Respect the Craft

There are crafters who do commisions. They make their living doing that, because they have a unique skill and style that few people understand or have time to learn.

How many writers do you know that can do that? Aside from, you know, best-sellers. Those already well established in their craft.

People get it in their heads that writing is not a craft; it is something taken for granted. It is expected that you can write; it is not expected of you to be able to make mold or jewelry or pottery.

I find this rather irritating, personally. It is true that anyone can write; but the mere fact that so many people take it for granted means that those who put the effort into doing it well are few and far between.

I'm not saying everyone should love my work. Hell, I'm not asking for commissions. All I'm saying is: respect the craft, respect the person behind the craft.

Let's Discuss Details

I believe details are the centerpoint of a story. Any story. Be it the color of a character's eyes or the texture of the brick below his feet.

By extension, I believe the lack of detail can add a lot to a story. It gives the reader the opportunity to fill in the blanks, giving him or her the opportunity to personalize the world based on their experiences. It's a lot like a dream like that: everyone you meet in a dream, you've met in real life, if only for a moment,

I've often said it's a lot like painting: it's not just the spaces you paint, it's the negative spaces you leave behind. The trick is finding the right balance.