Writing Tip: Risks

[jpsorrow]

When writers first sit down to write, I think they all end up playing it safe. They stick to their favorite genre, they tend to write like their favorite author, and they generally favor the plot elements that most established writers think of as cliches. I think this is a good thing actually, because when you first sit down to try to tell a story you're essentially starting to teach yourself how to write--the basics such as grammar and sentence variation and structure and all that other stuff. In order to focus on that, you play with the toys that have already been thrown into the sandbox.

But eventually, if you seriously want to get published, you're going to have to break out of that sandbox and try something new. You're going to have to take a risk. Playing it safe will only get you so far, and using the same toys in the same standard ways won't get you noticed or published. And what I mean by taking risks doesn't mean changing elves to Aerians and dwarves to Ormains. That's a surface change. You need to take a risk with a character, with the plot, with SOMETHING significant.

Before I go any further, a disclaimer: this is not a new topic or a new idea, and I'm unlikely to say something you haven't already heard. So if you're looking for that stunning idea, the one you haven't read before but that breaks that wall in your head apart and makes all writing suddenly make sense . . . you're not likely to find it. I'm hoping that this post encourages someone who's hesitant about taking that risk to finally push through that hesitance and just do it.

This is basically my writing story as it relates to risk. I of course started out with the standard plot for my first novel: group goes off on a quest to find the object that they think will save their world. I'm not ashamed of this in any way because I still love that story and those characters and that plot, and also because that first book was my learning curve. I didn't take any real classes about writing, didn't go to a writer's retreat, didn't attend any conferences or conventions on writing, nothing. I just wrote. And wrote and wrote and rewrote, and in the process I taught myself how to write. That was what the first book did for me, and using the standard plot and characters allowed me to focus on that. The book didn't get published (yet) and that was hugely disappointing . . . but that's because I hadn't taken any risks. I got a little notice because the writing was good, but it didn't go anywhere because it laked that risk, that edge. And that's what gets books published.

I didn't realize this at the time. So after years of frustration, I moved on to a different book. And this time, I took a risk . . . for me. I decided to switch to a different POV, one that I knew wasn't as accepted (first person), and I switched to a genre that I wasn't as familiar with (mainstream suspense). And I wrote and wrote and rewrote, and in the process learned that I could pull off first person and I could write a rather suspenseful novel. This added a few new elements to the basics writing aspects I'd learned with the first book. In Stephen King's terms (from his "On Writing" book), I'd added a few new tools to my toolbox. Taking that risk is what did that. But those risks were more personal risks; they were writing tool risks, not STORY risks. And the publishers will be interested only when you take risks with STORY, with character and plot and setting. I hadn't pushed myself that far yet, and that's what I really needed to do.
That second book was rejected, although I was generating more interest at this point with my writing. So I got alot of rejections (from both agents and editors) where they said they loved the writing, but the book wasn't for them. I think that's what those types of rejections mean: it isn't the book really that's the problem; its that you haven't taken big enough risks with the book.

I think I finally got it after writing that book. Not on a conscious level. I didn't sit back and say, "Ah, I see, I'm not taking a big enough risk!" No, no. I got pissed. *grin* I'd been rejected, but had come close, and I KNEW I'd come close. I could taste it. But I hadn't made it yet and it totally ticked me off. I still remember bitching to my fellow writers at our soon-to-be weekly meetings about it all.

And that anger is what made me take a risk. When I sat down to write The Skewed Throne, I had decided that I wouldn't hold anything back. I'd shied away from getting too close to the characters, and so I decided to get so close to Varis that it was uncomfortable. I'd shied away from violence, and so I tried to make the violence a living part of the book (but not the point of the book). I'd shied away from trying anything really new with the world and plot, and so I set the book entirely in one city (practically one street) with no quest, and I introduced a magic system without light shows and fancy language and all that, with a crazy throne, I mean, why the hell not? Insane furniture hadn't been done before as far as I knew. I took some huge risks. I basically said, "Screw it! I'll make it as intense as I possibly can!" And I did. I think that's what made The Skewed Throne different. I broke down all of the walls that I didn't even realize I'd constructed, especially regarding violence (which I don't generally agree with as a solution, although you wouldn't know that from reading the books), but in particular regarding character. I can honestly say (now) that before this I shied away from a real, significant, meaningful connection to my characters. I'd only do a surface treatment of them; I wouldn't get PERSONAL. I was keeping myself removed. But with Skewed Throne, I broke through that remove and I GOT personal, as personal as I possibly could.

I can see the progression to that risk now, in hindsight. I can see how I was starting to break through that remove from my characters in that second mainstream suspense novel, although I hadn't pushed myself far enough there. At no point during this entire process did I ever actually think that I was taking a risk. Not in those terms anyway. But I recognize now that that's what I was doing with Skewed Throne: taking a risk. A big risk. One that regarded the STORY and not just a writing technique I hadn't tried.
So Skewed Throne got published, which was exciting. Only after writing the last few books have I come to realize that progression of risk in my writing, and that the risk is probably what pushed my writing beyond just good into the publishable realm. What I didn't expect was that I'd have to continuously remind myself to take risks.

On my current work in progress, Well of Sorrows, I was writing the first chapter, practically the first page, and I found myself backing away from something, and the realization that I was backing off--that I was RETREATING from something--shocked me. I mean, I'd written three books already, sold them, passed them through an editor . . . and yet I was BACKING OFF of writing something! Why?
Because it was a risk. In the scene, my main character was being beaten up by a gang of thugs, not for the first time, and he'd reached the point where they'd kicked him so hard that he was going to piss his pants . . . and I was going stop right there. Before he pissed his pants. Because, well, that's icky. Seriously! I could kill people right and left in Skewed Throne, but I was backing off of someone pissing his pants! What the . . . !

But then I realized why I was backing off: because this represented a hugely traumatic event in the main character's life. The shame of losing control, of being forced to face his mother, or even worse, his FATHER, with stained breeches, and mix in the anger at being beaten, the shame from THAT, and all of these riled up, conflicting emotions . . . it was TOO PERSONAL, and I didn't want to deal with it, and so I was BACKING OFF.

But I cuaght myself. I stopped, and saw what I was doing, and even though it was hard, I forced myself to write the story that wanted to be written (not the story I thought at first) and forced myself to live through that character's shame and pain over pissing his pants. And you know what? The first four chapters of that novel, where I deal with that shame and anger and what it made that character do . . . I feel that it's the best part of the novel so far. It may not be the key moment of the novel, or even really the main plot, but it's the best part. Because I took that risk, and the risk made the character real, it made the story come alive, and the result was a section of the book that actually makes me say, "Holy shit, I can't believe I wrote that!"

I think it will draw the reader into the book and make them love and hate the main character. It will make the character REAL.

*sigh* So that's my story of risk. Since that section, I've caught myself backing off of a few other things, and caught myself, and forced myself to forge ahead, no matter how weird or awkward or uncomfortable it made me personally feel. Because if it makes ME feel uncomfortable, then think of the impact it may have on the READER! Think of that power, to make the reader suck in their breath, or shiver, or shudder, or just say, "Oooo!"

And the point of the post? Mostly, I just want those younger writers out there to realize that they need to take risks, that perhaps the reason you've been getting rejections, even nice rejections, is because you aren't taking the big risks. Make yourself feel a little uncomfortable. Remember, the best part of writing is that you can always revise it later, so there's no reason you CAN'T take the risk. Just try it and see what happens. You may be at the point where you think you're taking risks, but you aren't (like I said, I only see where I took risks in hindsight). Or perhaps you aren't taking the right risks; maybe you're taking writing technique risks, but not STORY risks. And I think part of the point of the post is to remind myself (and other published writers, although I doubt you need the reminder) that you have to continue to take risks if you want your writing to rock.

Take the risk. It's worth it.

[KTC]

I always take risks. I never once sat down and played it safe. You're making huge assumptions here. I would never write comfort and I'm sure there are lots of other people who share my thoughts. There are no taboos.

[Ziljon]

Thanks for sharing, JP. I agree, it's good to take risks, it's good to write what you like best too.

I don't understand KTC's reply. Were you referring to him specifically? Do you two have a private relationship?

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts.

[KTC]

No...he wasn't. I'm just saying that it sounded like he was suggesting all writers take the easy way. I was saying that's not true.

What was said was, "THEY ALL END UP PLAYING IT SAFE".

[CaroGirl]

Of course new writers tend to play it safe. It's how you learn the craft. Practice, practice, practice. It's how you gain the confidence to push personal boundaries, and take risks. I believe it's a process, though, like breaking grammar rules. You have to know the rules before you can flout them. Most writers, with the confidence gained from practice, and the more elusive success, get bored with the mundane and begin to push themselves beyond their comfort zone.

[Esopha]

I played it safe. Then I got bored. So in the second draft of WIP#1, I added all the things I liked to write about and basically had a party.

I didn't think of it as taking a risk. I thought of it as doing what I wanted to do instead of what should happen in a farmgirl-goes-to-Fairyland story.

I'd like to think it worked out.

[Leigh Walker]

Thanks for the post. as a new writer, or at least new at admitting and practicing my writing, I am sure I want to be safe. For me, writing at all was a big enough risk. And sharing the writing for the first time with someone was equivalent to jumping off a bridge. I never really thought about it before I read your post, but I think your right (maybe not for all writers, but certainly for me.)

[Dawnstorm]

To me, writing was never about success, so "risks" didn't come into it. It has always been a game to see what I can do with words. And if I already know how to do it, it's drudgery, not fun. Viewed like that, "risks" are the reason I write. "Playing it safe" renders writing pointless. What's called "risk", here, I would probably have called experiment.

And most of the time experiments fail, risks don't pay off. But when they do... Well, that's when I'm reminded of why I'm writing.

AND: failure is not a waste of time. You learn. And you learn more than if you repeat the same old thing again and again.

Btw, if I read the original post correctly, this has less to do with "rules", but with personal comfort zones. "I've done this before. It worked. I'll do it again." Some people get bored sooner than others. In the end, it's a matter of time.

[AlleyNV]

Thank you for posting this, I am very new and working on my first novel. I did intend to take risks but I wasn't sure what I could do with the character. You have given me some great ideas...so Thank You

[Zelenka]

Nice post and very thought-provoking, though I agree with KTC that not everyone starts off safe. I've always kind of approached writing by looking at things that inspire me and thinking, but that could be taken a bit further, or looking at it from a different angle, something outside the norms and cliches of the genre. I find that a load of fun (and yeah, risks and experiments are pretty much the same here and not all of them work - some of my experiments are cringe-making :o ).

The post was really interesting though because I'm about to start on the second draft of my fantasy WIP, and that's pretty much how I'm approaching it, by getting a lot closer this time and pushing things further. It's always a little confidence boost to think I might be going about it the right way. I feel a lot better about diving into this now, so thanks! :D

[willietheshakes]

My feeling is (and I think I'm down with KTC on this) that sweeping, accusatory generalizations don't work...

Risk is entirely in the eye of the beholder -- the more you read, the more you experience, the more you internalize, the more you realize that there are very few genuinely risky things you can do with your writing. There is virtually no subject matter, no textual approaches, that others haven't tried before...

[Elodie-Caroline]

Really? I didn't think about playing it safe when I first sat down to write, I thought about the kind of stories that would interest me as an individual.
I am an avid watcher of the French cinema and this is where I took my inspiration from, down to earth and gritty. I break every taboo in my writing and may never get published with it because of it; I write about child abuse, murder and sometimes even rape... Not playing it that safe, am I. But I write for me and what interests me, not for anyone else.

I write thriller/romances and considering I've never read, or had the notion to read, a romance novel, that's out. But I've had enough fantasies over men I've loved in my life, to be able to write about romance. I've been told by my beta-readers that my best writing is with the emotions my MCs feel too. I've also known men, where the danger factor of knowing them was very high, so can do thrillers quite easily. But none of what I write about is things that happened to me, thankfully.

I can't write the same way as my favourite authors either, as they have always been Stephen King, Anne Rice and other horror writers, I don't do horror stories.
Also, I made sure I wasn't reading anything other than non-fiction when I started writing; I wanted to use my own voice, which I do and have been commended on my style by an already published author.

I could take a risk by writing fantasy or sci-fi I suppose? Then I'd just die of boredom :tongue


Elodie


When writers first sit down to write, I think they all end up playing it safe. They stick to their favorite genre, they tend to write like their favorite author, and they generally favor the plot elements that most established writers think of as cliches. I think this is a good thing actually, because when you first sit down to try to tell a story you're essentially starting to teach yourself how to write--the basics such as grammar and sentence variation and structure and all that other stuff. In order to focus on that, you play with the toys that have already been thrown into the sandbox.

[Sean D. Schaffer]

I would say I've played it safe for the majority of my writing life. Only within the last couple years have I started to step out of the sandbox, as it were. I've dabbled in Erotica, which I do like but don't really have the gumption to write anymore. I've also thought about writing a literary novel, but have kind of shied away from it because, like you said, JP, I'm not used to writing that subject matter and it is not my favorite to read.

Still, I find it easiest to write something I know. In this case, it's Fantasy and/or SF with dragons as at least a supporting character. The literary piece could work, because it is all outlined through some 42 to 45 chapters (I can't remember the exact amount; I don't have the outline sitting in front of me). And it is a subject I'm passionate about, even if the dragon only makes a cameo appearance, so to speak, and can only be found in the first couple chapters.

I just have not built up the resolve to actually write the piece. Fear plays a large part in this, fear that I won't be able to accurately portray the lifestyle and the ways of Medieval Europe; and fear of the unknown, how to publish such a work.

I've also been guilty of writing only novels for the last couple decades. Of course, I've written a short here and there, but not a lot of them. This makes it even harder to write a short now than it was when I was in High School, because I'm so out-of-practice.

However, I did finish that short the other day, Tannin. But I originally had planned on making a novel out of that piece, so it was more of a fluke than anything else.

So I can see where you're coming from, JP, so far as I myself am concerned. I appreciate your willingness to start this thread, even though it looks like there might be some heated discussion down the way.

[Karen Junker]

Hi, JP! Nice to see you here...

I've always enjoyed your articles on writing, on LJ and now here. It is extremely kind of you to share your experience with the new writer (and even with those of us who think we know something!). I always take away something I can use from reading your articles, so thank you, again.

[PhoenixSaga]

Even if your post doesnt apply to everyone, it will certainly touch and inspire the ones it was supposed to. Thank you for sharing your experience. I think there is a something to be learned from everyone even if the experiences may differ. I definately got something out of it I would not have if you didnt post this. Thank you again.

[a_sharp]

For me, risk is taking characters down unusual plot twists and into situations that test their limitations. Doing so presupposes a strong character delineation in the first place, which requires that I know that character well enough beforehand that he will respond to the situation in a way that both surprises himself and creates further story conflict. The risk for me in that process is two-fold: how I feel writing it, and how my reader may react. I may be uncomfortable with the circumstances, I may be ill-informed about the mechanics, or I may simply doubt its credibility, but in any case if I do embark on that path, the outcome is usually (not always) a stronger story and richer characterization.

To say that I have always written that way would be untrue. It's only after my fourth novel that I got into that frame of mind, which is not to claim that as a rule--everyone's different. It is one thing to be willing to take a risk and another to develop the ability to carry it off. I have long been willing but only recently able. Your mileage may vary.

[Wraith]

Thank you for sharing your 'writing journey' with us, jp, I'm sure a lot of people find it useful and it's always good to remember writing is about stepping out of the boundaries and exploring.

Of course, a lot of new writers don't start off safe - in fact a lot of them begin in a way so uncommon and free of genre guidelines or plot structure that sometimes the story itself doesn't come across in the best possible way. The way I see it, taking risks is a thing some people have to learn to do, while others do it naturally, because you have to pour a lot of yourself into a book to make it come alive, and that's not easy. But everyone's experiences are different. I know I've encountered a few uncomfortable moments over themes or scenes in my writing which I explored as much as I could, because I liked the feeling of being completely honest in my writing. Also when I began writing I didn't start off practising - a safe subject matter that would have allowed me to know and develop my skills - I started writing a very complicated and important story, one that wouldn't leave me alone, and I started writing out of a need, which means I didn't care about plot or genre or anything like that, but I was all for taking risks.

The matter of taking risks goes far beyond writing, though. It first starts with admitting to oneself those things that make us uncomfortable, and then it influences our writing, which is a different thing altogether, because books go out in the wild with all that we poured in them. But breaking personal taboos is a personal thing, one that you can't do in writing if you don't do it in life too, imo. Getting involved to the core in your writing makes it powerful, yes, but it's not easy, it can get dark and disturbing and unknown, and that's why writing is what it is, more than just a craft, and why books are more than just a story.

Risk is entirely in the eye of the beholder -- the more you read, the more you experience, the more you internalize, the more you realize that there are very few genuinely risky things you can do with your writing. There is virtually no subject matter, no textual approaches, that others haven't tried before...
Yes, but what's different is the person approaching those. Risk doesn't come from the subject matter but from how the writer feels about it. If a writer really is there, inside his story, inside his characters, living that story, maybe doing horrible things and understanding everything, the writing showing that will be unique. No two people could write the same way about the same thing if they wrote with honesty and interest - all imho.

That is why most experimental prose doesn't bring anything new, because its novelty is on the surface (not all of it, of course - there are wonderful books in original styles where the style hugely improves the story). What I'm saying is, the true kind of experiment is not the one you try, it's the one that matters, those things that are personal and important to the writer consciously or not, and the rest are only tools to make it come across.

Writing about something you don't care about ends up flat, writing about something you care too much about (in a lot of different ways) can become a personal risk. Well, that's why we write. We can't afford to stop where a sentence begins to feel uncomfortable.

I think that's what the OP was mainly talking about. There are switches in genre and techniques which are also risks, concerning your skill and writing, but much less so than the personal ones you can face with story and themes.

Just my two cents and all imo.

[Madison]

Thank you for sharing! I definately "played it safe" with my first novel (although I didn't know I was). But enough of that - I totally agree. Have to step out of comfort zone, put in some good twists, make it unique and new. Who wants to publish what's been done a zillion times?

[arodriguez]

great post.

[Voyager]

I go where the muses command, my first novel will attest to this...zzzzzzzzz. Yeah, it was bad, but it was uniquely so :D

[David I]

Arthur Miller once said that the best writing was always right on the verge of embarrassing the author.

There isn't anything inherently dramatic or scary about sitting in a chair and pecking at a keyboard, so it's a great time to take risks. If I didn't, I'd probably fall asleep.

[KTC]

Arthur Miller once said that the best writing was always right on the verge of embarrassing the author.



Exactly. And when the author gets to that point it is really important that they go forward...swim in the morass.

[Doodlebug]

For myself, 'safe' would translate to something more like 'lazy'. When I'm taking a risk, what I'm really doing is pushing myself to think harder. It's like weight lifting (at least I think it is - I'm not really a weight lifter) - you won't get any stronger by working with the same weights and doing the same number of reps. You need to push yourself. It's the only way to improve. The one thing that I, as a writer, fear most is writing bland stories.

Great post! Thanks.

[Judg]

I am going to be watching more closely when I feel tempted to back off. This is one of those posts that crystallizes vague feelings I was having into nice tangible words. Thanks.

[leontay]

Very nice post, thank you.

[Shadow_Ferret]

When writers first sit down to write, I think they all end up playing it safe. They stick to their favorite genre, they tend to write like their favorite author, and they generally favor the plot elements that most established writers think of as cliches. I think this is a good thing actually, because when you first sit down to try to tell a story you're essentially starting to teach yourself how to write--the basics such as grammar and sentence variation and structure and all that other stuff. In order to focus on that, you play with the toys that have already been thrown into the sandbox.


I write in the genre I enjoy reading. Not sure what that has to do with safe. Why would I write in a genre I hate?

I have no idea what a plot element is, so I have no idea if whatever it is that is then in my story is a cliche or not.

[ishtar'sgate]

I don't like to play it safe. I don't have a favourite genre but I find I prefer to write historical fiction and read murder/mysteries. I don't write like a favourite author because I don't have a favourite - I appreciate the skill of many writers. I'm taking a big risk with my present novel, challenging widely accepted historical 'facts' which may raise some hackles. I don't care. The historians weren't there and have simply repeated what they've been told while archaeology supports alternate explanations, so I'll run with those and see what happens.
Linnea

[gp101]

So after years of frustration, I moved on to a different book. And this time, I took a risk . . . for me. I decided to switch to a different POV, one that I knew wasn't as accepted (first person), and I switched to a genre that I wasn't as familiar with (mainstream suspense). And I wrote and wrote and rewrote, and in the process learned that I could pull off first person and I could write a rather suspenseful novel.

Maybe I'm splitting hairs here, but...

If you were a multi-million-book-selling author and tried these things, I'd say you took a risk. If you were a midlist author who made just enough to support your family and switched to these methods, I'd say you took a huge risk. But when a newbie who's had little or no success tries these things and strikes gold, I call it "finding your true voice". In some cases, it's throwing as much stuff against the wall to see what sticks.

I realize you said that by doing these things it was a risk to you, but really, it sounds more like you were finding the real you as a writer. NDI, but trying something new (new to the individual) that you're uncomfortable with isn't of itself, IMO, taking a risk. If you're already successful at something, doing it a particular way, but change the way you do things, I think that's a risk. If you've struggled achieving your goal, then change the way you want to achieve it, I think you're being brave enough to follow your heart, but you have nothing to lose. The midlister who tries this has much more to lose.

I went from a very omni POV to a very tight character POV in my story-telling. My writing is better for it, and I actually enjoy writing better because of it. I don't think I took a risk, however. I think I learned what works best for me, and since my former way of writing got me nowhere, I've stuck with it. Had I been successful with my old way of writing, and then decided to write in this new way because I liked it more, then for sure I'd feel I was taking a risk--I'd risk alienating my current reader base whereas now, I can change all I want without risk because I have no reader base.

Regardless, congrats on making the appropriate changes in your style that suits your talent best. And much congrats on your success. Again, I'm just splitting hairs.

[KarlaErikaCal]

This was a very helpful post. So thanks, jp! i enjoyed reading about your experience and i felt the same way about my first novel. Halfway through it I said, "Karla, this sucks" but I didn't come up with a reason why it sucked. Then I realized that it seemed like your normal saving the world type of thing. I wanted to make it better, bolder. Finally, I found something I liked and my realization paid off. BIG TIME.

-Karla

[blacbird]

So, how does the exhortation of writers to take risks play with the publishing industry, controlled by agents and editors who are about the most risk-averse people imaginable?

caw

[laffarsmith]

It's interesting to read all the collective responses to this topic so far. I remember when I first began writing novels I simply created the reality I wanted for myself. I wrote the life I wished I were leading. As a teenager it was freeing and a constructive way to organise the turmoil of puberty into some semblance of order.

Years later I played it safe, writing a romance novel. I thought that if I could churn out a couple of romances a year I'd have bread money and could then write what I want without having to feel pressured for each sale. Of course, while I enjoy the mindbreak of reading a light romance I hated writing it.

In a way it takes courage now to write what I love to write. It's a risk to write the messages I want to write in the genre I want to write with these characters. Creating an emotional bond with these imaginary people is daunting but since I control their outcome it's not so great a risk as reading about characters whose ending is already written.

Most days I think the biggest risk is writing anything at all. Every time I think about settling down to write it's a leap of faith, hoping that I'm not writing another novel that will never see the light of day. This one is too good to keep secluded in a draw somewhere but of course I know I could never write it as well as it deserves to be written. The risk I take is to write it the very best I can because if I don't then it will never be written by anyone else. While ideas and concepts might not be entirely original, we each tell our stories in our own way.

[D.L.Steele]

Very informative and interesting post. I can see a lot of what you're saying in my writing. I would have never even considered that I wasn't taking risks. Thanks for the post!

[blacbird]

Every time I think about settling down to write it's a leap of faith,

For me, it's pretty much a pratfall of faith.

caw

[Inky]

I write stories that I wish I could find.
I write stories that break genre/formula rules.
I can't stand:
Boy meets Girl-
Girl resists Boy-
Boy rips bodice-
Girl now loves Boy-

AND one plot, mixed with a few subplots that can be tied up with a neat little bow by the end of PARAGRAPH 2. But no...the author drags it on and on and on...if I wanted pink bunnies, I'd buy batteries. (Hush, Cray)

Besides, in today's world, it would go more like this:
Boy meets Girl
Girl resists boy
Boy rips bodice
Boy introduced to Smith and Wesson


Risks? Oh yeah. Look at Steinbeck.
Hell, let's travel further.
Can you say Aesop?
I knew you could.
Now throw a dash of Phyllis Diller in there.
Oh yeah. NOW you're talkin'!

And then we have the elements of magic. Many rules to using magic. Many stereotypes to break as well. Bring in those with fangs, and again, we're breaking down walls. When all the rules are broken, you have a fresh story--might be an old idea--but it's a page turner because you dared write it YOUR way.
Terry Goodkind was frowned upon; told his manuscript/story was toooooo long.

Look how many books he has in his series. He laughs all the way to the bank. Why? He did it his way.

I've never written in a nice neat little box; I've never remained within the lines.

Dare to get naked with your writing!

[Ageless Stranger]

I always take risks. I never once sat down and played it safe. You're making huge assumptions here. I would never write comfort and I'm sure there are lots of other people who share my thoughts. There are no taboos.


I agree, I don't think I can remember one story I've written that wasn't the equivalent of nails on a black board in certain parts. I like to make it personal, close-up. That's how life is.

[Simple Living]

I don't think jpsorrow intended to imply that every single writer plays it safe. He just did what we've all done, and continue to do periodically. He wrote a sentence with all-inclusive terminology when he didn't mean it literally. The thing that gets me is, people know this and they jump on it anyway. "I take risks." "I've never not taken risks." (I'm not talking about those who said this kindly. Just the ones who seem to be belligerant about it.) Then, guess what? He didn't write this for you. Rejoice! You're experienced! Why rain on someone else's parade?

Give the guy a break, and some credit, for taking the time to come and share his experience. He wasn't trying to come across as the all-knowing one.

[Shadow_Ferret]

To me parachuting is a risk.
Motorcycle riding is a risk.
Bungee jumping is a risk.
Eating at McDonald's all the time is a risk.

Writing? Pfft. Where's the risk? You tell the story you want to tell then try to sell it.

[Wraith]

Writing? Pfft. Where's the risk? You tell the story you want to tell then try to sell it.
There's the risk that you sweat over that story you want to tell for years, until your health, life and mental sanity are all ruined, and then you never sell it. :D (By that time you're probably ok with just writing, though.)

Actually, I think there are "risks" inherent to sitting down to write a book, however safe that sounds, but I've ranted about them enough in my last post here so I'll give everyone a break. Imo, it's not just the story that gets on the page, it's a part of the writer. Often not the part he'd like to show off, either.

[D.L.Steele]

To me parachuting is a risk.
Motorcycle riding is a risk.
Bungee jumping is a risk.
Eating at McDonald's all the time is a risk.

Writing? Pfft. Where's the risk? You tell the story you want to tell then try to sell it.

That's not the point that I got from that post. I think he was saying that you have to continually push yourself to see things differently and try things that are outside what is considered normal. I think even the best writers fall into what is safe and comfortable for them.

You seem to have interpreted "risk" literally and taken it completely outside of the context of the post.

[Shadow_Ferret]

That's not the point that I got from that post. I think he was saying that you have to continually push yourself to see things differently and try things that are outside what is considered normal. I think even the best writers fall into what is safe and comfortable for them.

You seem to have interpreted "risk" literally and taken it completely outside of the context of the post.

If we're talking metaphorically, then as a beginning writer the very act of writing is a risk, is it not? I'm trying to do something that I don't even know I'm qualified for.

How can I possibly take the "safe" way when I haven't established myself as a writer yet?

Everything I do is a risk.

[Wraith]

How can I possibly take the "safe" way when I haven't established myself as a writer yet?
You can. You can write just for bucks or rip someone off. There's a risk there too (not getting published) but not the metaphorical risk (you didn't put much of yourself in it anyway).

Otherwise writing is a risk, yes, but I believe it's just the same to an established writer. It's not about publishing or material risks, it's about comfort zones and personal risks, which a writer faces when he writes true no matter the stage of his career.

Just my opinion.

[Shadow_Ferret]

You can. You can write just for bucks ....

I am just writing for bucks. What other reason is there? My intent is to be published. That doesn't mean I'm trying to imitate or rip any one off. I'm still trying to find my own voice, my own style, my own story.

That said, I'm not writing anything off the wall, I have no interest in avante-guarde or experimental writings. I write within the genres I enjoy reading. That doesn't mean that's a comfort zone and I'm just taking it easy. I'm still striving for originality within those genres, so that is risk.

If you think about it, the mantra "write what you know" means you aren't taking risks, you are writing within your comfort zone in a manner of speaking.

And I believe the readers can recognize if you are writing what you know or if you're struggling and delving into areas you know nothing about. If taking risks means your writing is stilted and awkward, then what did you accomplish?

(This post brought to you by "I'm rambling and Off Topic" Soda, the soft drink that makes you drivel complete nonsense.)

[CaroGirl]

Eating at McDonald's all the time is a risk.


Eh? What was that? You'll have to speak louder, and into my good ear.

[Shadow_Ferret]

Eh? What was that? You'll have to speak louder, and into my good ear.
:tongue

[Wraith]

I am just writing for bucks. What other reason is there? My intent is to be published. That doesn't mean I'm trying to imitate or rip any one off. I'm still trying to find my own voice, my own style, my own story.

That said, I'm not writing anything off the wall, I have no interest in avante-guarde or experimental writings. I write within the genres I enjoy reading. That doesn't mean that's a comfort zone and I'm just taking it easy. I'm still striving for originality within those genres, so that is risk.

If you think about it, the mantra "write what you know" means you aren't taking risks, you are writing within your comfort zone in a manner of speaking.

And I believe the readers can recognize if you are writing what you know or if you're struggling and delving into areas you know nothing about. If taking risks means your writing is stilted and awkward, then what did you accomplish?

(This post brought to you by "I'm rambling and Off Topic" Soda, the soft drink that makes you drivel complete nonsense.)
Ok, ok. Seems my drink of choice is Generalisation Coke, then (of the sweeping and inaccurate kind). I didn't mean people who like writing and creating stories and characters like you do. If it were the bucks only, you'd probably have chosen a safer, faster way. Which is why there's probably no one who writes for money without liking to write, which means I should stop rambling at times. :rolleyes:

I think we're talking about different kinds of risks. Writing inside your favourite genre (which is natural and I don't find 'comfortable' in any way - as I said earlier, experimental fiction is sometimes just a way of disguising unwillingness to explore and experiment on a deeper level) can have its own risks. "Writing what you know", when interpreted more broadly, can mean writing characters' emotions as your own emotions (as an article I once read suggested, adding realism to completely imaginary scenes: a character about to fall off a cliff feels the kind of emotion you felt when you almost had a car crash, etc.) And that's a sort of emotional risk (although I don't know if 'risk' is the best word after all), it's getting deep inside a story and writing your own deepest emotions/thoughts/experiences, bad and good. That's why I said it's inherent to writing.

Of course there are all kinds of risks - like those that can make your writing awkward. And different people take different sorts of risks. Either way writing is exploring, so the risks are there anyway, be them style risks, career risks or personal. And I doubt many people think about them when putting pen to paper, because it's too fun anyway.

[Hummingbird]

Very nice post! I enjoyed it! Now I know what I was doing with my first attempts at a novel. 'Playing it safe' is definitely a term that would decsribe it. Each time I rewrite, knowing there is something that I'm lacking, it gets better and better, but much more different then I had originally expected. Which is good!
My current WIP is my favorite, because it's so much different from my other WIPs. The story, the placement, the characters. Because I took a risk and got away from what was comfortable to me.

Thank you for posting this!

[Danger Jane]

My feeling is (and I think I'm down with KTC on this) that sweeping, accusatory generalizations don't work...

Risk is entirely in the eye of the beholder -- the more you read, the more you experience, the more you internalize, the more you realize that there are very few genuinely risky things you can do with your writing. There is virtually no subject matter, no textual approaches, that others haven't tried before...

The idea is to make yourself uncomfortable. That comes across in writing, when the writing is skillful.