In one of his “how to” books on the craft of writing science fiction, David Gerrold stated that you need to write a million words before you find your voice. Now, who is David Gerrold and why do I give this statement the weight I do? He’s the guy who wrote that Star Trek episode about the Tribbles. You know, the one where Kirk opens up the overhead compartment and is pummeled by a couple hundred of those furry hamster-sized thingies? It’s a perennial fan favorite, and Gerrold wrote it at age twenty-two. Since then, he’s written at least thirty-five SF books, fiction as well as non-fiction. I own and have read a couple.
Anyway, I kinda like that statement. Why? It gives you a marker, a concrete goal. “What gets measured gets done”-type stuff. Something to aim for as you begin to consider sending stuff out for publication.
How do I stack up so far?
Kirana novel --- 100,000 words
The Whale novel --- 100,000 words
15 short stories --- 90,000 words
KNE novella --- 25,000 words
This daily blog (2008) --- 200,000 words
This daily blog (2009) --- 45,000 words
Total --- 560,000 words
So, it looks like I’m a little past halfway toward finding my voice.
I say that a bit in jest. I’ve been writing off-and-on since age twelve. Remember Star Rats? By now I’m comfortable with my voice. Are there things that need improving? Heck yeah! Some technical stuff (use more metaphors and similes!), some thematic stuff (master foreshadowing, and make every detail significant to the work’s theme!), some plot stuff (tighten! tighten! tighten that story!). But I’m happy with the way I come across on the page. Much more so than the way I come across live in person, to be completely honest.
For me, then, it’s more like tweaking my voice.
I do have a lot of projects in the air right now. Man, this time next year I might even be at that million-word mark. What type of projects, you ask? There’d really be no excuse if I didn’t finish a third novel by years’ end. I’d also like to make some money doing this whole online thing; to that effect I’m starting up two niche blogs next month. I also want to send out my completed novels and begin the rejection-slip-collection process. Whale’s ending needs to be revised, but a couple hours’ focus, spread out over a week, should tighten that up. KNE is not finished, but I think it’ll make a great young adult-type SF novel. That could be finished in two or three weeks. And that short story I promised I’d post this week? Well, I re-read it, re-edited it, and have to spend an hour or so to finish the last page. But now I think it’s good enough to be sent out.
I have plenty of time, right now, between jobs, and I want to utilize that time to the fullest. I read somewhere, I forget where, that to waste time is the biggest sin of all.
Ars longa, vida brevis …
Anyway, I kinda like that statement. Why? It gives you a marker, a concrete goal. “What gets measured gets done”-type stuff. Something to aim for as you begin to consider sending stuff out for publication.
How do I stack up so far?
Kirana novel --- 100,000 words
The Whale novel --- 100,000 words
15 short stories --- 90,000 words
KNE novella --- 25,000 words
This daily blog (2008) --- 200,000 words
This daily blog (2009) --- 45,000 words
Total --- 560,000 words
So, it looks like I’m a little past halfway toward finding my voice.
I say that a bit in jest. I’ve been writing off-and-on since age twelve. Remember Star Rats? By now I’m comfortable with my voice. Are there things that need improving? Heck yeah! Some technical stuff (use more metaphors and similes!), some thematic stuff (master foreshadowing, and make every detail significant to the work’s theme!), some plot stuff (tighten! tighten! tighten that story!). But I’m happy with the way I come across on the page. Much more so than the way I come across live in person, to be completely honest.
For me, then, it’s more like tweaking my voice.
I do have a lot of projects in the air right now. Man, this time next year I might even be at that million-word mark. What type of projects, you ask? There’d really be no excuse if I didn’t finish a third novel by years’ end. I’d also like to make some money doing this whole online thing; to that effect I’m starting up two niche blogs next month. I also want to send out my completed novels and begin the rejection-slip-collection process. Whale’s ending needs to be revised, but a couple hours’ focus, spread out over a week, should tighten that up. KNE is not finished, but I think it’ll make a great young adult-type SF novel. That could be finished in two or three weeks. And that short story I promised I’d post this week? Well, I re-read it, re-edited it, and have to spend an hour or so to finish the last page. But now I think it’s good enough to be sent out.
I have plenty of time, right now, between jobs, and I want to utilize that time to the fullest. I read somewhere, I forget where, that to waste time is the biggest sin of all.
Ars longa, vida brevis …
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