"It comes back to all of the things we've been talking about. It's quality. It's telling a story in the most compelling way possible. It's being mindful of the fact that you are telling this story for someone to consume--so are you telling a story that somebody wants to consume? It's being willing to offer that promise: Give me your ten hours and I will deliver an experience that warrants your time and energy."
- Jennifer Joel, literary agent -
I was flipping through the newest issue of Poets & Writers this afternoon and landed on an article, Agents & Editors: Jennifer Joel's Advice for Smart Authors, and got stuck. Stuck in a good way, of course. The quote above was one of the one's that resonated with me.
I am currently in the revision process of my book, They Whisper, and I get antsy to be done. I have to remind myself to stay with the words, the chapter's purpose, the characters, the scene, and remember I am the conduit for the story to be told through.
The information of the story that any reader needs has to be given a voice. The information won't magically appear because I know it to be true; hence, the need for a conduit.
For me, writing is very much so a love story; I have to be fully invested to the point of driving myself crazy. Today was one of those days of craziness or, at least, the onset of craziness, because I couldn't put in my writing time without squirming in my seat.
But I did it.
And that seems to be what Joel is getting at: quality requires time, effort, and honesty. I can put in all the effort and time I want, but if I'm not honest about the story itself, is it enticing enough to read, than I will miss my mark every time.
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