Monday, September 27, 2010

Not the best? No surprise there.

This is why I don' talk about my novel's with my husband. I love him like nothing in the world but damned if he isn't the worst about literature.

"I wanna go somewhere." -Me
"Like where?"-Hubs
I debate just outing myself right here, but know my husband could set himself up to get suckered into going where I want to go if I just hold out. "I donno." Add a exaggerated bored sigh here. -Me
"Want to go to Lowes?"- Hubs looking genuinely psyched. 
Holding back a gross face as, while I enjoy Lowes when I need something, I don't care to 'window shop' there. "What do you need at Lowes?" Sneer/smile- Me
"Some bolts and screws. I want to remove the computer from the Ruckus and blah blah blah blah my wife just zoned out but is still maintaining eye-contact so I will think she gives a crap as I explain something though she really has no idea what I'm talking about."-Hubs
"Well, I was actually thinking about the bookstore. Maybe I would go to Lowes with you if you will go to the bookstore with me?" -Me
Hubs fails to even attempt to FAKE interest. "Well that doesn't sound like fun. Don't like books and you know what's more? Don't like learnin'. So...No." That last bit he said with the worst, cringe-worthy southern accent ever. Which he doesn't really have.

*leSIGH*



I have been waiting so long to see these two together in a film. <3 Can't Wait.

Looking forward to this, Tangled, Let Me In, Black Swan, TRON: Legacy, The Green Hornet, Beastly, Sucker Punch, Easy A, Monsters, gosh... Some great movies coming out!

But the best, the one I get choked up watching the trailers for. The one who's books I have been obsessed with for a decade and make me push my own writing to bigger, better, stronger...is....Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows(1)


What I'm NOT looking forward to coming out, or even being made: Hong Kong Fooey, Yogi Bear, Footloose, Smurfs 3D, (Anyone elses childhood screaming with pitchforks and torches?) Final Destination 5(how many more ways can they manipulate this insane loop of a plot? no more? cause they couldn't even change it up twice? oh yea...I said it..) Breaking Dawn(only because 2 movies is ridiculous. That book barely had enough content for 1 movie. SPOILER: NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS.) not trying to hate on Twilight, enjoyed the books personally but come on.


It's the life of someone who can call themselves "the best" at one thing or another to know, on a daily basis, that someone is going to not only challenge their "greatness" but also overcome them. You can jump the highest? Watch me jump higher. You can run the fastest? Watch me smoke you.

It's easy to be the best at physical things like swimming, jumping, running, swinging, skipping, yawning, throwing etc. Because those aren't objective. It can be proven without someones opinion getting in the way.

But being the best writer? Impossible. It's too objective. You can't even hope to be the best in a genre. Some writers write with so much descriptive poetry its like a song. Some write with so much heart you can't help but disappear in their words. Some are raw and hard and real. Some are soft and kind and uplifting. People like all different kinds just as people write all different ways.

I can't even tell you who my favorite author is right now if you had a gun. I love lots for lots of reasons.

Obviously, I adore J.K.Rowling. She is so spellbinding with her words. We all pictured her HP world clearly and easily and loved every magical moment. I loved every character she gave us, good or bad. Because she could make me love or hate them so completely. She held my attention for years, and still does any time I pick one up again. I envy people when they read them the first time because I remember how that felt. And every book has something new or a twist or a person that ties into everything else. I was amazed at the way she brought everything together in the end and even added a much loved twist that still surprised me.

Suzanne Collins can break your heart without ever spelling out what has happened. She doesn't have to come right out with it. It's like you watch it all happen and don't need to be talked down to by her writing it all out. She has a power to make you swell with emotion and force you to read her right then, right now. No matter what anyones opinion of the last book is, no one can deny how she snagged you in the beginning and how real she made the war.  Nor can any deny the points she was making.

Laura Whitcomb writes in a musical way. I couldn't get enough of the way she describes things, its hard to describe her accurately. But it is just hypnotizing, reading her words. I'm a gal that loves some action and all but when this woman describes a teenagers room you can help but get tingles, she's that good.  

But I can't say they any one of them is better than the other. That is the nature of being a writer.

This brings me much comfort, rather than bringing me down. I would hate to be considered "the best" at writing because I would know every moment of the day that I will inevitably fall short.

As it is, there is enough pressure to top yourself with a second novel after you have had great success with the first. And if you're a great writer you will always be able to match yourself, if not better yourself from the last time. And that's comforting, to know you will always be able to improve or at the very least stay consistently good. But if you're "the best" you know, without a shadow of a doubt, you will eventually fall.

As long as you do the best you can, make your novel great and amazing and magical to someone, I don't think it's that important to make it perfect to everyone, or possible really. Every writer dreams of being great, me included.  I think that's enough for us all.

But that's just my opinion.

HERE are 7 links to encourage your inner writer. A great must read. 

Apparently one of my email addresses is sending spam about vitamins or some junk like that of its own free will. SO, If anyone gets an email from me and it's about anything other than something relevant: Don't Open It.  My advice? We all need to hunker down for the computer revolution. Almost as threatening as the zombie outbreak. You've been warned.


Don't Forget to get an entry into my Freedom Contest going on right now and win your own copy of SPEAK HERE!

10 comments:

  1. confession: i've never read the harry potter books. *GASP* i know. my kids have read the entire series mulitple times. even my husband has read the series. i don't know what's stopping me...

    and *GASP* your husband doesn't like books? i'd die if my husband didn't like books.

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  2. Okay. So Love the new blog layout! Pretty. I may be petting my computer screen. Or not. Two: Please don't talk about movies!!! I hope for VO (version orignal) here in France, my only saving grace, I can rent and buy movies in English on iTunes. Three: my parent's are sending me Mockingjay.I can't wait!!! Four: About your husband, no response, other than you have us. And hugs.

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  3. I'm working my husband into books. I stopped by the library and picked up a big stack. The winner? Freakonomics.

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  4. I heard Breaking Dawn was going to be in two movies and I nearly spit out everything I was eating. Seriously? There is like NOTHING in that book...you could condense it all into an hour and a half. SUch crap..... I am so disappointed. They are just copying the Harry Potter movies...

    So excited for HP7 and Beastly. Easy A is excellent!

    Your Hubby sounds like my ex boyfriend (when it comes to books). It always annoyed me. At least you have us in the blogosphere to support your love of reading!

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  5. I also found myself getting teary-eyed when I watched the new Deathly Hallows trailer. I can't wait, but it's also bittersweet, because I feel as though a giant phase of my life is soon going to be over.

    I love the points you made about it really being impossible (and not a very great thing) to be the best writer. Everything about writing and reading is so subjective, we need to concentrate on our personal best.

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  6. Hmm. I have that problem with my girlfriend. All she reads is Alex Cross and Sookie Stackhouse. Not that there's anything wrong with that ...

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  7. You're hilarious! And don't worry, I think my husband has given me the same response at some point.

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  8. So excited for Deathly Hallows!

    The Hubster is really good about going to the bookstore with me even though he doesn't enjoy reading like I do. His books are more technical.

    Have you read Laini Taylor? It's like eating, her words are so delicious. She'll definitely give you a complex. Superb writing.

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  9. Can't wait for HP!! Wait- is it coming out in November??? Holy crap, that's like almost a month away. Those are the only midnight showings we go to, and I hope we don't miss this years!

    Oh whole-heartedly agree with you on Twilight. My bookclub likes to snark about it (a lot). We have a good laugh, but we still pretty much liked the books.

    It's so crazy how subjective writing is. Everyone has what they consider their favorite books, and books they hate. It could be totally opposite for someone else. That's whats cool about it. If you are a genuinely good writer (like, your grammar works and you can write complete, flowy sentences) there is probably an agent, editor and fans out there for you.

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  10. Seriously I retained absolutely nothing after devouring the Harry Potter trailer you added to your post. It's brilliant! The longest one I've seen yet, and I'm addicted my friend, so Colene you are seriously MY FAVORITE BLOGGER right now, and when my husband gets home he'll agree with me!

    As for your husband, he sounds like mine, bookstores=blah, home improvements stores=yay... what a bore fest! We should just go to the bookstores with one another!

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