You, as a writer

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GFanthome

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What have you learned about yourself as a writer over the years? Has anything come as a surprise?




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mccardey

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What have you learned about yourself as a writer over the years? Has anything come as a surprise?

Interesting question! I've learned that I can write "bigger" than I had thought, and that I quite like to blow stuff up. And that I'm good at building suspense - but lousy at punctuation.

More importantly, I've learnt to read outside the kind of books I liked when I was younger. And how to read slowly. And why it matters.
 
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Kindness

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I've learned that I'm more capable than I used to believe I was -- I'm not a huge phoney and I may actually be good at this. I've also learned that the things I like to write aren't as stupid or as looked down on as I thought.
 

CharacterInWhite

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I'm probably an undiagnosed manic depressive schizophrenic.

Also: Not everyone thinks in metaphors all the time. I never knew until someone point it out. :p
 

Silver-Midnight

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Wow. That is a good question.

I guess that I actually can be a good writer. However, I need to write for me, not what I think other people want to write or write like. I just need to enjoy it most of all. I've also kind of realized that I'm a short fiction writer, and now, I'm okay with that. Before, I was kind of worried because it seemed like all of the other writers around me could pull off these huge words counts and I couldn't. Granted, it's still somewhat like that, but now I'm a lot more comfortable in what I write.
 

SomethingOrOther

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That every time I think that I know nearly everything I need to know, that I only need to put that knowledge to work, that additional knowledge would be helpful but not urgently needed, something humbles me and I realize I don't know half of what I need to know.

That the people who say I have talent and potential aren't incorrect, but that I can consistently harvest only a fraction of it right now.

That

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That, and a billion other things.

Fuck, someone hug me, I'm so clueless wrepfjpwkelfewfrwfq34r23r2323ff
 

kaitie

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That I can actually write decent dialogue.

That I'm an outliner. Trust me, that came out of nowhere and surprised the heck out of me. I'd spent years decrying outlines before I realized I can't write a decent plot without them.

That I might actually be getting good at this. After years spent having friends who wrote and always being the bottom of the pack in terms of talent, my hard work is actually paying off and proving that dedication and perseverance can matter just as much (if not more). This is an in-process discovery, though. Some days I think I'm pretty damn good, but I still tend to think most everyone around me is a much better writer and that I just don't compare. Probably because I tend to be friends with amazing writers. :tongue
 

owlion

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That I naturally write horror or sci-fi, when I was sure I'd write fantasy. I also find writing action much easier (and do it better) than quiet moments (which seriously goes against my personality, lol).
 

gothicangel

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That I didn't really like crime fiction that much, but that I really love historical fiction. :)
 

Buffysquirrel

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That I love having lots of characters to pick up and put down but I *hate* writing scenes with lots of characters in them.

Work that one out.
 

Archerbird

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I've learned that I'm more capable than I used to believe I was -- I'm not a huge phoney and I may actually be good at this. I've also learned that the things I like to write aren't as stupid or as looked down on as I thought.

Like this. I'll probably come back with something else when I've been writing for more than a year though.
 

Cathy C

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That I love researching pages of documents just to be sure one line of dialogue is right. I've also learned that so long as I keep studying my craft, every book gets easier, and quicker, to write. It's a good thing. :)
 

JustJas

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I've learned that I enjoy writing paranormal stuff when I swore I would always stick to realism. Never say never....And I have a great talent for procrastination which AW has really helped me to refine!
 

timewaster

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That I am just the same as I was when I was a teacher, a businesswoman and a Mum - better at some bits than others.
 

Andrea_James

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That I hate writing dissertations.

That if I ever stop thinking I suck, I'll stop getting better.
 

jdwhitelaw

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I'm gradually learning that I don't have to emulate all the greatest figures in fiction writing who have preceded me. When I first started writing in my late teens I had this bizarre obsession with my self and how every sentence I wrote had to be distinctly prophetic and worthy of he ages.

How time mellows the soul.
 

Modog814

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I learned that if you let go of trying to control the plot and make it perfectly brilliant, and just ask the characters what happened, they'll usually tell you (no i'm not crazy...i don't think)
 

elindsen

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What have you learned about yourself as a writer over the years? Has anything come as a surprise?

I think my biggest learned attribute is the fact that I can do it. And not just with writing. That I if I stick my mind to it I CAN DO IT. I am 100% self taught, never took a lesson or class and the only grammar, punct and stuff like that was high school english which I wiped away on graduation.

Don't want to sound all Barney and friends there, but it's true.

As for writing specifically? That the same. I can do it. I have always been a reader and enjoyed yelling at books (in good ways) and being so caught up in a story that I couldn't put it down. Now when I read my work I get the same feeling. My stomach clenches as a scene passes. That's power and I'm in love with being the dictator of my own little worlds. ;)
 

Phaeal

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I've learned that my first ideas are probably not my best, but that's okay. As the fiction grows and asserts its own truth, I can go back and change stuff.
 

Midian

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I learned that as much as I wanted to believe I'm a pantser, I'm not. I will never finish anything by trying to force myself to be a pantser.

I learned that I have ADD.

That finding out I have ADD at my age really does explain a lot. Like why I'm not a pantser. ;)

Because of this, I learned: I can kill an outline. It's sick how crazy I can get on an outline. Brainstorming: soooo my thing! And it shows in my daily word count which has risen dramatically on my wip that I broke believing I was a pantser and am now fixing by plotting like mad.

I now love outlines.
 

flapperphilosopher

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I've learned how incredibly important rewriting is-- in my early writing days (like, 11-16 ish) I couldn't understand writing more than one draft. Now I don't think there's a single scene in my novel that hasn't been rewritten at least 3-5 times! With every rewrite you can increase the depth and nuance and effectiveness, and maybe eventually even end up with a really good scene.
 
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