Go to the Bestsellers' section. Pick a book, any book. Buy
it and go home. Open to the first page, and open a word processing program.
Begin transcribing the book word for word.
If you correct some grammatical errors, you might be a copy
editor.
If you clarify phrasing and streamline events, you
might be a full-blown editor.
If you can't help but wreck the whole novel and change the
directions it goes, you're a writer.
If you pour your critical thinking into interpretation of
those words rather than changing them, then God bless you. You're the audience
and we need you to get back to that bookstore immediately.
Hehe. You speak the truth here.
ReplyDeletethe third option is for me but sadly I'm too much a procrastinator to actual finish writing a book.
ReplyDeletegreat test. have a sweet day.
LOL I've done this, and option 4 is me ;)
ReplyDeleteLove this
ReplyDeleteI think I'm the kind who starts with number 2, gets frustrated and morphs into number 3.
ReplyDeleteFrom time to time I am all of those things. Mostly I am an omniverous reader. Mostly.
ReplyDeleteCute idea. You tried it yourself?
ReplyDeleteThe exercise of transcribing someone else's novel to learn your own instincts is actually pretty old. By not deviating, you get a sense of your own compulsions and habits, and can learn about what you don't do. I've never been able to do it, because I use my writing time to compose original material. It's what needled me into writing mutations of the practice here.
DeleteHa ha John I wonder how you came out of the test! Funny.
ReplyDelete