Nothing can ever be perfect, I suppose. I can get as close to that as possible, but yeah, there will always be something that just doesn't seem right.
Take your favorite chair for instance. Maybe it's comfortable, but it squeaks when you lean back in it. It's the one thing that annoys you about it. No matter how much time you spend trying to fix it, the squeaking won't go away.
Sometimes this is the issue with writing.
When I think about my ideal novel, if I could pull it off, these are the things I'd like to include:
1. Characters who are appealing and a little off-kilter
2. A rich, vibrant world that is just weird enough to not be inaccessible
3. Dark humor with the occasional slapstick comedy thrown in
4. A simple, yet rewarding plot
5. A couple of "WTH?" moments
6. Dialogue that is both engaging and interesting (and doesn't drone on and on)
I think it's good for me to consider these my goals as I sit down to write. Will I achieve all of these goals? I would hope so, but it may not neccessarily come across the way I want. That's a problem we all have as writers as I suppose. Even if our vision is fully realized, there are always going to be people who "don't get it" or "don't want to get it." It's out job to make it as clear as possible so our perceived audience at least says, "I loved this and will buy the next book he or she puts out."
So what would your goals be for your ideal novel? How would you go about trying to achieve these goals?
Take your favorite chair for instance. Maybe it's comfortable, but it squeaks when you lean back in it. It's the one thing that annoys you about it. No matter how much time you spend trying to fix it, the squeaking won't go away.
Sometimes this is the issue with writing.
When I think about my ideal novel, if I could pull it off, these are the things I'd like to include:
1. Characters who are appealing and a little off-kilter
2. A rich, vibrant world that is just weird enough to not be inaccessible
3. Dark humor with the occasional slapstick comedy thrown in
4. A simple, yet rewarding plot
5. A couple of "WTH?" moments
6. Dialogue that is both engaging and interesting (and doesn't drone on and on)
I think it's good for me to consider these my goals as I sit down to write. Will I achieve all of these goals? I would hope so, but it may not neccessarily come across the way I want. That's a problem we all have as writers as I suppose. Even if our vision is fully realized, there are always going to be people who "don't get it" or "don't want to get it." It's out job to make it as clear as possible so our perceived audience at least says, "I loved this and will buy the next book he or she puts out."
So what would your goals be for your ideal novel? How would you go about trying to achieve these goals?