Good Ideas Vs Good Stories

I notice it’s been a little while since I last posted here. Sorry. I’ve been a bit under the weather and I’ve been busy, mostly with writing. Some of what I’ve written I’m pleased with, other stories, erm, not so much. It’s reminded me, and I think this is a really, really important lesson for anyone beginning to write, that a good idea does not guarantee a good story. But not being able to turn a good idea into a good story does not make you a bad writer. 

There are often other ways to tell it (two of the best things, in my opinion, that I’ve written, have been tackled from half a dozen different angles) and, probably more often, it just doesn’t work. And that’s fine. Knowing when to give up and move on’s a really healthy thing to learn – that’s probably as important as learning that writing  something good takes a lot of time and hard work.
And let’s not forget, of course, that there are other good ideas that do make good stories.
So, um, that’s what I think about that.

Me, reading

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6087742&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

Nik Perring, reading from Nik Perring on Vimeo.

I met Paul and Claire last night (they are a seriously good team) to have a look at and edit (or watch them edit) the video Claire shot of the launch night of the photo book back in May. Thank you both, very much.

And here’s me reading my contribution to the book (a piece of flash fiction inspired by the projected photograph).

Thank You

Over this past week or so I’ve had loads of emails from people, some I know, some I’ve never spoken to before, telling me that they like my work. Usually I get that kind of mail now and again and it’s lovely. It’s really great. It’s fab to hear that my work’s enjoyed by people – it’s something I’ll never get tired of hearing. So to all those who’ve taken the time to read what I’ve written and then taken the time to tell me: Thank You.

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And this is cool too, isn’t it? My friend’s (and TOP writer) book cover. Go Jenn.