by Bethsyliss on February 13th, 2013, 11:39 pm
Hi Miss Star. I'm Syliss and most people have a tendency not to like me because I have a curious way of carrying out my life that sometimes shake people's (already unstable) values when they learn about it. I have no pretense of being a good writer but I'm happy with what I write. I don't know what you mean exactly by improving your writing, whether you want to improve its quality according to general aesthetic canon, are looking for praise, or just strive to find inspiration to increase your prolificity for personal satisfaction. Either way I'm going to share my views on what made me a happier, if not better, writer, in hopes that happier is connected with your particular definition of better in this instance.
Null. The equipment isn't working, so you decide to take some Null. After a while it seems like it starts working again; but really, whether you're ready to face it or not, it's not working FOR YOU. It may look like it's working to other people but it's just not doing it for you. You try to find something else to do, get your mind off it. That doesn't help. You just keep thinking about it and wanting to use it because you have that awful, insatiable drive for -- well, -- satisfaction. There's nothing else you want to do but you just can't do it for some reason. Something is missing. You feel powerless.
Writing. You want to do it, but you can't. You go and find another activity; I don't know, go for a jog (but anyway you never enjoy those), do some cooking (burn your food), read a book (which reminds you that you want to write and can't). Something is missing, your muse is on holiday, you're out of inspiration. Some call it writer's block, I think it's more poetic to refer to it as writer's constipation -- then again, I'm not a great poet myself. You try to write -- just what springs to mind, try and build on that, you know, the usual writer's constipation prescriptions. But even though the ink is flowing or your keyboard is singing, it's not working the way you want it to work, because you know you aren't satisfied. It's just not working FOR YOU.
Here's the deal. Writing, as well as most processes involving language, is basically skating along a chain of signifiers; it functions practically the same way as free association does, except it's with a deliberate filter. It works as long as the signifiers are tightly knotted to each other. But sometimes there's a point where there's a missing signifier. You can't go back because that's just boring, but you can't move forward because there's that hole in the signifier chain. What you need to do is find that missing signifier. Unfortunately there's no standardised, universal method to do that. Everyone must find their own (whether they're aware of what they're doing or not). That doesn't mean no one can help you; but they can't do it for you, nor can they tell you how to do it, because it's got to work for you since it's your personal signifier that's missing. The answer -- as well as the reason why the signifier is missing -- is within you. You've just got to invent new ways of making it work and you've got to invent a new way every time a signifier is missing. There is no unified tactic.
Now I know you haven't asked about writer's block specifically. I know the only thing keeping me from being a happy writer is just that -- writer's blockage. But signifiers have to do with desire. Whether they determine or are determined by it, I'm not sure. In any case, what keeps the flow of signifiers going is linked with the incessant flux of desire. One thing is absolutely certain: to improve in anything, you need to practice. If you're gonna improve as a writer, YOU NEED TO WRITE. Write, write, write, write, write. (Now I've said it too many times. It's gone weird.) Write. When you're done reading my post, write something, either for your book, or an answer, or something you'll keep to yourself, or anything. But just write something. And if you can't, well, don't take any Null or constipation pills; just fish for the signifier you dropped, find a way to knit it back into the signifier chain, and start writing again. One great writer once wrote in an essay that to be a writer, you should: 1) write every day, even on Christmas; 2) write ten thousand pages, and then burn them. That way you don't have any emotional ties with what you write and you only keep what you think is good quality. I guess that's something that worked for him, it's not a universal thing but it just goes to show how actually doing writing is important to improve your writing. Also, don't be ashamed of what you write. If you're ashamed of it then you yourself probably don't like it, so just cut it out and try again until it's perfect. Because if you're not absolutely happy with what you wrote, there's no chance your readers will, if that's of any significance for you.
On a different note, I don't really like your plot outline for the book. I won't tell you why right here because it might offend some people and I'd probably get banned if it offended the wrong people. But I don't think it's a bad one. The only thing that matters is whether you're completely satisfied with it, because if you are, then you're likely going to spend all your effort on writing something wonderful that only you can. If you're not happy with it, tweak it or scrap it if that doesn't work and start again from scratch. But, you know. Stop reading my BS and write something. I'm going to help you by stopping my message right here (also because I'm starting to grow hungry).
Happy writing and happy everything else!
Syliss
This is great because I get to do absolutely nothing for a while, and it gives me more time to develop Keira. I also started a bunch of drafts for different directions she could happen to go in and conversations she could have and for different threads. It's always best to prepare. I will most likely find all my friends' scrapbooks and subscribe to them but I would probably have to know you better than acquaintances to do so for yours. I don't have a lot of ideas at the moment but things will happen and I will have some.. interesting moments I will just have to write here.
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