A few years ago I was challenged by my art therapist to paint the ugliest painting I could possibly imagine. This was an exercise to free me from expectations, self-judgment and over-planning. The assignment was to spend ten minutes getting out all of the ugly onto the canvas. It worked to get me past the block, past the fear of painting something ugly. Whenever I feel blocked or unhappy with my art now, I spend time intentionally painting something ugly with "bad" technique and chaotic composition. I often find gems in the ugliness that become the foundation for a piece that is authentic And now comes your prompt to write something to bore the reader. Thank you. I'm off to write something boring now.
I love this take. My crit group and I have been talking about this - we've been considering it as a misinterpretation of "show, don't tell," which is thrown around so much in general writing advice. We don't actually sit down and think about what "show, don't tell" really means. I think a lot of the vague writing I've seen stems from this misinterpretation, where writers try to "show" what a character is feeling but end up just alluding to some distant event that we never find out about.
Can you just call my lawyer next time if you're going to write about me so publicly in your newsletter?? I was reading this and literally going, "Oh no...oh *no*...Oh no, I do that wrong thing, too!!...OH NO I am ALSO writing about this like I'm trying to keep it a secret!!" MASTERFUL - I gained more useful insight from this one newsletter than I did an entire college course on creative writing (literally. I went to a very bad liberal arts school).
This is such great advice, and cleverly put. Bore me! Just pre-ordered Late Americans, and bought Real Life while I was at it. Love your Substack. Thank you, thank you!!
Thank you for articulating this in such concrete terms. I've always felt the tug of stories that create a broad narrative field from direct details, but never quite been able to express the why or how of it.
Also I have had the publication date for Late Americans on my calendar for months but will probably just do the boring thing and get it on my Hugo trip to Barnes and Noble.
Playing table tennis with you would be awesome! If you’re in Rockaways this summer and want to play on the tables they’ve built in the park by the boardwalk, I’d come meet you there. And I’ve got the gear.
The Lottery is such a perfect little jewel of a story. I will read with absolute JOY any and every examination of it. Also, thank you for the "try to bore me" advice.
I always wondered what of the myriad details in my head should go onto the page, but I never considered to just put all of them and then some more into my scenes just to have material to choose from in the next draft.
The thought is liberating, as you said, and I will do that in my work from now on. Thanks!.
Even requesting a book from the library before its release date helps sales. As an example, for every 4 requests on a title, my library will order an additional copy.
A few years ago I was challenged by my art therapist to paint the ugliest painting I could possibly imagine. This was an exercise to free me from expectations, self-judgment and over-planning. The assignment was to spend ten minutes getting out all of the ugly onto the canvas. It worked to get me past the block, past the fear of painting something ugly. Whenever I feel blocked or unhappy with my art now, I spend time intentionally painting something ugly with "bad" technique and chaotic composition. I often find gems in the ugliness that become the foundation for a piece that is authentic And now comes your prompt to write something to bore the reader. Thank you. I'm off to write something boring now.
I love this take. My crit group and I have been talking about this - we've been considering it as a misinterpretation of "show, don't tell," which is thrown around so much in general writing advice. We don't actually sit down and think about what "show, don't tell" really means. I think a lot of the vague writing I've seen stems from this misinterpretation, where writers try to "show" what a character is feeling but end up just alluding to some distant event that we never find out about.
Can you just call my lawyer next time if you're going to write about me so publicly in your newsletter?? I was reading this and literally going, "Oh no...oh *no*...Oh no, I do that wrong thing, too!!...OH NO I am ALSO writing about this like I'm trying to keep it a secret!!" MASTERFUL - I gained more useful insight from this one newsletter than I did an entire college course on creative writing (literally. I went to a very bad liberal arts school).
This is such great advice, and cleverly put. Bore me! Just pre-ordered Late Americans, and bought Real Life while I was at it. Love your Substack. Thank you, thank you!!
Thank you for articulating this in such concrete terms. I've always felt the tug of stories that create a broad narrative field from direct details, but never quite been able to express the why or how of it.
You know my friend Claire! Amazing!!! Buying your book now ♥️
(Is very smug because any decent SF writer knows that unless you are writing meta-SF you have to put the reader in a world that feels lived in)
This was exactly what I needed. Thank you.
so rich with insight & practicality! also v. interested in tennis this spring, have found a court in Brooklyn!
Also I have had the publication date for Late Americans on my calendar for months but will probably just do the boring thing and get it on my Hugo trip to Barnes and Noble.
Playing table tennis with you would be awesome! If you’re in Rockaways this summer and want to play on the tables they’ve built in the park by the boardwalk, I’d come meet you there. And I’ve got the gear.
The Lottery is such a perfect little jewel of a story. I will read with absolute JOY any and every examination of it. Also, thank you for the "try to bore me" advice.
such a great post, thank you.
Yup, yup, yup.
Thanks for that article!
I always wondered what of the myriad details in my head should go onto the page, but I never considered to just put all of them and then some more into my scenes just to have material to choose from in the next draft.
The thought is liberating, as you said, and I will do that in my work from now on. Thanks!.
Even requesting a book from the library before its release date helps sales. As an example, for every 4 requests on a title, my library will order an additional copy.