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What do you do well?

Posted: January 29th, 2012, 1:31 pm
by Rebecca Kiel
A recent post got me thinking. It is tempting to focus on our writing struggles. And certainly we want to be aware of them so that we may improve upon our shortcomings. But when your creativity just isn't flowing and you've got a daily word count quota to fill, thinking about what we do well can go a long way for fueling our confidence to keep at it.

So...

What do you do well?

Myself, I love dialogue. Hands down, writing good dialogue entertains the heck out of me.

Rebecca Kiel
http://rebeccakielpages.blogspot.com/

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: January 29th, 2012, 2:30 pm
by CharleeVale
I'm not good at spotting my own strengths, but I have been told I have a knack for unique metaphors. :)

CV

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: January 29th, 2012, 5:50 pm
by Rebecca Kiel
Metaphors are great when done well!

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: January 30th, 2012, 1:02 am
by Collectonian
Hmmm...from the feedback I've gotten on my stories, I would say that I probably do descriptions well. People frequently comment that they are able to visualize my scenes well, which is nice :-) I'd also like to think I tell compelling stories, but that is yet to be proven ;-)

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: January 30th, 2012, 4:04 am
by Gypson
I've been told that I write intense character relationships, so I'll go with characters.

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 1st, 2012, 2:07 pm
by Rebecca Kiel
These are all great things! My mother-in-law was just taling about a book she recently enjoyed partly because the scenes were so vivid. Description is key.

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:26 am
by dios4vida
I'd have to go with my imagination. My beta readers tell me that I have lots of cool ideas and interesting places or magic. I work really hard to make my fantasies unique (no dragons for me) and I guess I've come up with some really neat things in lieu of the typical fantasy tropes.

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 11:35 am
by Sommer Leigh
I feel like I am very good with descriptions. They rarely need extra work later and I'm very good at making a big impact with only a sentence or two or description.

Very cool post idea! I don't think we praise our strengths nearly enough.

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 12th, 2012, 3:12 am
by Sanderling
CharleeVale wrote:I'm not good at spotting my own strengths, but I have been told I have a knack for unique metaphors. :)
Who told you that, CV? ;) It's absolutely true, though. I also thought you did a really great job with the MC/love interest's relationship, it felt very real.

My own strengths... like others, I'm not so great at picking them out myself, but various CPs have told me my setting descriptions are pretty strong, that I really convey well my MC's relationship with her animal companion, and that I write really smoothly and engagingly.

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 12th, 2012, 10:23 pm
by Cookie
I think I'm in the dialogue camp too.

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 7:11 pm
by Mira
Aw, thanks for asking! It's so rare that this question is asked of us, and I think it's really important to acknowledge our strengths.

I have a really strong voice. I also have a mind that twists in surprising ways, and I think I can be very funny sometimes. Which is nice, because I make myself laugh and laugh. Maybe no one else finds me funny, but I'm having a great time. :D

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 5:18 am
by MaudeC
I am really good at poetry and romantic novels, as both genres require good imagery and a poignant language - unusual metaphors, your own self-created words, extraordinary epithets that help you vividly paint your emotions. I think these genres give the most space for creativity and self-expression, I am already published in both genres and hope it is only the beginning.

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 5:01 am
by JonGibbs
I'm the same. I love writing a good conversation :)

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 11:48 am
by guichizango
I think what I do best is that I can finish what I start. It took me many years to get to that point, but the first time I finished a WIP draft, I was hooked. It may take me months, but I always finish whatever draft I'm working on or whatever WIP I start.

Re: What do you do well?

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 6:24 am
by writersink
Mira wrote: and I think I can be very funny sometimes. Which is nice, because I make myself laugh and laugh. Maybe no one else finds me funny, but I'm having a great time. :D
I crack myself up too. I'll be sitting in the corner of a cafe and I'll write a scene I find funny and then I'll sit there for about 10 minutes laughing to myself. People look at me as though I'm crazy but who cares as long as I'm happy? I don't know if I make other people laugh as much but a couple of CPs have said I've made them chuckle. =)