I am still new to creative writing, and like you have come to this from an extensive background in business writing. I think your description of the difference in process is spot on.
I would add one thing. Which is, when someone who is not a creative writer reads a novel, they are invariably struck by the overall structure of the plot and its characters and likely think "how DID they come up with all of this?" as if it was pre-ordained.
Which is to say, the finished product LOOKS very organized, and therefore it is reasonable for someone looking in from the outside to assume the structure WAS all laid out in advance. Which it usually is not, for all the wonderful reasons you describe.
How I love your newsletter, your voice and 'seemingly' light banter as you respond to the enormous angst (myself included) and pressing concerns of emerging writers!! Such riches--for instance, I did not know that I could send my fiction directly to editors, if I'm reading this properly. And I did a MFA at UBC, too. Could you perhaps include more on how this works?
Susan! Thank you so much and so lovely to hear from you!
In part, I am talking about submitting to small press, for which you do not need an agent. In Canada, we have many excellent and thriving small (or really medium-sized) presses. But that said, you can send things directly (sometimes even at the Big 5) but this involves either knowing or meeting an editor who says 'sure, please send it to me directly', or knowing someone with a good relationship to an editor or publisher who is willing to ask on your behalf if they would like to look at something.
Because ultimately, writing and publishing is a community and Canlit is a small and highly interlinked community, so all the more reason to a) connect with and support other writers and publishers, especially the smaller ones that really need it, and b) not be an asshole. :)
Thanks so much for clarifying, Sonal. I have taken a 2/3 year break from submitting due to the shit show of Covid, my ensuing Long Covid, etc , but hope to get back at it and this time submit more widely. Asking the couple people I knew was very difficult for me and practically induced a panic attack. And it seems hard to go back and ask UBC profs when I know they have a new bunch of aspiring writers every year. I am such a classic introvert. Need a store that sells Ego and go buy me some. ha ha.
I’m another one who thought the transition from confident corporate writing to creative writing would be easy. I was so happy to read this:
“The idea that I’d have to go back and revise and revise as many times as it took for fiction—the idea that revision in fiction is not just fixing stuff, but is in fact deepening our discovery of the story—took me very long to accept. “
This was the thing for me. Multiple drafts is not the same as failing. It’s what makes the work good.
The main thing that helped me get there was to consciously (try to) be humble. I exchanged my drafts (even calling them that took humility) with writers whose work I admired, and our discussions about our drafts was amazing and illuminating.
Ultimately I became excited about and embraced the revision process. It has been really fun (and heartbreaking and challenging and frustrating) to learn to write fiction—I’m in charge! These characters can do ANYthing! And creative nonfiction—there are facts AND I can express them in many ways and pick the one that best conveys the truth!
Best of all, I’m in a place in my life where I can indulge my desire to explore and play and learn new things. I don’t have the pressure of selling a bunch of copies of my work to keep financially afloat. I would LIKE to sell millions but it’s more important to get it right, whatever that means for the project at this time. I even get to define success!
Thanks for this conversation—it’s been helpful to me to hear your thoughts and reflect!
Hi Sonal
I am still new to creative writing, and like you have come to this from an extensive background in business writing. I think your description of the difference in process is spot on.
I would add one thing. Which is, when someone who is not a creative writer reads a novel, they are invariably struck by the overall structure of the plot and its characters and likely think "how DID they come up with all of this?" as if it was pre-ordained.
Which is to say, the finished product LOOKS very organized, and therefore it is reasonable for someone looking in from the outside to assume the structure WAS all laid out in advance. Which it usually is not, for all the wonderful reasons you describe.
Excellent point, and very, very true!
How I love your newsletter, your voice and 'seemingly' light banter as you respond to the enormous angst (myself included) and pressing concerns of emerging writers!! Such riches--for instance, I did not know that I could send my fiction directly to editors, if I'm reading this properly. And I did a MFA at UBC, too. Could you perhaps include more on how this works?
Susan! Thank you so much and so lovely to hear from you!
In part, I am talking about submitting to small press, for which you do not need an agent. In Canada, we have many excellent and thriving small (or really medium-sized) presses. But that said, you can send things directly (sometimes even at the Big 5) but this involves either knowing or meeting an editor who says 'sure, please send it to me directly', or knowing someone with a good relationship to an editor or publisher who is willing to ask on your behalf if they would like to look at something.
Because ultimately, writing and publishing is a community and Canlit is a small and highly interlinked community, so all the more reason to a) connect with and support other writers and publishers, especially the smaller ones that really need it, and b) not be an asshole. :)
Thanks so much for clarifying, Sonal. I have taken a 2/3 year break from submitting due to the shit show of Covid, my ensuing Long Covid, etc , but hope to get back at it and this time submit more widely. Asking the couple people I knew was very difficult for me and practically induced a panic attack. And it seems hard to go back and ask UBC profs when I know they have a new bunch of aspiring writers every year. I am such a classic introvert. Need a store that sells Ego and go buy me some. ha ha.
I’m another one who thought the transition from confident corporate writing to creative writing would be easy. I was so happy to read this:
“The idea that I’d have to go back and revise and revise as many times as it took for fiction—the idea that revision in fiction is not just fixing stuff, but is in fact deepening our discovery of the story—took me very long to accept. “
This was the thing for me. Multiple drafts is not the same as failing. It’s what makes the work good.
The main thing that helped me get there was to consciously (try to) be humble. I exchanged my drafts (even calling them that took humility) with writers whose work I admired, and our discussions about our drafts was amazing and illuminating.
Ultimately I became excited about and embraced the revision process. It has been really fun (and heartbreaking and challenging and frustrating) to learn to write fiction—I’m in charge! These characters can do ANYthing! And creative nonfiction—there are facts AND I can express them in many ways and pick the one that best conveys the truth!
Best of all, I’m in a place in my life where I can indulge my desire to explore and play and learn new things. I don’t have the pressure of selling a bunch of copies of my work to keep financially afloat. I would LIKE to sell millions but it’s more important to get it right, whatever that means for the project at this time. I even get to define success!
Thanks for this conversation—it’s been helpful to me to hear your thoughts and reflect!
I love so many things you've written here.