Ask the Author: Thatcher Robinson
Answered Questions (3)
Thatcher Robinson
For me, the greatest difficulty was, and still is, knowing when my manuscript is good enough to present to an agent or publisher. All writers, I think, are a bit delusional. Finding a metric for what is worthy of being read and what is simply crap is very subjective. Too a large extent, agents and publishers have the same problem.
Having said that...
I think I'd advise an aspiring writer to find a wide range of readers who are willing to be blunt and honest, then take the criticism given as a constructive lesson. Even the most successful writers continue to learn and progress throughout their careers. Your manuscript is not a holy grail. Be willing to toss out entire chapters, change perspectives, or whatever it takes to make a better book. Nothing is sacred.
Having said that...
I think I'd advise an aspiring writer to find a wide range of readers who are willing to be blunt and honest, then take the criticism given as a constructive lesson. Even the most successful writers continue to learn and progress throughout their careers. Your manuscript is not a holy grail. Be willing to toss out entire chapters, change perspectives, or whatever it takes to make a better book. Nothing is sacred.
Thatcher Robinson
I would differentiate between being a writer and an author. Some find being an author glamorous. You get to sign autographs and attend lots of conferences. Being a writer is a miserable job. Most writers are isolated little hobbits who grunge about on a keyboard trying to make magic. Most of the time we produce something far from magical. But every once in a while we turn a phrase into pure gold, and that's the reward.
Thatcher Robinson
Every story is different. Some stories flow and find their own path. When a story doesn't flow, I walk away and let my subconscious resolve the problem. The process may take a day, a week, or longer. If the story line is never resolved then it wasn't meant to be.
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