Posted by robertstevenson on March 30, 2008
When preparing to bake a cake, to do a really good job, first you must go to the freshmarket and buy the best ingredients. Stale flower, spoiled milk, rotten eggs, and old sugar just won’t measure up. Even Master Chef Rino Baglio can’t transform rubbish into rum cake.
Without solid, accurate information from primary sources, even the best writers can’t pen poignant prose. Some writers have tried to cut corners, and some have shattered like (Stephen) Glass.
It’s better to borrow a lesson from the baker. Writing is much like baking a cake.
First, you’ll need to gather the best ingredients available: a half cup of quality quotes, a little alliteration and anecdotes wouldn’t hurt. Five cups of key facts and a bag of background detail are a must. To sweeten the mix, include a half pound of human interest. From the spice rack, include a teaspoon of timeliness and pinch of prominence. Stir some theme and transitions into the mix to bond all the ingredients nicely.
After blending the necessary ingredients from the best available sources, filter out the fluff, and let the mix cook in your head. Drop in the conclusion too soon, and your story might flop. It’s better to give the mixture a day or two to rise.
The process of revision is the icing on the cake that too many writers skimp on. This is what separates the apprentices from the masters. It’s always important to measure your successes and learn from your failures.
After the finishing touches, the reward for the writer, like the chef, comes in sharing the finished product with your friends. Repeat the process, and soon you’ll find that good writing is really a piece of cake.
This entry was posted on March 30, 2008 at 9:47 pm and is filed under *writing, Thoughts.
Tagged: *writing, cake, cooking, metaphore writing.
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March 31, 2008 at 10:30 am
It’s again me
Thanks for your letter
Mr.Research - it’s my mistake) I’ve already changed that on Digg, but username remains the same. Sure, I’m miss Research
Again, hugs and kisses, - from Miss Research.
Cheryl
March 31, 2008 at 11:07 am
Had to love how you baked a cake of writing!!! I’ll certainly add your blog to my feed so that I can keep up with it!
March 31, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Hmmmm…. Interesting way of looking at it!
March 31, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Mmmm, you’re making me hungry! Great analogy, though.
April 12, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Do you really gather your ingredients in advance? That intrigues me, although it doesn’t surprise me–one of the most common themes on my writing blog is that we all have different things that work for us and shouldn’t ever buy into the “one right way” philosophy.
Personally, though, I don’t consciously work those things in. Sometimes they pop their heads up in relevant places and I weave them in, but I don’t start out with specifics that I want to “add to the mix”.
May 23, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Sure, I go out and gather ingredients. After all, I’m an historian. But how do I know which ingredients are relevant and how do I know what story to make out of them? For me writing is a form of thinking. With each attempt at putting words on the page I get a little closer to understanding what it is I’m actually doing. With every printout and editing session with a real pen I get a little closer too. I need to get the stuff down to understand what I’m working with.
Hmmm. Maybe it’s a little like the way I make soup, except I can’t revise soup, only eat whatever the ingredients and cooking result in. (I make soup without a recipe. If it’s in the fridge and it’s a vegetable, there is a high probability that it’s going into the pot.)