You made me laugh. And think. It's not easy writing people authentically, not just men/women, but different ages, different occupations, etc. And if you get it right, your writing really soars. If you don't, it kind of lays there, like the last, cold pancake at breakfast that no one wants to eat. :)
You are dangerous. I'm working. I allowed myself to read 4 blogs before editing the next scene and you had to send me to another :p.
That said, great to see you there. You tend to bring a unique perspective to these types of things, and one I appreciate. I love the suggestion to remove gender and see if another reader can tell.
So far I've had no complaints, but now I'm going to take an extra close look in the edit of my first romance when I get to it. I did play on a website where it determines the gender by word usage and my male POVs came out more male than my female POVs came out female. What can I say, I'm not your typical female :).
Congrats! Nice essay--made me think. I left a comment on RTB too.
Also, I have a question for you since you seem to pay attention to market trends. How long do trends last? Say, for example, how long will erotica or paranormal 'boom' before they 'bust'? Are they established enough now that the genres will become cyclical with both downswings and upswings? It's something I've been thinking about quite a bit and there doesn't seem to be any public information on the topic.
I keep hearing noises that publisers are tired of vampires, but all that seems to be coming out are vamp books. When do they start getting sick of paranormals then? It's confusing for a newbie--can you help my head stop spinning?
I need a lot of time to myself. Lots and lots and lots of it. I need to not have to talk to other people at all for many hours, every day. I need the freedom to write and nap and putter outside, and let the stories arrive. I need space to cook and listen to music, and most of all—read, read, read, read, read. I need a lot of reading time, and it feels like nothing, but it’s everything. -- Barbara O'Neal
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And it's a great topic, too.
ReplyDeleteBravo! I agree 100%. It's important in non-romances, too.
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh. And think. It's not easy writing people authentically, not just men/women, but different ages, different occupations, etc. And if you get it right, your writing really soars. If you don't, it kind of lays there, like the last, cold pancake at breakfast that no one wants to eat. :)
ReplyDeleteMilitary SF has the reverse problem - hot gun-toting chicks who are only physically feminine.
ReplyDeleteYou are dangerous. I'm working. I allowed myself to read 4 blogs before editing the next scene and you had to send me to another :p.
ReplyDeleteThat said, great to see you there. You tend to bring a unique perspective to these types of things, and one I appreciate. I love the suggestion to remove gender and see if another reader can tell.
So far I've had no complaints, but now I'm going to take an extra close look in the edit of my first romance when I get to it. I did play on a website where it determines the gender by word usage and my male POVs came out more male than my female POVs came out female. What can I say, I'm not your typical female :).
Congrats! Nice essay--made me think. I left a comment on RTB too.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have a question for you since you seem to pay attention to market trends. How long do trends last? Say, for example, how long will erotica or paranormal 'boom' before they 'bust'? Are they established enough now that the genres will become cyclical with both downswings and upswings? It's something I've been thinking about quite a bit and there doesn't seem to be any public information on the topic.
I keep hearing noises that publisers are tired of vampires, but all that seems to be coming out are vamp books. When do they start getting sick of paranormals then? It's confusing for a newbie--can you help my head stop spinning?
Thanks
M
Guilty as charged. I'm from the other side of the bed, but it's difficult to put the right vocabulary and emotional slant to my female characters.
ReplyDeleteAs always, you write some thought-provoking stuff, Sheila.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Thanks to everyone for the kind praise. I'll probably be insufferable for the rest of the weekend.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, can I steal your questions and answer them in tomorrow's post? I've been wanting to wrestle with the subject of trends.