Comments on: The Great Gap http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/ Adventures in Writing on the Road Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:01:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Natasha Fondren http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1300 Natasha Fondren Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:09:33 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1300 Mine is, too, Liz. I tried to finish a short story I started six years ago, and there's no way... I can't write badly enough to match the beginning, LOL! Mine is, too, Liz. I tried to finish a short story I started six years ago, and there’s no way… I can’t write badly enough to match the beginning, LOL!

]]> By: Natasha Fondren http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1299 Natasha Fondren Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:08:25 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1299 That's awesome, Jewel! I love that "nailed it!" feeling! Thanks for the encouragement. :-) That’s awesome, Jewel! I love that “nailed it!” feeling!

Thanks for the encouragement. :-)

]]> By: Natasha Fondren http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1298 Natasha Fondren Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:07:17 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1298 Eric, I mainly have an uncomfortable feeling of relief. Honestly, sometimes I wonder which part of this process I actually enjoy... even though I know I enjoy all of it, too. LOL, that made no sense. I wonder if there is a giant leap at some point. I'm not a big believer in talent, as you've probably heard me say. :-) I've had so many average students who become "talented," and so many talented students who do worse than even those average students who don't become talented. In fact, I found talent to be a greater predictor of under-achievement than anything else. Eric, I mainly have an uncomfortable feeling of relief. Honestly, sometimes I wonder which part of this process I actually enjoy… even though I know I enjoy all of it, too. LOL, that made no sense.

I wonder if there is a giant leap at some point.

I’m not a big believer in talent, as you’ve probably heard me say. :-) I’ve had so many average students who become “talented,” and so many talented students who do worse than even those average students who don’t become talented. In fact, I found talent to be a greater predictor of under-achievement than anything else.

]]> By: Natasha Fondren http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1297 Natasha Fondren Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:04:13 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1297 I definitely have been there, Angie. I often think that while we can become better at writing with each story, not every story necessarily has the same pizazz as all the others. You know, that extra zing. It's frustrating. Even writers I love sometimes write total flops. I definitely have been there, Angie. I often think that while we can become better at writing with each story, not every story necessarily has the same pizazz as all the others. You know, that extra zing.

It’s frustrating. Even writers I love sometimes write total flops.

]]> By: Liz Kreger http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1295 Liz Kreger Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:46:22 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1295 I know that my writing is vastly different from when I first began. I'm hoping that its because I'm forever learning as I go. Great post, Natasha. Makes one think. Love those. I know that my writing is vastly different from when I first began. I’m hoping that its because I’m forever learning as I go.

Great post, Natasha. Makes one think. Love those.

]]> By: Natasha Fondren http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1294 Natasha Fondren Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:13:31 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1294 This is true, Written! Come to think of it, Ira was sort of mis-defining taste as an understanding of what makes something great, and I went with that mis-definition. This is true, Written! Come to think of it, Ira was sort of mis-defining taste as an understanding of what makes something great, and I went with that mis-definition.

]]> By: Natasha Fondren http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1293 Natasha Fondren Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:12:06 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1293 This is so true, Elizabeth! I think I'll get a huge, comfy couch first.. :-) This is so true, Elizabeth! I think I’ll get a huge, comfy couch first.. :-)

]]> By: Natasha Fondren http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1292 Natasha Fondren Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:11:07 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1292 LOL, Joey! Okay, I will! :-) LOL, Joey! Okay, I will! :-)

]]> By: Jewel/Pink Ink http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1288 Jewel/Pink Ink Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:04:21 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1288 I still struggle with the gap, Natasha. But I do think that I am getting more hits than misses. The most amazing feeling is writing something and thinking, wow, I got it out like I envisioned it, as though I had this movie in my head and there is a record of it! Keep at it. You are a fabulous writer. I still struggle with the gap, Natasha. But I do think that I am getting more hits than misses. The most amazing feeling is writing something and thinking, wow, I got it out like I envisioned it, as though I had this movie in my head and there is a record of it!

Keep at it. You are a fabulous writer.

]]> By: Eric Mayer http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-1282 Eric Mayer Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:46:43 +0000 http://www.natashafondren.com/writing/writers-on-writing/the-great-gap/#comment-1282 Great post. Now I'm wondering why Bloglines didn't alert me to this when it went up. Well, I am glad to know someone else hates their work when it is finished, and sympathize too. I never have any pleasure when a book's finally done. I just feel let down, disappointed, embarrassed by the ineptitude. And yes, there is this massive gap between what I enjoy reading and what I can write, between what I define as "good" and my own work. But look at what I read. Mostly old books. Books that people still read after 50 or 100 or 150 years. In other words books that are pretty great. And how many authors ever manage to prouce books like that? The work of most good authors, most successful authors, are swept away in the mists of time. (Authors good enough never to write a sentence like "swept away in the mists of time) And you get to an age when you look back at what little progress you've made in learning how to write and you have to figure you're just not going to have enough time to reach anywhere near the level you aim for. Unless, (as Joey wonders) there's some giant leap to be made. But, to be honest, I don't think "great writing" is something you learn. Competent writing you learn. Great writing is something you have to have inside you to begin with. Great post. Now I’m wondering why Bloglines didn’t alert me to this when it went up. Well, I am glad to know someone else hates their work when it is finished, and sympathize too. I never have any pleasure when a book’s finally done. I just feel let down, disappointed, embarrassed by the ineptitude. And yes, there is this massive gap between what I enjoy reading and what I can write, between what I define as “good” and my own work. But look at what I read. Mostly old books. Books that people still read after 50 or 100 or 150 years. In other words books that are pretty great. And how many authors ever manage to prouce books like that? The work of most good authors, most successful authors, are swept away in the mists of time. (Authors good enough never to write a sentence like “swept away in the mists of time) And you get to an age when you look back at what little progress you’ve made in learning how to write and you have to figure you’re just not going to have enough time to reach anywhere near the level you aim for. Unless, (as Joey wonders) there’s some giant leap to be made. But, to be honest, I don’t think “great writing” is something you learn. Competent writing you learn. Great writing is something you have to have inside you to begin with.

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