How
many writers set out to write a really good book -- and end up doing so? What
might help a book become great? What are
the standards for greatness?
Writers
have the intention to write the best possible book they are capable of creating.
However, something limits them from fulfilling that goal. And even when they truly give it their all
and produce their finest work, it often isn’t good enough to put their book in
elite company.
Authors
are human beings and our species is faulty.
We get off course easily. Some
things distract us from being our best versions of ourselves. We get tired, stressed out, sick, injured,
broken-hearted, in accidents, drunk, high, divorced, in fights, arrested,
fired, raped – and all that could happen to humans. Along the way to writing a book, our path
gets diverted and our efforts become stalled, diluted, or downsized.
We
get distracted or our time gets diverted. Perhaps we lose steam and our vision
for our grand book. Or we get too
focused on reacting to the burdens of a life dependent upon earning money,
staying healthy, doing chores, fulfilling relationship obligations, and meeting
the demands of existence. Writing may be
our only salvation – and the most important thing to us – but it still takes a
backseat to a long line of stuff that needs to be dealt with.
To
have a chance at writing a great book, a number of elements might need to fall
into place. Certainly, one has to have the burning desire, the driving passion,
and the inner push to want to write. They have to be disciplined and dedicated
to putting time into their craft. They need to be talented, informed, and open
to help from gifted editors. They have
to find a way to say something new, or something old differently or better and
to present information and ideas in a unique way. They need to generally be healthy enough –
mentally, physically spiritually and emotionally – to write. But a troubled soul tends to nourish great
writing. Maybe the angry, depressed,
addicted, or criminal writer is the one that has the right frame of mind to
write at a high level – or does one need to find peace, balance and tranquility
in order to produce an extraordinary book?
What
makes a book great is arbitrary and yet there’s some type of formula because a
certain number of books will be perceived as great this year – regardless of
what happens in the world. Some number
of books will be perceived as great and become best-sellers or win awards or
total up a pile of favorable book reviews.
They will be great because people will see them as better than competing
titles of today. They’ll be viewed in comparison to all–time or even recent
great books. They’ll be seen as great for offering something fresh, unique and
creative. They’ll be seen as great if they
are the first of their kind. They’ll be viewed as great if other greats bless
their work.
Great
books:
·
Debunk
or challenge a myth or long-held belief.
·
Set
a standard or question the standards of the day.
·
Present
a new writing style.
·
Touch
our hearts, minds, and souls.
·
Influence
to change an aspect of our own life.
·
Make
us laugh, cry, think question, and feel something.
·
Have
us pining for fantasy to be real or for wishing reality wasn’t so harsh.
·
Offer
memorable characters that we love or hate.
·
Share
truths we’ve always known but hadn’t spoken aloud on.
·
Leave
us feeling emotionally spent and craving more.
·
Uncover
a fact, secret, or event that’s important to society.
Writers
want to pen great books. Ego, the pursuit
of wealth, and the desire to be liked can drive many ,but the writer just wants
to break through barriers and obstructions and produce a work of art that
impacts a generation and lives beyond his or her lifetime.
Greatness
and great books come to only a handful of authors. Are you destined for such
greatness? How will you overcome setbacks and use your resources to the maximum
to do your best? Is your best good
enough?
Great
authors make great attempts. Will you take a step today towards greatness?
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