Three (plus one) hidden gems I uncovered this week from circa 1983, for anybody on their grind; from John Gardener's 'On Becoming A Novelist'.
Or checkout the ‘Hollywood Heist’ backlot.
Image: John Gardener from https://www.der.org/programs/sponsored-projects/sunlight-man-the-life-times-of-john-gardner/
John Gardener, died in a motorcycle accident in 1982, age 49. He was a best-selling author of more than twenty-five books at the time.
Published posthumously—and in the year of my birth, 1983, which I definitely see as a sign--I recently uncovered his little gem: 'On Becoming a Novelist' (on my quest to uncover the great wisdoms of writing)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gardner_(American_writer)#Criticism_and_Instruction),
It's sad that he died so young but I appreciate what he had to say because he provides answers and assurances that I have been carrying around and yet to have heard anywhere else. (And I've read a decent amount writing books!) Let's jump into it.
1. On Taking a Long Time to Get the Little Things Right
...the writer is willing to stop writing for a minute or two, or even stop for a long while, to figure out precisely what some object or gesture looks like and hunt down exactly the right words to describe it. (p.20)
I think that's what the greats mean when they say 'fiction is truth'. It's hard getting a character to act in a way that's believable to their make up. Gardiner goes on to say:
...studying his characters' most trivial gestures in the imagined scene to discover exactly where the scene must go next...(p. 37)
I know what that means; you (author) can't just be bossing people around.
2. What is "Voice"?
The writer with the worst odds is the writer...who feels nothing in his daily life or nothing he trusts enough to find his own words. (p.11)
And who does this better than our friend Robert Galbraith: "The ominous feeling inside Robin was like having a bellyful of crawling, prickle-footed crab." (from 'Career of Evil')
That doesn't mean try to be fancy. JG is saying you gotta say it how you see the world. Being good at language speak probably doesn't hurt.
3. How Long Is It Supposed to Take?
...the writer is not likely to advance in the world as visibly as do his neighbors: while his friends from high school or college are becoming junior partners in prestigious law firms, or opening their own mortuaries, the writer may be still sweating out his first novel... (p.47)
...The writer must somehow convince himself that he is in fact serious about life. (p.47)
I only trust what the guy says about patience because he wrote 25 books. That mortuary business though...
4. More on Patience
..a writer must take infinite pains—if he writes only one great story in his life, that is better than writing a hundred bad ones. (p. 19)
Again, 25...that's what makes this okay.
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Don't worry, Hollywood Heist is first of many. Just gotta figure this first one out. That's all for this week folks, from the dusted off shelf in the basement of the archives. I hope old John Gardiner's wisdom might give you some conviction to stick with it and make it good. Gotta go.
Your pal,
Charlie
Have some thoughts? Feel free to drop a comment or hit me up: charlie@charleskunken.com
Other Posts In The Hollywood Heist Series
Please judge.