Many people who enjoy writing and have talent are susceptible to unwarranted self criticism. Nothing they write is ever good enough, no matter how much praise is bestowed upon a given piece of work by friends, co-workers, family say, you name it. Writers are usually their own worst critics. One type of writing which tends to throw these typically eccentric people into a tizzy is fiction writing.
Eccentric? Yes, it's true. Most writers are a bit eccentric, dancing to the tune of a different drummer than your average person. What you need to realize is that this really is a 'good thing'. Remember the history prof who was the most uninteresting person you ever encountered? The one who wore a bow tie every day of his life and put you to sleep with his soma-inducing monotone? He may have been well educated in his field, but his knowledge becomes wasted if he can't keep you awake!
For a writer who wants to get into fiction writing, the whole point is to keep your reader turning the pages voraciously, right to the very last page. Keeping the reader awake is hardly the challenge!
A somewhat or even very eccentric, but imaginative writer with at least a toe-hold in reality can become a good fiction writer indeed. Writing is not all art. There's also a good deal of craft. Here are some daily fiction writing exercises which you can use to develop the craft part. The art is up to you.
1.You've heard it, I'm sure, but here it is again: read, read and then read some more. Instead of sitting in front of the tube, make reading one of your primary free time activities. Read a variety of classic writers. Hemingway, Thomas Wolfe, Franz Kafka and Dostoevsky are all well known literary giants. Branch out to lesser known writers who, perhaps due to their more esoteric styles, may not cross your list of textbooks, but who are nonetheless accomplished in fiction writing. Isaac Bashevis Singer comes to mind. Talk to a librarian for more ideas to broaden your reading list. Not only is reading entertaining, but reading a wide range of fiction helps you develop your own voice on a subconscious level.
2.Keep a daily journal, detailing those perhaps inconsequential events that, while falling within the normal vagaries of life, still captures your attention. That odd moment might be humorous, discouraging, cause an epiphany of consciousness or simply be fascinating. Such events occur every day. You just need to notice them. It's amazing how this journal will grow. Once the event is recorded, come back later and make this ordinary observation a fiction writing exercise. Embellish the reality in plausible ways. Define your characters. Work on dialogue. These don't need to be long pieces a short story of just a page or two is sufficient for your purpose.
3.This brings us to the value of observation. If you live in a big city, take frequent walks and learn to be observant. There are absolutely fascinating people out there! Learn the art of 'invisibility' for maximum benefit. You don't want to draw attention to yourself, you want to learn what other people are about. If you live in a rural location, you're not out of luck. Hanging on a park bench or in a coffee house yields plenty of material. Strike up a conversation with someone who looks interesting. When you get home, write out your thoughts and impressions of this individual in your journal. Be as thorough in recording the details surrounding the encounter. Let it be for a few days or weeks. The entry will simmer in your unconscious until it's ready to bloom. Another fiction writing exercise or short story.
4.Sign up for a class in rhetoric, or make your own home study program. (Wayne Booth wrote the classic, 'The Rhetoric of Fiction'. Get it!) The art of using rhetoric is a powerful tool in fiction writing. Spend an hour or so each day if you're going the home study route.
Fiction writing sometimes involves imagining the impossible. At other times, it's a matter of writing down the imaginings of the thoughts of the heart. Sometimes life is stranger than fiction.
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