Some truths about writing fiction

I've spent the last few weeks poring over novels, books on how to write novels and organize the writing of novels. Books on how to draft a novel in 90 days, how to bring your characters to "life," and books on how to put your reader deep inside your characters' heads. All have agreed on one thing:

UNTIL YOUR FIRST DRAFT IS COMPLETE, DO NOT SHOW IT TO ANYONE! (Even my adviser doesn't even want to see it until the first draft is complete)

I discovered the some of the truths behind that idea yesterday.

We had a writing workshop in my capstone class yesterday, and I took not only my project sketch, but two sections of the story itself--one a first draft of a scene that I wrote over the weekend in an hour or two, and one that had a newly drafted section that led into a short story written for last quarter's fiction class--which had already passed muster in my fiction workshop group and with my adviser/professor.

All three were universally panned by my audience. They hated my writing style, my language choices, and my beautifully-crafted complex sentences (deemed "run-ons"). They suggested approaches to certain scenes that would destroy my entire story arc if implemented, and reduced my project summary to sad little sentences with short, uniform construction--as if it was written by someone else.

Although they were gracious and apologetic and did their best to break their news gently (I was told by one that she wasn't a fan of "Pride and Prejudice"--unless there were zombies involved--so clearly we had major stylistic differences as far as taste in literature), I wanted to cry--especially because the whole workshop debacle came at the end of a very long, tiring and disappointing day. (I knew I should have gone home early!)

Now, I actually did gain a few valuable insights (which I was able to appreciate this morning after a good night's sleep), as well as some direction on how to tighten up my project sketch and make it clearer. It truly was--at least in part--a valuable experience.

I am very aware that I do tend to be a bit wordy (as anyone who knows me can attest). My "authorial hero" is Joan Didion who more than once crafted amazing sentences that approached--and even surpassed--100 words and pulled it off beautifully (my personal best is 67). I also know I have a lot to learn about writing fiction.

But I've learned that being asked to judge a piece out of context can only lead to confusion for the reader and hurt feelings for the writer (and we all know what Hemingway said about first drafts--a fact to which I can personally attest). So, I've decided to cast no more pearls before swine (sorry guys, you aren't really swine--it's the metaphor talking), and follow the advice I've been given.

My book is now running for cover and going into hiding for the duration. It will reappear when it's arc is complete.

In the meantime, if anyone asks how it's going, I'll just smile and say "read my blog."