If you’re a genre author, unpublished or pro, you’ve likely taken a hit that smacks of disrespect – and if you haven’t yet, duck. The swing, it’s a-comin’, whether an offhand remark from a family member, “helpful” support from a non-writing friend, a teasing jab from a co-worker, a twist of your words by an interviewer, even a derisive insult from a stranger who walks up to your table at a booksigning. It’s all part of the GenReality of writing commercial fiction, popular fiction, fiction that’s published in a mass market format because it’s what the masses read.
As an author writing in what’s undoubtedly the least respected genre (Is there another where a publisher’s name has become derogatory shorthand for crap?), I’ve heard it all: “When are you going to write a *real* book?” “Oh, you write those trashy novels!” “Hey, baby, need any help with your sex research?” I’d like to say I shrug them off and laugh all the way to the bank.
I do shrug them off. The bank part . . . unfortunately, not so much. But I don’t get angry and defensive. I don’t campaign to set the record straight. I don’t try to “educate” these “misguided” souls; half the time, the readers calling what I write trashy, who refer to my books as guilty pleasures, are those who buy romance in bulk and will sell their firstborn for an ARC.
I don’t spend hours on forums venting over insulting remarks. I’m rarely insulted. I have no reason to be. The people who say these things – and who mean them – are not my audience. For me, getting up in arms or firing back a biting retort is a waste of energy. YMMV, but I’ve been at this a long LONG time. It’s gonna take something really sharp and cutting to pierce my tough rhino hide. No show of disrespect, whether made jokingly or with serious intent, has stopped me from doing what I love to do, or thinking less of myself for doing it.
Now, if someone who *is* a romance reader tells me my writing is trash (note: not the same as fondly referring to a beloved genre as trashy reads, guilty pleasures, etc.) then I’ll perk up because it means I’ve gone off track, and have failed to give my books the respect they deserve. That’s right. The only respect I worry about is the respect I give to my work.
In thinking about respect, I had several a-ha moments, and have compiled them into a list of ways to help you make sure your work doesn’t suffer from a lack of it. And, yes, I’ve been known to fail, so I’m taking heed as well. I ended up being excessively wordy on the first, so I’ll save the others for next Monday, and stick to this one today because for me. it’s the biggie.
1) Respect the Creative Process
Whether you outline or don’t, whether you write full-time or part, whether you complete one book a year or six, whether you finish your pages before breakfast or bed, whether you use a keyboard or a pen, whether you push through a draft or polish, whether you live in your story world twelve hours a day or two, you must must MUST respect your creative process.
That said, I’m a firm believer that the creative process is organic, liquid, malleable. What works as you start out may not work as you hone your craft, increase your knowledge of story, learn the ins and outs of the industry, and refine your method. For example, I used to write by the seat of my pants. Now I’d be lost without a 3-act structure and The Writer’s Journey. But wherever you are on your career path, you still have to respect the creative process.
My last few years of working a day job, I wrote before leaving for the office. I wrote on the 40 minute commute in. I wrote during my lunch hour. I wrote on the 40 minute commute out. If necessary, I took vacation days to write. I wrote on weekends. Still do. Part of my creative process is writing 7 days a week until a book is done. There are no days off when I’m immersed in my story world. I have to be there every day so my characters don’t become strangers.
The only time I did not write was at the end of the day. I came home fried after eight hours of spreadsheets, and knew if I had dinner, chatted with the husband while we cooked and the TV played, and went to bed by 9:00, I could get up at 3:30 or 4:00 and start fresh. Now that I’m writing full-time, I sleep in, but I still like writing before letting in any outside noise. I’m not always successful, but I am most productive when I wake up to nothing but my characters and their story running in my head, and save email and the Internet for later.
Over time, I’ve learned that my creative process requires I polish and edit and fine tune as I go. The one time I tried to “fast draft” was the worst experience of my life. Neither can I write scenes out of order. The idea of doing that does not compute. I’m too linear. I think my way through a plot, beginning to middle to The End. Everything that happens impacts what’s yet to come, so how can I write what’s yet to come when that impact hasn’t been felt?
Additionally, I’ve learned that I can’t force the words to flow. Sitting for hours with pen in hand and winding up with a paragraph or two is a waste of my time. Yes, it’s a paragraph, or two, but at what cost? Rather than reaching the end of a day and regretting my lack of forward motion, I refuse to agonize over what I’m not getting done, and I do something productive instead. I’ll read a book. I’ll watch a movie. I’ll scrub the kitchen within an inch of its life. I’ll get the husband to play hooky and drive me and my characters (because they’re always there) to the beach for the day. Not only am I accomplishing something, I’m refilling the creative well, and the time away from the work in progress almost always releases the dam blocking me.
Yes, I know a lot of authors who successfully blast through a manuscript then turn around and make multiple editing passes. Yes, I know a lot of authors who successfully write scenes as they appear then weave them into a cohesive whole. Yes, I know authors who successfully keep their butts in their chairs, their hands on their keyboards day after day after day. I can’t do any of those things. I’ve tried, and I’ve failed, and I’ve suffered for it, as has my work.
One thing I can be flexible on (after so many years of grabbing snatches of writing time) is the when and where and how I get it done. Handwriting. Dictation. My Alphasmart or bluetooth keyboard with my Blackberry. On the bus. While walking. In bed. At the park with the fountain pen and the Clairefontaine tablet; it’s a game of Clue! As far as the construction, the creation of the piece, however, my process demands I do things a certain way.
It’s not the right way, or the only way, or a way others must adopt or else. But right now, in this space and time, it’s what I have to do. It’s my way, one I discovered through a lot of trial and error, and regretfully buying into sales pitches touting the incredible success rate found by students of said instructor or method. What those things taught me was that contorting my muse into anyone’s mold but my own only serves to make me miserable and my work crap.
Writing is hard. I’d hoped blasting through a draft would be the magic that made it easy, but everything about that book was PAIN. Never again. I’ve filled out character worksheets with details that meant nothing in the scheme of their story. Never again. I’ve written scenes out of order and ended up changing everything about them when I finally reached that point in the book. Never again. There’s nothing wrong with giving things a try, but don’t despair if they mess with your head. Instead, think of them as tools to finding your own unique way.
If you and your muse don’t click with the latest writing fad or next big thing, don’t force yourself to stick with it, or even to give it one more chance. The only way to write, is the way you write. Respect the creative process, and the creative process will return the favor.
Now that I’ve rambled, tell me about your creative process. Have you found what works? Are you still experimenting? Does the lack of respect for your genre get in the way of your pages?
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Almost every story I write is an experiment in my own process. I think the best way to describe my process is that it varies. LOL The only common thing? That when I do sit down to write, I tend to get hyper focussed on the story at hand.
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I’ve tried very hard to fit my process into various molds, and all I did was cross a few more things off the list of “What Doesn’t Work for Me”. My process is my process. I have to live with it and respect it if I want to write at all. Unfortunately, this pretty much means I’m better off writing complete books and then marketing them, since my process is organic and half the time I don’t know what’s going to happen until it does.
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My process is to start in the wrong place. Every time. This used to bother me tremendously, but now I accept the trial-and-error of finding the right place as part of my process.
Like Charlene, I go the organic route. I periodically try a recommended “how to plan your story” method, but every one has put my creativity in a straightjacket. I can’t make the words come if there’s even a suggestion of restriction.
I’m not looking for respect when I write. If I entertain one person, mission accomplished, and that one person’s opinion will always be more relevant to me than the one that says, “You suck.”
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Part of my process is that I need to outline. Watching an organic writer at work intrigues me but I know heading down that road is only going to make me crazy. It’s like the three foot solid chocolate Easter bunny in the window of the candy store–it’s so, so tempting, but I know if I start on it I’m going to end up wild-haired with drool on my chin.
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Almost every story I write is an experiment in my own process.
Sasha – I can so identify with this. For years I approached each new book differently. I’m incredibly envious of authors who intuitively know how to construct a story. I was not a born storyteller, but a writer who had to learn and experiment and save and discard many many methods along the way.
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this pretty much means I’m better off writing complete books and then marketing them
Charlene – This is excellent, though, not an unfortunately! It means you know yourself as an author well enough to understand your what your process requires. Nothing wrong with that!
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If I entertain one person, mission accomplished, and that one person’s opinion will always be more relevant to me than the one that says, “You suck.”
Kerry – I couldn’t agree more. Now, as I said above, if I get a raft of complaints about one element, I do revisit it. Otherwise, it’s one readers opinion and nothing more. As long as I’m happy with what I’ve written (though there are ALWAYS things I want to fix when it’s too late), that’s what counts.
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but I know if I start on it I’m going to end up wild-haired with drool on my chin.
Darlene – You can’t even imagine how I relate to this. The book I just finished reading galleys on this morning is the book I “fast drafted”, and even at this stage it makes me sick. There are parts of it that I think are brilliant, humbly so, of course *g*, but I can see what went on behind the scenes and just hope it doesn’t show through for the readers!
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Great post! I’m one of those people who have to do rolling first drafts, and that usually means going over my opening ten thousand times or so. So I’m a slow writer, though oh-so-gradually getting faster.
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So I’m a slow writer, though oh-so-gradually getting faster.
Hi, Jorrie. You know, with so much online communication amongst authors, I think there’s been this HUGE emphasis on speed. Yes, I know publishers want authors who can write multiple books per year, but for some that’s just not possible, and I hate seeing authors who feel forced to up their production yet know doing so screws with their natural process! Just let it grow as it can!
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It’s like the three foot solid chocolate Easter bunny in the window of the candy store–it’s so, so tempting, but I know if I start on it I’m going to end up wild-haired with drool on my chin.
OMG Darlene. I completely understand this!!
LOL
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Great post, Alison. I had to find my own process as well, though there are certainly tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way to help me get going each and every day (like stopping in the middle of a sentence, in the middle of a paragraph, in the middle of a page the night before.)
I’m one of those folks who CAN’T write in linear progression. I have to write whatever scene is calling to me that day, which means I spend a fair amount of time during the revision process building proper transitions and making sure that all of my minor plots don’t go swimming off into the deep end without my knowing it. But it wasn’t until I figured this out and gave into it (respected it, as you say) that my writing began to grown and develop the way I wanted it to.
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I’m one of those folks who CAN’T write in linear progression. I have to write whatever scene is calling to me that day
You know, Joe, this proves how very different the author mind works, and why no one should become wed to any process unless it really truly works for them. I can count only a couple of scenes that I’ve visualized that weren’t what came immediately next in the story, and it floors me that people can do it. I don’t doubt it, I just don’t get it, but I know for others it’s where the magic is.
I have a book I can’t wait to start writing, and there are two or three scenes I’ve jotted notes on as I’ve visualized them, but I don’t think I’ll actually write more on them than I’ve done. I have this huge fear of jinxing the process and ruining them!
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Wonderful post – and very thought provoking! After countless workshops I found out that trying to conduct my story any other way than how I do it, equals failure. I actually gave myself writer’s block by trying too hard to do things the way other successful authors have. In the end I’ve found it’s my way or the highway, lol.
~ann
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Alison –
So insightful. I can’t wait to keep coming back for more from everyone.
I feel like I’ve tried everything you’ve mentioned and still have a hard time not being a pantser. I do still write long hand occasionally, which helps me when I get stuck – for some reason it feels more organic and creative to me to have a pen in my hand. I write daily, anytime I can around the day job, but stop on weekdays at 7:30 for family time. That’s my process and I try to respect this thing I love called writing.
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I actually gave myself writer’s block by trying too hard to do things the way other successful authors have
Oh, Ann, I have, TOO! I think, THAT must be the way; it worked so well for that author. Alas, my goofy method of getting there is the only one that works for me!
I’ve tried everything you’ve mentioned and still have a hard time not being a pantser.
Laurie – Then respect that you’re a pantser! It’s okay to be one. I know a lot of authors who just dive in and see where their story people take them. And I do love handwriting SO much. I just hate typing up what I’ve written!
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My creative process is still a work in progress. I’m currently writing my first novel, 85,000+ words so far. What I’ve found that works for me is:
- Start by writing a very detailed outline, it’s basically the story told campfire style. If I were to sit down and tell you scene-by-scene what happens in the story, that’s pretty much my outline.
- Then, I start transforming the outline into the correct POV and actually write scenes. I cannot write chronologically though, I just write up whatever inspires me and somehow it all fits together in the end. I tried to write chronologically for about a week, I couldn’t even finish one chapter when I can usually write up 1000-3000 words a day the other way.
- I try to write something everyday, if possible. Even if it’s not for this story, I have to write something. I have a folder full of outlines for stories I want to write next from the days that my brain was still processing things for my main WIP. Luckily, I don’t have to make myself write daily, it’s just something that I feel I need to do.
That’s how far I am in my process, but once the rough draft is done, then I’m sure that I’ll start coming up with a process for edits and revisions.
Great blog topic!
~Willow
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I know what I’m doing until halfway through the book, when I realize I don’t, and enter the “this book is kicking my ass” stage. Eventually, with a lot of rewriting and reoutlining and hair pulling, it all works out. Every single book has gone this way, so I figure it’s part of my process. I’ve tried to write better outlines and have better plans. But I still have the “this book is kicking my ass” stage, no matter what.
What’s really funny about genre respect is the heirarchy, even within something like science fiction & fantasy. There’s respectable SF&F, less respectable SF&F, and even less respectable SF&F, and so on down the line. I’m still just writing the books I want to write, so who knows what it all means?
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My creative process is still a work in progress.
Willow – Honestly, it took me a dozen years to figure things out. And I still ditch steps from time to time, but only because I know it’s the right thing to do. Trial and error. Like the adage that says you must know the rules before you break them.
But I’ll second what you said about writing every day. Even after all these years, my writing muscles can easily go to slack if I don’t keep them busy! Thanks for commenting. I love seeing your process broken down into steps.
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Every single book has gone this way, so I figure it’s part of my process.
Carrie, you’re in great company. I listened to a Tami Hoag workshop years ago where she talked about the agony of pulling a book together, being almost to the end and still having loose threads dangling. And Jenny Crusie talks about her process on her blog, and how painful it can be. It’s amazing, when you think about it, that something so storyiffic *g* can come out of all that angst.
And I hear ya on the hierarchy. It’s definitely that way in romance. It can go so far as deference being given to a publisher as a better publisher, etc., and we all know the battles over which formats get the least respect. Writing series category romance, I know that well.
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I’ve had fun reading your post and the differing responses. I’m a pantser. Can’t do it any other way. I’ve tried. I’ve done the outline (that changed after the first four pages) wrote a scene that struck me as something I’d like to use later in the story (by the time I got done trying to fit it in, it wasn’t even close to the way it started) tried writing what my characters personalities were (yeah, right, none of them liked that one!) I even bought Liquid Story Binder thinking if I used it, I’d be better organized and might be able to incorporate all those things I’d learned in different workshops and such.
I’m still trying to learn how to use the program!!
Nope, I start with the first couple sentences (which may or may not stick around when I’m done) close my eyes and type the movie playing on the eyelids. No lose ends, no plot holes because it moves forward in a linear fashion from one thing to the next and I don’t have to worry about missing something because the scene I wrote out of order changed this or that.
BTW, I love the blog! Very nice.
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Great post Alison. I recently left my job to write full time, and though I expected all those extra house would solely be devoted to writing, I find I still do my best work late at night (usually between 9 and 1 am). Something about the quiet and stillness seems to fit my work well, and I spend most of the day running errands, responding to email, and hanging with my dog (who’s far too needy when it comes to attention).
As for respect, the same thing goes when deciding which niche of the ‘crime fiction’ genre you write in. Mysteries tend to be more ‘respected’ than thrillers (though thrillers tend to sell better), In the end I just write what I want to and let the book decide what it is.
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I’ve done the outline (that changed after the first four pages)
nightsmusic, I should probably add here that as organic as my process has been over the years, my outlines are equally so. Things always come up that I didn’t plan for, meaning I have to redo some of my plans.
I think I downloaded a trial of Liquid Story (it’s Black Obelisk’s software maybe?) but never even used the trial! It was very cool when I opened it up, tho!
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hanging with my dog (who’s far too needy when it comes to attention).
Uh, yeah. I think that’s a dog’s job. I was reading galleys in bed this morning LONG past time when I’m usually in the backyard writing, and mine sat and stared at me as if she could will me to where she thought I needed to be.
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I’m signing off for tonight, and have a dentist appt first thing Tuesday, so if there are more comments, I’ll respond by Wednesday! Thanks, everyone, for weighing in!
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Alison, I will think of you when I’m in the chair tomorrow getting my teeth cleaned and trying not to bite the nice girl who works me over every six months.
I think of respect in publishing the same way I do integrity. People who deserve it or have it rarely if ever worry about it. They don’t have to sell it or demand it. It is an integral part of who they are.
It would be nice if everyone in the genre universe would treat their peers the way they’d like to be treated, but not going to hold my breath waiting for that to happen.
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I’m a pantser who can’t figure out the true shape and scope of the story until I’m halfway through it. Outlines frustrate me (especially since most of the entries are things like “Someone dies here” and “Something really bad happens here” which tend to be not so helpful) and I can’t push through a draft because once I figure out something isn’t working (or I realize what I’m really trying to say), I have to go back and fix it or nothing that from that point forward will make sense.
I appreciated your take on getting respect from yourself for your work. I agree. I don’t hang my head over writing paperback genre fiction. It’s what I read and it’s what I love. =)
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I spent the last three years figuring out my process and I’m pretty happy with it. I have to write in order, too, and I have to do a scene list so I have an idea where I’m going. I use note cards – my pre-writing is never done on the computer. I’ve learned to let myself have days off when I’m feeling stuck or unmotivated because that usually means I’m doing something wrong, too. I force myself to wait about a month before revising not just for distance but to build my momentum for the edits. If I start right away, I’m still in the post-writing lethargy slog stage. When I hit the breaks after writing “The End”, it means when I come back to it I’m itching to work. (In the meantime I start a new project.)
As for respect, hm. I roll my eyes and let it go. I think you said it best – they aren’t my audience anyway. Also, you aren’t going to change anyone’s mind, and I feel more sorry for people who are missing out on great reads because of their narrow-mindedness than I feel offended. I get to read whatever I want, and there are so many good books out there. If I’m having a bad day or experiencing personal doubts, sometimes I do hesitate to say I’m a writer to dodge the “what do you write” question, though.
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Alison, yes, Black Obelisk makes it. It really is very cool but I just don’t have the time right now to learn it all.
I do use OneNote for all of my notes and research stuff. I love it because I can highlight something online and choose to send it to OneNote and it does, as well as giving me the website, the dates, all sorts of neat things.
Aside: Lynn, hope you didn’t bite too hard!
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I have to write a book in order; just, no outline. I fly by the seat of my pajama pants, and love it. There have been moments where I’ve cut 30-40 pages because where it was going/had gone just didn’t work.
I don’t edit right away. I finish up the story, save it, email it to my editors, and start something new. A few weeks down the road, and I’m ready to read through the completely manuscript and edit to my hearts content. Sometimes it’s only a few days between finish and edit.
Respect, well, I have a hard time with it. Friends respect my writing, and as they’re the only ones who’ve really seen it, I can’t say for everyone else. My family however, I often get the “why don’t you do like Nora Roberts?” question/suggestion at gatherings. Or the ‘There’s Marissa, she’s the odd on in the family’ whisper as I walk by. “You’re just so different than the rest of us.” is another classic.
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I will think of you when I’m in the chair tomorrow getting my teeth cleaned
Well, Lynn, I hope you had better luck than I did. I had to reschedule for next week. I dropped the husband off to meet his ride to the drilling site, and turned and hit a curb, popping my tire. He had to come back and rescue me because I’m like that. Anyhow, I knew there was no way I’d make my appointment because the drive is 45 minutes, oy. But I did get my groceries bought while the tire got replaced.
I totally agree with what you say about integrity and respect.
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sometimes I do hesitate to say I’m a writer to dodge the “what do you write” question, though.
Honestly, Jess, I’ve done the same thing, often depending on the situation, the person asking, etc. If I know it’s going to create more stress to explain what I do than just not mention it, I don’t. Also, I’m not *on* as an author all the time. I write under a pseudo for a reason. As much as I’m always thinking story and always always creating, I like to separate ME from Alison Kent because of the noise that comes with being a public figure.
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nightsmusic – Someone else mentioned OneNote to me recently. I’ll definitely check it out, and stop bookmarking dozens of FireFox tabs into a folder!
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I’ve cut 30-40 pages because where it was going/had gone just didn’t work.
Marissa – I think this is when I started polishing as I wrote. I could stand having to throw away stuff I’d written, so I learned to write so that I didn’t have to. I still have to toss a few pages here and there, but not so many these days. But I know authors who can write three whole versions of the same story to up with one that works.
I don’t edit right away. I finish up the story, save it, email it to my editors, and start something new.
Do you mean you email it to critique partners? I can’t imagine sending a story that wasn’t polished within an inch of its life to my editor!
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Alison, the one thing I can say is, OneNote is NOT free. I think it’s $139 now. The equivalent program to OneNote, which is free and does every bit as much is EverNote.
http://evernote.com/
Use it on the web, your computer or your phone. OneNote is not phone compatible at this time, I don’t think…
And I have to admit, there are lots of times I hesitate to tell people that I write. Not entirely sure why. Maybe, WHEN I’m published, I’ll feel differently but for now…
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Alison- they’re critique partners really, I call them my editors because, well, they are. They’re the ones who go “It’s too dammit!” when I’ve screwed up spelling.
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I’ve found your thoughts on the creative process to be very helpful, and insightful.
It was the first time that I have read a reference to a pantser–and the more I read the more I felt like gee, I’ve been trying to beat my round peg into a triangular shape–because that’s what’s being touted as the way to write.
What I mean by this is that I’ve never been a big one for doing outlines and generating elaborate background notes and the like for my fiction. I just sort of did it as I went along and that sort of worked. I felt as long as I knew who the story was about that it would unfold from there. I struggled from time to time, and it was suggested that I needed more guidelines–that I should try plotting.
Hmm…It turned out for me that the more “plotting” or “pre-plotting” I did the more I already felt as though I’d written the story and didn’t feel the same drive to follow it through. Which meant some great kernel ideas I started out with got beaten down because…well…I burnt out on them! *doh*
So I want to say that it’s nice to read on your blog that everyone has their own methods, and that yes–there are others out there who write in the same way! *pantsers like me* Woooo!
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nightsmusic – Thanks for the info on OneNote and EverNote!
Marissa – That’s what I figured!
CKW – I’ve heard a lot of authors say they can’t outline because it feels as if they’ve already written the book. You’re not the only one who finds it that way.
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Alison, you’re welcomed
And you can call me NM, or theo. 
And I have a question. Do you really like that AlphaSmart and which one do you have? I’ve never seen one up close so have no way of really knowing how user friendly they are.
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I have a Dana. I used to have the basic Alphasmart version, but managed to drop it and break the spacebar. I found a used Dana on eBay and though the backlight isn’t worth being called a light, the ability to adjust the font size is excellent. All it is is a keyboard and a three inch “screen” that shows what you type, and how much it shows depends on how you’ve set your font (on the Dana, anyway). It has infrared, so I could “send” my files to my computer, but my computer isn’t infrared friendly, so I just upload them via USB. The Dana also has a calculator, date book, LOTS of apps I don’t use. It runs on a Palm OS. I have two memory cards in it; I never save direct to the machine because if it encounters a fatal exception, which it does from time to time, the machine files are lost, but the memory cards are safe. Oh, and it runs on three AA batteries that are rechargeable, and the charge lasts forever. I take it everywhere. The Dana and writing by hand are my favorite ways of getting the words down, though the Dana wins because I don’t like typing what I’ve handwritten!
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I enjoyed your post Alison and I must say I do love my Alphasmart. Today however I wrote in longhand….why, why? Oh why? (sounds of tears falling on keyboard)
Thanks.
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Ron, I’m going to investigate one of these: http://www.flyworld.com/
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@Alison,
Great! You just had to post that, didn’t you?
Now I want one. That thing is cool!! Wish they’d give a better breakdown of the Writer’s Gift Pack though…
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There’s a great review at RomancingTheBlog.com in the comments section to last Thursday’s post on gadgets!