I was reading a book the other day, by an author who I get a chance to chat with in a Clubhouse room that does writing sprints. She published a book that was subsequently turned into a TV series, and she had an insightful comment that I want to share with you: Do not compare a finished work with your work in progress.
She went on to explain that her book did not begin as it ended; that it underwent revision rounds — and rounds and rounds — with many hands in the pot, so to speak, before it transformed into the final product that I held in my hands. That made a light bulb go off in my head: as writers, we do tend to compare our work to completed works that we’ve plucked from shelves or downloaded from the Internet. It’s a bad habit.
I have to remind myself that manuscripts are like houses: first, the architect creates a plan for the house, he then executes on that plan. Once he has the idea firmly in mind, he lays it out. Now that house is ready to be built. But what comes first? Clearing the land. To me, I ‘clear’ my head to prepare to build my book idea. The next step is laying the foundation which will hold everything up — to me, that’s the plot. And just like a foundation lies under the entire house, so the plot should carry the entire novel. After that, the studs go up, or what builders call framing. The house is beginning to take shape. But before we put up the drywall, we need to apply the necessary things that people don’t see (wiring, insulation and so on). So too with our manuscript. We need to add backstory in a way that is not ‘seen’ but rather weaves into the story. Once we have those fundamentals down, we can dress it up, as an interior designer does, with the paint, carpeting/wood, and decor. (By the way, we are currently building a house).
So I woke up this morning thinking more and more about it, and have decided not to continue the practice of comparisons. In fact, my time would be better spent studying the final product to discover the techniques used to turn that phrase, make that point, or drop in that much needed information. I am doing that with her book, taking notes, and seeing how I can apply it in future works.
So, just wanted to share that tidbit on this Saturday morning. Happy reading (and writing).
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