Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Writing is like making cookies...



Now yes, the title of today's blog is a bold and possibly rabble rousing statement. How can I compare cookies to writing a novel?! Well, it could be that I’ve blown out my last brain cells during the great cookie baking week-end of 2012.

Or I may have a point. ;)

Let’s start with cookies (always a great place to start ;)). I make a lot of different types, most all have folks for whom THAT cookie is their favorite. But they don’t all agree. What one person loves in my frosted pumpkin spice cookies, another may find too sweet.

So which person is “right”?

Both.

Cookie taste is subjective, I like all the cookies I make to varying degrees or I wouldn’t make them. I do use my friends as litmus tests- if everyone finds a cookie too sweet, or too something not good- I’ll modify that cookie recipe. But if person A loves them, person B thinks they are too sweet, and person C likes them but likes a different cookie from my collection better- I don’t change the recipe.

I make my cookies to the best of my ability- over the years I’ve created and modified recipes to suit my tastes. I am the first consumer of the cookies- if I don’t like them, others won’t either. But you are never going to have a cookie that EVERYONE universally loves.

Cookies are subjective.

And writing is subjective.

Ah, you knew I’d get back to the point—right? ;)

As writers the ONLY things we must do are to keep writing and to keep learning our craft. We can’t worry about making everyone who sees our work love it- that simply won’t happen.

All we can do is make the best cookies—er, books— that we can and keep an eye out for an ‘everyone hates the same thing’ mark. Otherwise, take feedback with a grain of salt, if it feels right to you- make the change. But don’t change every little thing because one person didn’t like it.

Believe in yourself.

Believe in your writing.

Don’t give up.

And make lots of cookies! J

12 comments:

  1. At least reading/writing doesn't have calories! If it did, I'd be in BIG trouble!

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    1. LOL!!! I agree! I would be in really big trouble- and really big!

      Thanks for coming by Stacy!

      Marie- at work- can't log on ;)

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  2. Hahaha. If only it was as easy for me to write a book as to bake a batch of cookies. This reminds me, I haven't made any rum balls yet this year...

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    1. True! But we still do it!

      Thanks for coming by Shoshana! Hope the rum balls were great!

      Marie- at work- can't log on ;)

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  3. Hi Marie, I'm waiting for your sequel: Writing is like eating cookies.

    Bob

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    1. LOL- hmmm maybe you should do that one ;).

      Thanks for coming by Bob!

      Marie- at work- can't log on ;)

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  4. Great blog Marie!!!

    And now I want cookies... Yummmmmmm!!!

    Lisa
    *who is going to be SO fat after the holidays* LOL

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    1. LOL!!! Maybe we can all just write a huge cookie feast in our WIP's ;)

      Thanks for coming by Lisa!!

      marie- at day job- no access to blogger...sigh

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  5. You have given me a new analogy for writing... never compared writing to baking cookies; yes, both are subjective and your point is very well made.

    I agree with the point made 100% though, I also concede that we must continue to write, continue to learn and shape our craft.

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    1. Glad it got you looking at things differently :)- thanks for coming by and commenting!

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  6. Great post and terrific analogy. Like your statement about believing in yourself. If we don't, who will?

    Happy Holidays!

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    1. Thanks Diane :). Exactly the point- if we don't believe in our work how can expect that an agent, editor, or reader will?

      Thanks for coming by and commenting-Happy new Year!

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