What do you do well?

The writing process, writing advice, and updates on your work in progress
User avatar
Rebecca Kiel
Posts: 30
Joined: April 29th, 2011, 11:28 am
Location: Midwest
Contact:

What do you do well?

Post by Rebecca Kiel » January 29th, 2012, 1:31 pm

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/

User avatar
CharleeVale
Posts: 553
Joined: December 8th, 2009, 3:16 am
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by CharleeVale » January 29th, 2012, 2:30 pm

I'm not good at spotting my own strengths, but I have been told I have a knack for unique metaphors. :)

CV

User avatar
Rebecca Kiel
Posts: 30
Joined: April 29th, 2011, 11:28 am
Location: Midwest
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by Rebecca Kiel » January 29th, 2012, 5:50 pm

Metaphors are great when done well!

Collectonian
Posts: 159
Joined: February 17th, 2011, 4:42 pm

Re: What do you do well?

Post by Collectonian » January 30th, 2012, 1:02 am

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 ;-)

Gypson
Posts: 49
Joined: August 29th, 2011, 7:14 pm
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by Gypson » January 30th, 2012, 4:04 am

I've been told that I write intense character relationships, so I'll go with characters.

User avatar
Rebecca Kiel
Posts: 30
Joined: April 29th, 2011, 11:28 am
Location: Midwest
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by Rebecca Kiel » February 1st, 2012, 2:07 pm

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.

User avatar
dios4vida
Posts: 1119
Joined: February 22nd, 2010, 4:08 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by dios4vida » February 6th, 2012, 11:26 am

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.
Brenda :)

Inspiration isn't about the muse. Inspiration is working until something clicks. ~Brandon Sanderson

Sommer Leigh
Moderator
Posts: 1624
Joined: April 2nd, 2010, 11:07 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by Sommer Leigh » February 6th, 2012, 11:35 am

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.
May the word counts be ever in your favor. http://www.sommerleigh.com
Be nice, or I get out the Tesla cannon.

User avatar
Sanderling
Posts: 187
Joined: July 3rd, 2011, 4:47 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by Sanderling » February 12th, 2012, 3:12 am

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.
My blog / Twitter
.
"Because if you have at least a modicum of talent and if you live by these six rules, you will make it."
--Robert J. Sawyer, speaking here of Heinlein's Rules.

User avatar
Cookie
Posts: 540
Joined: September 20th, 2010, 11:18 am
Location: Berkshires
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by Cookie » February 12th, 2012, 10:23 pm

I think I'm in the dialogue camp too.

User avatar
Mira
Posts: 1354
Joined: December 7th, 2009, 9:59 am
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by Mira » February 13th, 2012, 7:11 pm

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

MaudeC
Posts: 1
Joined: February 14th, 2012, 5:13 am
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by MaudeC » February 14th, 2012, 5:18 am

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.

User avatar
JonGibbs
Posts: 57
Joined: December 7th, 2009, 7:39 am
Location: Central New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by JonGibbs » February 15th, 2012, 5:01 am

I'm the same. I love writing a good conversation :)
Born in England, writer, Jon Gibbs, now lives in the USA. He can usually be found hunched over the computer in his basement office. One day he hopes to figure out how to switch it on.

An Englishman in New Jersey http://jongibbs.livejournal.com

guichizango
Posts: 19
Joined: January 2nd, 2012, 11:32 am
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by guichizango » February 15th, 2012, 11:48 am

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.

writersink
Posts: 167
Joined: October 31st, 2011, 12:30 pm
Contact:

Re: What do you do well?

Post by writersink » February 16th, 2012, 6:24 am

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. =)

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 9 guests