Holly Lisle not only explains what she means by “meh” writing (not godawful, but not brilliant, just sort of … “meh”), she gives a baker’s dozen of antidotes.
from the site: Holly Lisle has a full article explaining each line item
Tambo has collected a series of painful editor confessions about “meh” writing. Anyone who is writing but not yet published needs to read these articles — they’re generally shocking to folks who haven’t crashed head-on into the hard realities of publishing yet.
However, when you’re finished getting good and depressed, here are thirteen antidotes I use to kill “meh” writing. These are techniques that keep my heart and soul in the books I’m writing. Maybe they can help you ward off the “mehs,” too.
- Say what you mean.
- Find your themes.
- Reclaim your wings.
- Live in your skin, not your head.
- Claim your unique voice.
- (Ethically) steal what you love.
- Immerse your work in conflict.
- Ask the right questions.
- Make your scenes count.
- Pace your scenes to keep your reader moving forward.
- Explore your life’s strangeness.
- Sharpen your talent.
- Embrace your fear. Don’t deny it.