The Best Thing I’ve Ever Written
Filed under My Writing • 09-08-2009 •
When I’m working on a new story, I have to believe that it’s the best thing I’ve ever written. I have to believe it’s better than the story that preceded it. I have to be excited about it. I have to feel it stretching me as a writer.
Otherwise, why write it?
Tags: Writing
It would kind of suck going backwards.
At the same time, I think everyone peaks.
I hope it’s not ’til after my 20th published novel.
Thanks Andrew – M.John Harrison once wrote: “If it’s not two words away from falling over, it’s not worth writing.” – which to me captures the sense that each and every sentence is a step into the unknown, and you have to push yourself as far beyond your comfort zone as you can.
Whether or not the story I finished last night was the best thing I ever wrote is up for debate, but it definitely stretched me as a writer. I dealt with characters I have never written in a genre I have never tackled. If it remains nothing but a file on my hard drive I think it did me some good.