GENREALITY

“Don’t compromise yourself, you are all you’ve got.” ~ Janis Joplin

We often talk about being true to yourself in your writing. Hone your own voice, follow your own path, write the story as you see it, not as others tell you it should be. I firmly believe in those things.

I also see plenty of blog posts or articles that put a lot of emphasis on things being all about the story. Hearing things like “As an author all you can really control is the work.” or “The best thing you can do to ensure a successful career is write a great story.” over and over again, but I don’t believe that.

Now get this straight. I am not saying that the story doesn’t matter. What I am saying is that we, as authors, control a lot more than we’re being trained to think we do. We can control more than the story.

I’ve been agent hunting for about a year now, and I’ve queried many many agents. Some passed on my ideas, some wanted to know more. Some told me what to do, and some talked with me about my choices and options and left it to me decide what to do. However, I’ve yet to connect with an agent enough to seriously pursue a business relationship. I’m being very picky, and I know it. I think that’s okay because I know what I want, and I’ve decided if I can’t get what I want then I’m not willing to settle for less. Instead of settling with an agent I don’t believe in my heart will be my final agent just so I can get some proposals out there, I’ve decided to submit them myself, and use a literary lawyer for the contract work if I need to.

A short time ago an author friend of mine emailed and announced a book sale. She was super excited because it was to a new publisher, and it seemed like a great move. Not only was it a sale, (which is always good), but it was one that would get her more exposure and help her move in the direction she wanted to take her career. Then, a couple weeks after her announcement, she walked away from the deal. It wasn’t an easy choice, but it was one she made because she was smart enough to think ahead and know that she’d regret it later if she didn’t make her stand.

Those are just a couple of examples of the power we have. Power that has nothing to do with the story, but everything to do with building a career. Sometimes we concentrate so hard on being writers that we forget that if we want to make a career out of this that we have to be businesspeople too, and that means that we have to make tough choices at times. Sometimes it’s about more than the story. Sometimes it’s about knowing that the choices you make and the path you follow is ultimately your own responsibility.

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What is it about the tease that’s so hot?
You know what I’m talking about. That tingle you get between your thighs when someone exciting catches your eye, or when you catch his. The lingering looks, the hair toss, the silent communication. That time when your blood heats up and your body awakens as you feel the magic of “what if?”
It’s almost … intoxicating.
I used to flirt a lot. Men used to flirt with me. Then I got married. I haven’t gained weight or let myself go, but somehow, I’ve changed. I know it, and they know it. I think it’s because the chase is over. The magic of flirting, the heightened awareness that arcs between two people, the building of anticipation… it’s gone.
And I don’t know exactly when, or how, it disappeared.
The sad thing is, it also seems to have disappeared between my husband and me.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love my husband. Grant is still very attractive in every way, and leaving him has never occurred to me. I’d never cheat on him, either.
Yet, I can’t deny that a certain restlessness has been building in me for some time.

That was the beginning of my story WATCH ME in the Kink anthology, and today I want to talk about beginnings.

For me, starting a new story can be either the easiest thing in the world, or the hardest. There really is no in-between.

When it’s easy, it’s usually something personal that has randomly occurred to me, and then as I write it a characters voice is born, and from that a story is born. Like the start of WATCH ME. The thoughts about flirting and the energy and anticipation came to me because I’d been working behind the bar that night, and I’d had a few hot guys as customers. They were way young for me, but they’d been huge flirts, and I flirted back because it felt good. I love to flirt, even when I know it’s not going to go anywhere, and those thoughts started the above opening, and by the time I was done I had a character. When I started writing it, I had no character, no story in mind, 5 minutes later I had a character (Married woman Bethany) and a story, (she missed flirting with her husband). That beginning was easy, and it fit.

Then there are the times that I think about a story, an idea, or a character, for a while. I toss different ways to start around in my mind, and soon it seems like the more I think about it, the harder it becomes to actually start the story. When that happens I tend to have several (I’m talking a dozen or so) false starts to the story before I actually find one I like.

Beginnings are important for both readers and writers. They are often the hook that draws a reader in and makes them want to read more. And for most writers they set the tone of the whole book.

I know some writers can just start, and not care that the beginning isn’t ‘just right’ because they know they’ll go back to fix it in another stage of thier process, but for me, that doesn’t work. I just can’t get into writing a story when I don’t know how it starts. And as frustrating as those false starts can be, I’ve found a way to make them work for me. They often end up in other parts of the books because they always have information in them that I think is important. It just might not be the right place to start the story.

Whatever works for you, works for you. Don’t let anyone else tell you that you’re doing it wrong just because you don’t do it the same way they do. And don’t worry if, like me, different beginning tactics work for different stories. All that matters is that in the end, your beginning works for you, and your story.

I do wonder though, how important readers really feel the opening of a story is. I know myself, as a reader, if I’m not at least intrigued by the first page, I won’t bother going further. What about you?

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I’ve been surfing the web a lot this past week. Part for Olympic news and fabulous clips to re-watch,(Canadians can watch on CTV.ca, Americans on NBC.com, not sure about the rest of the world but I’m sure there’s a local network for everyone.) and partly because I’ve been finding so many great posts. So…instead of writing a great post, I thought I’d point you to some that are already out there.

Author Delilah Devlin has a great one on POV called Whose Head Am I In now?

Therese Walsh has on on The Uniqueness of You that I LOVE over at Writer Unboxed.

The Intern has a primer on Book Marketing Do’s and Don’ts

Agent Rachelle Gardner shows us what A Day in The life is like for her.

Writers Digest.com has an article with some Agent Listings.

Have you found anything interesting on the web lately? Please share in the comments if you have.

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Writing fiction is creative, but for an author it’s also work. Sure it’s work we enjoy, but it’s still work. Often when I take a break from writing I find other creative outlets to keep my juices flowing. (I’ve talked about this before like in my Be Creative post last year.) Photography is something I love. I’m always playing with my camera and begging friends to donate time for a ’shoot’. And from that I’ve also started to play with digital manipulations. I took a workshop last year given by Creative Direction on cover art and montages and such, and this weekend they’re having another. YAY!

Their workshops are only $25, and its all online so you can take your time over the weekend, and usually the week after, to go at your own pace. And They answer questions in the comments, and you can see others work to. You can see the final montage I did last year here.

Yesterdays class was on re-touching. Now to most photographers this would take on a different meaning. I’m also (on my own) learning how to retouch photos in a much more realistic and portrait style. But this was geared toward book covers. As in changing hair and eye color of stock photos to match an authors description.

I had pure fun with it, and I wanted to share.

So, here’s the original stock photo. A cute/pretty girl in a field. (although I’m not sure why she’s wearing a bikini top when she’s in a field?)

And here’s what I did with it. I’m thinking she looks more like a witch now…like maybe for a cool paranormal story. What do you think?

The point of the post is, I know I’m not very good at this stuff, but it’s something that I like to do. It’s creative, and it encourages flexibility in my creative muscles…so if you’re always writing, and you feel a bit blocked creatively- step back from the story project, and flex your creative muscles in another way for a bit. You might find that it’s just the kick in the pants you need to get over a hump.

PS: I think I might write a short witchy story to go with that picture. Just for fun.

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“Champions aren’t made in the gym. Champions are made from something deep inside them- a desire, a dream, and a vision.” ~ Muhammad Ali

Sometimes we all need a kick in the pants. And sometimes there isn;t anyone to give you that kick, so you need to find a way to give it to yourself. For me, I often find it in quotes….The quote above is from legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. Obviously it’s meant to be about fighters, but it’s value is there for everyone and anyone who wants something. If you have a dream, a vision of something, then you need to go after it. If you want something bad enough, if you desire it bad enough, then you work for it. Sometimes it might feel like you’re working so damn hard and not getting anywhere, but if you want it enough, if you truly desire it, then you don’t give up. You work toward making that inner vision a reality.

“Champions are made from something deep inside them- a desire, a dream, and a vision.”

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