grabs.
I rarely spend so much time over a blog post, and I rarely delete as much as I have on this one to avoid casting stones. I live in as much of a glass house as anyone, and I'm personally a bit shy of stones. I gave a reasoned response to someone I considered a friend yesterday and received a thrown stone in return. *sigh* Maybe next week will be better.
When an author, a student writing a paper for his fourth-grade class or a professional author with many books on the shelves bearing her name, constructs a scene, s/he develops a mental image of what is being written. In many cases the author lives the work, walks through the rooms, looks at the content on tables, and sees the layout of the buildings. Each author's vision is unique. Unless they are writing a purely factual text, everything is subject to interpretation. In a fictional work, everything is up for grabs.
I rarely spend so much time over a blog post, and I rarely delete as much as I have on this one to avoid casting stones. I live in as much of a glass house as anyone, and I'm personally a bit shy of stones. I gave a reasoned response to someone I considered a friend yesterday and received a thrown stone in return. *sigh* Maybe next week will be better.
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confused
Oh, that's frustrating, when you try to be reasonable and someone isn't the same in return.
Thanks for your comments. As I recall, you were having a bit of a bad turn yesterday. I hope things are going better for you now :-)
- Erulisse (one L)
Sometimes I find it particularly difficult when it's to do with writing, because it's something that's rather close to my heart. But, yes - I can totally understand not wanting to say anything that would make for regret down the road.
Things are settling down, I think. Today and yesterday were all right, so that's a good start. Merci. ♥
I don't see what's been said as a thrown stone. Your vision, once you explained it, has been respected, each of us have our own and as you say, they are all equally valid. The controversial point was, I believe, if drabbles are the best format to tell a story, which in this case is rather complex. I believe I may have touched on this point myself in the past regarding one of your previous fics. If there's more to be said, why keep it to 100 words?
Our writing group is serious about writing good fic. There is no flaming, good banter and everyone has a genuine wish to help each other. You know how a written comment may be seen differently as the same words spoken face-to-face.
I would just ask you to see any comments you receive as the feedback you've asked for. Believe me, I've been stung many times about harsh words about my fics, but they were always well meant. I learnt and moved on.
My two pennies!
Edited at 2012-01-14 05:22 pm (UTC)
Or even three thousand. :D
I don't read drabbles, at least not in the Tolkien fandom. I've looked at one or two, and want the other 100,000 words d;-) (I wink but I'm serious.) I do enjoy one-shots, vignettes or short fics that fit in with a larger 'verse very much, as they add more to something I am already enjoying.
The purpose of the drabble is brevity, testing the author's ability to express interesting and meaningful ideas in an extremely confined space.
All very well, but I do not want an author to practice brevity if they have a good story to tell. I want to read a humungous great doorstop of a novel.
I just don't see why a writer would want to limit themselves to 100 words. It's awfully confining.
Edited at 2012-01-14 08:18 pm (UTC)
I find it very difficult to say what's good or not good about a drabble, for the same reason that I never enjoyed poetry, though I love the play with words you may discover in it. On the other hand, I love doorstop novels.
Yes, I don't get it at all. Must have story, naow!
I don't even know why they're popular. I just want to write, but then I do hate anything that constricts me (including prompts or exchanges, which is why I don't do them.)
*Devil's Advocate cap ON*
When I write one, I'm not trying to write a whole story. The One knows that I can be as wordy and intricate a storyteller as the best of 'em. However, in a drabble, I'm only trying to capture a pivotal moment, or maybe a pair of pivotal moments. Within a fan fiction setting, a lot of the things that otherwise would need exposition are already presumed understood on the part of the reader - so there's a lot of "padding" not needed.
However, that being said, I find that some of those pivotal moments simply refuse to allow themselves to fit within a mere 100 words. That's why I am more than willing to write double-drabbles, or even tribbles. The idea of a drabble is to give the most emotionally potent picture possible in as succinct a manner as possible. It can be done, and it can be VERY powerful that way.
YMMV. But as an exercise in using precise language, nothing can beat writing drabbles.
*now doffing Devil's Advocate cap and running for the hills*
- Erulisse (one L)
Thanks and hugs to both of you. I'm sure things will look 1000% better after I catch up on some sleep (it would be really nice if my DH could start feeling better too *sigh*).
- Erulisse (one L)
And speaking of which, I think Ziggy has just updated. What a great start to the morning!
- Erulisse (one L)
*hugs*
- Erulisse (one L)
- Erulisse (one L)
I'm so sorry you had someone lash back at a piece of concrit. That can be really hard, especially if they asked for your help and honesty. You may want to reconsider beta'ing for that person again; and if asked, let them know why.
{{{{{hugs}}}}}
It's a matter of priorities. They aren't wrong, per se. I wrote a drabble that happened to be this story. They read a story that happened to be a drabble. Drabble #1 in my priorities, story #2. They felt that should be switched. It's OK, just not what I really needed/wanted crit on.
Next week will be better (I hope).
- Erulisse (one L)
Thanks for the hugs, sweetie.
I wrote a couple of novels before daring to write drabbles. I love reading drabbles and the sensation of pure joy a good one brings.
- Erulisse (one L)