How can I write...

Saritams8 said:

... with Neil f-ing Gaiman in the house?


He's not really here, but I just picked up a copy of Smoke and Mirrors. Ha! I call myself a writer. I feel so inferior. He writes with such richness, description, character. *Sigh* I suppose I should bottle this and use it as motivation to improve.



Are there authors out there that make you feel like crap?

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Yes.

dclary said:

Yes.

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No.

Saritams8 said:

... with Neil f-ing Gaiman in the house?


He's not really here, but I just picked up a copy of Smoke and Mirrors. Ha! I call myself a writer. I feel so inferior. He writes with such richness, description, character. *Sigh* I suppose I should bottle this and use it as motivation to improve.



Are there authors out there that make you feel like crap?

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You may not want to do the Clarion workshop this year, then.

I have to try him again. I started American Gods four times and couldn't get through it.

But so many people love his work.

I feel the same way about Patrick O'Brian.

But just think of food, Sara, or music. Eventhough I love Boeuf Bourguignonne, I don't want to eat it everyday (although I did once have it for breakfast and that was pretty nice!). And eventhough I think Bach is the best, I still sometimes crave Brahms, or Hendrix, or Willie Nelson.


There's room out there--just like inside your own head--for many different levels of author, composer, and chef.

Go ahead and make a sandwich, but make it the best sandwich you can make.

You can just compare to me... suddenly the sky would be the limit.

I pick up a Michael Chabon or a JD Salinger...I'm in heaven. But I'm also in hell...because I just can't get there!

Clive Barker for me. If I have to become an honest man.

Saritams8 said:

So true. Wait, are you telling me to think of having Neil Gaiman for breakfast?

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Is he cute?

Saritams8 said:

I love Salinger. Franny and Zooey!

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Franny & Zooey is my absolute fav! Well...Zooey is my abfab...but the whole book is the one I read over and over again...hoping osmosis will kick in.

I have a Golden Retriever named Franny. I tried for two...wife wouldn't let me. It took me 20 years to talk her into one...then one day out of the blue she calls me and says, "I found Franny, but you can't have a Zooey." I said, "Okay."

But I'm going off topic. Yes...I love Salinger too.

Saritams8 said:

Are there authors out there that make you feel like crap?

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Pretty much all of them.

I believe you're only heading for depression or despair if you compare yourself to other writers. I mean, look at it this way. You admire Gaiman. Other people think he's shit. So what some people (you) think is fantastic writing, other people (John Q. Reader) wouldn't care for.

I've read Smoke and Mirrors and while the story ideas were entertaining and made me think, "I wish I'd thought of that!" the style of writing itself? Meh.

If good writers (well, good in your opinion anyway) help you aspire to greatness, then fantastic. But don't compare yourself to them because there's always someone out there who'll wonder what all the fuss is about.

Incidentally, my aunt and uncle took me to Borders on their credit cards once and my uncle asked, "What shoe size are you? Six? Then you can choose six books." I added Gaiman's Fragile Things to the pile. Wish I'd used American sizes now; I would have had 30- or 40-odd books!

scarletpeaches said:

Incidentally, my aunt and uncle took me to Borders on their credit cards once and my uncle asked, "What shoe size are you? Six? Then you can choose six books." I added Gaiman's Fragile Things to the pile. Wish I'd used American sizes now; I would have had 30- or 40-odd books!

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Are you referring to maybe Italian shoe sizes? My shoe size is an 11 in the US and my feet are considered huge.

And re: the OP, I think it's funny how we often pick one author who is our ideal and ends up making us feel bad because we can't accomplish that level of greatness... but then other people may think, "Him? He's not that great." When I saw that you were lusting over Neil Gaiman, my first thought was "Him?!" I think his stories are wonderful fun, but I wouldn't consider him a particularly fantastic writer in terms of style.

My author of envy has always been Ray Bradbury, but over the years I've realized that even his brilliance is not complete. His style works well for some things, not for others.

As SP said, you can't compare yourself to other writers; you have your own story to tell your own way.

Did I do good? I can has cookie now plz?

Don't compare yourself. (BTW, I love Salinger)

You have to write you. Ain't no other way.

u kan haz tree kookeez.

scarletpeaches said:

Did I do good? I can has cookie now plz?

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I read American Gods and was seriously underwhelmed.

So as has been said - don't worry about who you don't write like. Hone your skills and story and voice and style and you'll be great at writing like you - and people will like that.