It's done when it feels good. I can't explain it, but I know 'inside' when that happens. Now, not all stories reach that level of, uh, 'satori'? Some stories are just little romps with about as much satisfaction as a piece of candy - read, enjoy, forget - and nothing wrong about that. Would be a waste of time to polish and agonize over them. But the others, the ones that matter ... to me it's like music: sound and rhythm. Something you hear in your head when you read it. Choice of words? Not so much; simple is usually better. But the structure, that's where it sings, and it's very clear.
I've never spent more than a year on a book (I spent 12 weeks writing my first one before I released it). Oh, I could niggle away at a manuscript for years and enjoy doing so. I've got some perfectionist in me, but I work hard to actively suppress it. Why? Because perfection is boring. That's why I enjoy The Kinks a LOT more than I do Steely Dan.
I once heard Ella Fitzgerald tell a story about how when she was a young up-and-comer she was performing in front of an audience that included a musician she greatly admired. (I can't remember who it was, but he's one of the jazz giants. You'd know his name even if you aren't a fan of jazz.) She was extremely nervous and wanted every note to be perfect. After a song or two, the musician came on stage and whispered three words in Fitzgerald's ear: "Make a mistake." Fitzgerald found this advice profoundly liberating, and it shaped the rest of her career.
So after I've niggled my way through a manuscript a couple of times, I simply bite the bullet and let it go, accepting the fact that it's not perfect, and that it's all the better as a result.
I often wonder about art from the past and the future. What makes something popular? Timeless? Good? Bad? Lasting?
For visual arts (and other mediums), I believe the answer is texture. But for written words and especially music, I think the answer lies in voice, tone, and style. If you create something generic that follows the norms of the time, it might become popular, but the chances of it making a lasting impact are slim. How many hit bands or popular writers have come and gone, only to fall into the dustbin of history? Did they have talent? Yes. But is that talent what truly resonates with others? No. What resonates is the very quality that things like AI can’t produce and won’t be able to — it’s the art. The poem. The meanings between the meanings.
It's done when it feels good. I can't explain it, but I know 'inside' when that happens. Now, not all stories reach that level of, uh, 'satori'? Some stories are just little romps with about as much satisfaction as a piece of candy - read, enjoy, forget - and nothing wrong about that. Would be a waste of time to polish and agonize over them. But the others, the ones that matter ... to me it's like music: sound and rhythm. Something you hear in your head when you read it. Choice of words? Not so much; simple is usually better. But the structure, that's where it sings, and it's very clear.
Satori is a great word for it. And true, some stories are just worth the agonizing.
Also agree... one of the keys is clarity. If the story is strong, then clarity will only help it.
I've never spent more than a year on a book (I spent 12 weeks writing my first one before I released it). Oh, I could niggle away at a manuscript for years and enjoy doing so. I've got some perfectionist in me, but I work hard to actively suppress it. Why? Because perfection is boring. That's why I enjoy The Kinks a LOT more than I do Steely Dan.
I once heard Ella Fitzgerald tell a story about how when she was a young up-and-comer she was performing in front of an audience that included a musician she greatly admired. (I can't remember who it was, but he's one of the jazz giants. You'd know his name even if you aren't a fan of jazz.) She was extremely nervous and wanted every note to be perfect. After a song or two, the musician came on stage and whispered three words in Fitzgerald's ear: "Make a mistake." Fitzgerald found this advice profoundly liberating, and it shaped the rest of her career.
So after I've niggled my way through a manuscript a couple of times, I simply bite the bullet and let it go, accepting the fact that it's not perfect, and that it's all the better as a result.
I feel so powerful
I often wonder about art from the past and the future. What makes something popular? Timeless? Good? Bad? Lasting?
For visual arts (and other mediums), I believe the answer is texture. But for written words and especially music, I think the answer lies in voice, tone, and style. If you create something generic that follows the norms of the time, it might become popular, but the chances of it making a lasting impact are slim. How many hit bands or popular writers have come and gone, only to fall into the dustbin of history? Did they have talent? Yes. But is that talent what truly resonates with others? No. What resonates is the very quality that things like AI can’t produce and won’t be able to — it’s the art. The poem. The meanings between the meanings.
Texture and vibrance. Life and humanity.
Well said, Mark.
Perfectionism is boring.
You can absolutely edit the life out of things.
I've never abandonned a story.
Tuesday random thought.
Agree on all counts - perfectionism = sterile.
I like Henry James, by the way.
me too
This was extremely helpful. I think.
I'm glad. It was your prompt.