Monday, August 25, 2014

College Kids and Excitement by Linda S. Glaz

            My husband and I attended the last show for our daughter and son-in-law’s Shakespeare Festival last night and afterwards there was an alumni ice cream contest. We got to test a bunch of different ice creams…heartburn, anyone? But it was fun. And the most fun came in watching the new students at the campus laughing, dancing, getting to know each other. The excitement was palpable.
It started me thinking about our writing. Is the same excitement still in our stories after a few years? Are we still laughing, dancing, and getting to know our characters well as we write?
One of my fave authors for decades is still writing, but I’ve noticed I can figure out whodunit by page ten or twenty at the most. After spending fifteen or so dollars for her new book only to know by page ten who the culprit is, I have to wonder if she’s just lost her excitement. Yes, a twelve million dollar contract would rev me up, all right, but for how long? Does complacency set in for everyone no matter the money, no matter the thousands and millions of readers who just wait for your next book to release?
Don’t let your stories down, don’t let yourself down, but more importantly, don’t let your readers down when you write a new story.
Picture yourself as a first-time college student, dancing with your hands in the air, laughing, smiling, getting to know your new friends, your new characters. Telling their new story.
Then dance like no one is watching and let the excitement flow!

8 comments:

Jackie Layton said...

I think this is a great reminder for unpublished writers also. At some point we must move on to the next story, and we should be excited.

Thanks for the reminder!

Linda Glaz said...

Jackie, you are so right and wise. It doesn't pay to sit on one story and wait, but to get on with it and keep writing. Very good advice!

Patty Wysong said...

That excitement is so important! And it's infectious too. =]

Linda Glaz said...

Amen, Patty! You can feel it when your crit partners write back, or...it's just not there. And that alone is a good gauge of whether or not there's enough of a thrill in the novel!

Diana Flegal said...

I agree, writers need to fulfill their promise to their readers. Linda, I've been disappointed as well by a favorite author. And I can't say how many times I have heard about and experienced a client of mine laying aside that unsold manuscript only to sell first the second or sometimes even the third one they have written. Writers write.

Linda Glaz said...

Amen, Diana. You can't sell what you don't have!

Raquel Byrnes said...

I think you hit the nail on the head about going back to your exciting, wide eyed, days of the beginning. Great reminder to us all.

Linda Glaz said...

I hear ya, Raquel, it's so easy to get complacent!