No, this isn't me talking about being shot for ideas for a blog post. :P I've been thinking about this since last week, as it started as part of last week's blog post but stopped when I realized it was getting way, way too long.
As introverted as I usually am, get me started on a subject I like and you might have some trouble getting me to shut up.
Anyway, today's question is a simple one: how much do you talk about what you're working on? I've seen all kinds of answers, running the whole gamut from "not at all" to "talk about everything". I've even seen the peculiar variant of "talk about it, but not with other writers". That's one I really don't get. Who else is going to understand all the stuff that's going on in our heads if not other writers? Whenever I try to talk about the writing process with people who don't write, I get the kind of looks that make it clear they really don't understand.
Not everyone can keep universes in their head. I get that.
Here's my thing: when I'm working on something I like, I get excited about it. I want to talk about it. Much of the time, this takes the form of tweets that make little to no sense outside of context, and I usually don't feel like giving context. I rarely get responses to these, but I don't really care - it's the act of throwing little bits of my creative process out to the world that makes it worth it.
Also, the cynical side of me encourages this behavior, because the way things have been going for me, a tweet about what I'm working on is the most anyone will ever read of it. Far too much of what I plan crashes and burns in the plotting stages, so I like the idea that I can hint a little at what things could have been.
But that causes its own problems. I'm probably being too hard on myself here (which is a problem I know I have but I have no idea what to do about it), but when I start talking about things I'm working on and those things don't pan out, it's like failing twice. Not only could I not find the story and/or make it work, but I could have written about something that someone wanted to read, and now they never will.
I have things I've mentioned on this blog a bunch of times that will, most likely, never pan out or actually work. I'm at the stage in my "career" where I'm trying a bunch of things to see what does work, effectively throwing plots and characters against the wall to see what sticks. And I need something to talk about on this blog, because a weekly rejection update counter would just be depressing for everyone involved. (Current count for BoLR: forty "no"s, one partial I haven't heard back from yet, and one dodged bullet.) So unless I want to try to make endless posts about the craft of writing, which would probably get really boring after two or three, I have the ongoing process of writing to talk about.
Which, inevitably, should include what I'm actually working on.
As always, this is when I turn to the rest of you: how much do you talk about what you're working on? Do you think it's better to do so, or does it suit you more to keep quiet about it? And what do you do when you've talked about something but are no longer working on it?
I've never heard that we shouldn't talk to other writers. Who would we talk to then? Although there are one or two 'regular' people I can discuss my stories with, no one understands like another writer. I don't usually discuss my stories with anyone while writing my first draft, not unless I have some sort of research hang-up or need to check a character reaction or something like that. (My family can't stand it when I ramble about writing too long). But come CP time, discussions are wide open. If twitter works for you, that's great! Even if the context isn't clear :)
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few writers say not to talk about it with other writers, and yeah, I don't get it either. Even talking to people who read a lot isn't the same, because they don't get what it's like to create the story, not just read it.
DeleteI talk about my stuff a LOT. You can ask my buddies Jim and Dani. I'll be mulling over a scene and thinking through how this character will be suffering from this thing and then BAM! Idea! And I'll rush to message Jim and Dani on hangouts and spill all the excitement over chat. Most likely, it's a smile and nod on their behalf, with the occasional *pat* on the head.
ReplyDeleteIf given the opportunity, I will spill everything, including spoilers. I don't know if that makes me desperate for attention or just super excited about the ideas in my head.
A little bit of both, I think. ^_^ Like I said, some part of me wants to talk about my work-in-progress because I know most of it will never even be read by anyone else.
DeleteI talk a TON, but only with my creative team. That means people who are involved in the process--my publisher, my editor, beta readers, even my sister who is AWESOME for bouncing ideas off, even my 15 yr old son. BUT when I have something high concept, it doesn't go outside my tight circle. And yes, I have several high concept works that are hiding in the coffers, just waiting for mental realty. Part of staying sane is having someone to bounce your ideas off--so find someone, eh? A critique partner, a close friend, someone who gets you and is invested in you. Someone who can tell you when you're being an idiot and break your relationship.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea. Sadly, the friends I used to discuss this stuff with (both of them writers), I only get to see them about once a year now, so we don't get to talk about writing and bounce stuff off of each other much any more. Bah.
DeleteI would talk heaps but nobody is interested. Other writers only ever talk about their own stuff and nobody who isn't a writer wants to hear about writing much less my shit so why bother. I've given up talking about things I'm passionate about with literally anyone else now. The only thing people care about are their own kids, their own dogs and their house reno's. Being 40 sucks. I have no friends who still do fun stuff. They're all parents who won't shut up about their kids or their renovations or whatever boring cooking show they're currently obsessed about on tv. Fuck it. I have more meaningful fulfilling conversations with total strangers while playing online video games these days. At least THEY have more than one topic of conversation.
ReplyDeleteI hear you. >_< It's hard to find people to talk about things that you're into when they're nowhere near into it. I thought I would find more people I shared hobbies and interests with when I moved up here, and I've found some, but it's not like I hoped it would be.
DeleteI used to talk A LOT about what I was working on. Go back a few years on my blog, and you can read everything you want to know about my WIPs. But I came to realize this was a bad idea. But not because I think another writer might steal my story.
ReplyDeleteIt's that when a manuscript goes on submission, interested editors DO research the authors, read their blog, etc. I don't want an editor discovering that I wrote the thing 5 years ago and wonder why it's taken so long for it to cross their desk and who else rejected it in the meantime.
That's a reasonable point, which is why I tend to keep things in vague terms when it's still a WIP - I won't even discuss titles until a book's done. I still probably talk about things more here than I should, though. Hrm.
DeleteOther than my writer friends (circa IWSG) I don't talk about my writing with anyone. Most of my close family and friends will ask how my writing has been and I'll answer with a generic "fine" or "still loving it" but I never delve deeper.
ReplyDeleteIt's because I know they won't understand.
Everyone has been very supportive of me, something I am very blessed to say, but even my reader friends don't quite understand what I'm talking about when I discuss the writing process. They find it interesting but obviously can't empathize, especially if it's not going too well.
Over the years I've learned to keep my mouth shut until I'm actually publishing, because there have been times (like you) where I'd blab about this *amazing* story I was writing and the pieces never came together. And (like you) I felt like I'd failed twice.
I guess it's just a personal decision on how much you want to share. Just know your writing buddies (hopefully me!) get what you're going through ;)
Yeah, sounds like we're dealing with much the same things. ^_^ And it's really true that even people who read a lot don't see it the same way.
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