On staying true
By Ray Rhamey | April 21, 2010 |
We wannabe authors—“author” meaning published writer—who are on the web are constantly assaulted by reports and opinions on what sells.
We hear that zombies are the new vampires . . . no, wait, angels are the new vampires . . . or are they the new zombies?
Mysteries are up, and so is YA and Christian fiction. Thrillers are down, and so is science fiction.
And there we sit, wanting to write OUR stories. Those of us who are compelled to write hear an inner voice—probably Frank Sinatra’s—singing My Way. But then there are all those other voices clamoring no, this way and no, that way. Are we nuts to go our way?
And then there are people like me, who don’t seem to have a single “way.” To wit:
- my first novel is a speculative social thriller.
- the second novel is a Western mystery.
- third came a coming-of-age-laced-with-mystery set in the 1950s (just sent out a query).
- the fourth is, arguably, a speculative thriller—or maybe literary fantasy, as one reader called it; it does have a paranormal element, but in the strict meaning of the word as “beyond the range of scientifically known or recognizable phenomena,” not vampires and werewolves and demons.
- And my most recent novel is satire/humor, a vampire story narrated by a cat protagonist.
So maybe I’m still looking for my “way.”
Or maybe I’ve found it—exploration may be my way. I am pretty certain that writing novels that are fresh in one way or another, and by that I mean don’t fit tidily into a genre, is another symptom of my way.
My way, so far, has not resulted in publication. I’ve had literary representation, and had agents really like my writing. Even then, they don’t see sales in the future for my particular brands of stories.
There is an alternative to my way. I’m a good enough writer, and creative enough, I think, to ape a genre well enough to write something competitive. And I can tell you that if a publisher offered me a contract for a work-for-hire, I’d jump at it.
So, with all the marketing jabber about what’s hot and what’s not, should I stay true?
But to devote the time and energy it takes to write a novel—and you know all about that—in what would amount to faking it is just something I can’t do. (Maybe I’m not just desperate enough.)
But staying true isn’t locking in
It seems to me that evolution—through learning and writing, writing, writing—is key to the eventual success of any writer. To lock in to just one way of telling a story, one way of writing, seems sure to turn my way into a dead end.
Our esteemed blogmistress, Therese Walsh, shows us that with the success of The Last Will of Moira Leahy. It’s a story she told more than one way and more than one time, a story that changed and shifted and lost and gained parts as she worked on it for years, absorbing insightful input into what worked and what didn’t for readers. She stayed true to her vision—but also had the restless, undeniable drive to keep working it until she arrived at its final, successful form. Teri had two blessings on her journey—a shining talent for writing and excellent, expert insights from other writing pros—but still, she had to stay true.
Staying true means “listening” to your story, too. I started out trying to tell what is perhaps my favorite of my novels so far, Finding Magic, from the male protagonist’s point of view. I could never get further than the first chapter. It wasn’t until I realized that it was Annie’s story that it would come out.
Staying true to my vision of that character gave her first-person narrative a formal, distant tone—even though the story is told in the present, she is a child of the 1700s, when many spoke and wrote in a “high-falutin’” way. My beta readers let me know that she was too cold and off-putting that way. So I’ve softened her way of speaking—but there’s still a little of that original flavor, and yet she’s more approachable. I think.
I also told the story in first-person present tense, and people told me that they didn’t like that. So I rewrote the whole novel in third-person. It no longer sounded like her. Her “person” didn’t seem to come through. So I rewrote it again, back to the original form. Staying true.
It may never sell because of that, but I know it works. One beta reader emailed me with the subject line of “Damn you.” He was emailing at 7:00 on a Sunday night, and it turned out that he’d gotten up that morning with a to-do list that included reading some of the manuscript. The “damn you” came from the fact that all he’d done all day was read that story. It was not an unhappy damnation.
Finding Magic is one that has had evolutionary stages like Teri’s Moira, though it hasn’t reached publication, yet. I feel certain that if I could just get an agent to read the whole thing, I might get there. But, so far, whatever I put in my queries hasn’t gotten that result.
Wanna read it? I could use some fresh eyes. If you want to know more about it, let me know in comments or email me: ray (at) ftqpress (dot) com. Those who know me know that I like to design, too, so here’s the cover concept.
What about you?
Have you had to wrestle with finding your way? Have you had that inner sense of “no, this is the right thing to do, no matter what?” Had any luck with that?
Are you lucky enough to have found your groove in a particular genre so you can just concentrate on making it better, or are you a flibberty-gidget like me?
You know, even if eventually my only readers are those who empty my desk drawers after I’ve gone to that great Library in the sky, I think I want them to read my stories, told my way.
Ray Rhamey is the author of five novels and one writing craft book, Mastering the Craft of Compelling Storytelling. He’s also an editor of book-length fiction and designs book covers and interiors for Indie authors and small presses. His website, crrreative.com, offers an a la carte menu of creative services for writers and publishers. Learn more about Ray’s books at rayrhamey.com.
I think “staying true” is great advice. Whenever I feel myself getting lost, that’s what I tell myself. However, it’s easier said than done, you know? In all areas of life, learning to trust yourself is a hard skill to learn — but an invaluable one!
.-= Kristan´s last blog ..Scenes from a weekend =-.
Staying true is scary, but I think it’s necessary for those of us who write from a place of love and aren’t just trying to make a buck. (Not that we’re not ALSO trying to make a buck.)
I want to have my work published someday and actually make some money so I don’t have to work two other jobs… but I don’t think I could do injustice to the stories I want to tell, the way I need to tell them, in order to fit a trend.
It’s a tricky balance–evolving enough to improve and not get stuck in a rut, but staying true to your voice and story.
.-= Genie of the Shell´s last blog ..Writing Space =-.
I think I’ve figured out what my niche is, and (surprise, surprise) it’s what I tend to like to read. I also have a gut feeling that the way I’ve told my story (with the narration switching from present to past to present; 3rd person POV; 3 point-of-view characters) works, even though it’s a “hard sell”.
Personally, I could care less about the trends. I’ve never been trendy (and if you don’t believe me, look in my clothes closet!)
.-= Laura Droege´s last blog ..Am I a catch-and-release friend? =-.
I think staying true to yourself is invaluable, but who says that one doesn’t change over time? What’s ‘true’ for you now – be it thriller, vampires, cowboys or anything else – may not be true for you by the time you finish your project.
My reading tastes have certainly evolved over time – why not assume the same for writing? Whether or not what you write about is the current ‘big thing’ is, I think, mainly down to luck. Forcing yourself into a genre/theme – I’m not sure that would work… I think you might turn out a good story, but would probably be missing soul, somehow.
Having said that, the worst thing to do is probably what I’ve been doing…switching genres mid-think-through in one story. Not constructive.
In case you haven’t guessed, I’m unpublished and have so far been unable to finish any of my ongoing projects (there’s lots) (not that I’m gonna give up any time soon).
I purposely avoid reading “what is hot” in publishing. It doesn’t do me any good. All I can do is focus on telling my stories the best way possible. And hope that they eventually find a home…
.-= Rebecca @ Diary of a Virgin Novelist´s last blog ..Happy birthday to me! =-.
I agree – stay true to the characters & their stories; and seeing as I love “alternative paths,” I’d love give FINDING MAGIC a try. :)
.-= catie james´s last blog ..*ring* *ring* *ring* =-.
I can relate so much to this. And I also just finished writing a vampire satire novel, only minus the cat protagonist. ;)
Like someone said above, I write what I like reading. I love horror, speculative fiction, and stories that explore the darker side of humanity, and that is also what I tend to write. Will it make me rich? Probably not. But who knows? Really, I just want Stephen King’s career, but who doesn’t?
I think of the most valuable advice I have gotten as a writer and have given as a freelance editor, and that is, “Don’t write for the paycheck.” Just don’t. It shows, I think. The resulting work is mechanical and soulless. While you might be successful commercially if you take the John Grisham or James Patterson route, will it really be as satisfactory to you? Not to say that Patterson or Grisham aren’t happy with their careers. They may be doing exactly what they want to do–churning out books for one particular segment of the market and rarely deviating from it. But if emulating their careers isn’t what you see for yourself, if you feel you’re more eclectic than that, then don’t do it. What’s the point of following your passion if it ultimately makes you miserable?
I have only published short stories so far, and almost all of them have been horror or dark science fiction. I have found that it’s what I’m good at. Even my “funny” book has darker elements to it. Does it mean I will always write horror or sci-fi? No. But I think almost everything I do write will at least lean in that direction. I’m an escapist. I’d rather write about the impossible. If I choose to tackle a mainstream “domestic realism” story, it would be more likely to have a sinister element in it. It’s just who I am. I don’t think I will ever write a Nicholas Sparks story.
Right now I’m considering a western horror story. This fall I plan to try my hand at a mystery. But it will likely have a horror bent to it. My summer project will be steampunk.
I think knowing who you are as a person and what drives you as a writer is more important than picking what genre you’ll eventually write and sticking to it. You’ll find when you look at all of your varied work that it all has a common thread, and that is you.
.-= Allison M. Dickson´s last blog ..On Selling Oneself =-.
Years ago, I struggled with what I thought I should do and what I wanted to do.
I started out writing comic books. When I moved on to other things, the writers I hung out with (and still hang out with), still wrote comic books or speculative fiction.
With comics and even short stories, I never minded writing genre fiction; in fact, it helped me learn how to tell a story with a solid beginning, middle, and end. But when it came to novels, I wanted to do other things.
While the connections I have are all in sci-fi/fantasy, I’m finally writing what I want (something more mainstream, like the novels I grew up reading and always wanted to write). It’s taking longer than my friends who have moved on to seeing their books published, but it’s worth it.
.-= Christopher Gronlund´s last blog ..5 Ways to Be Prepared for Seasonal Articles =-.
I’m there with you. I write mid-grade and picture books and am all over the place: historicals, novels-in-verse, mysteries, contemporary.
And the whole thing about what’s popular and what will sell: for a long time I subbed various ms to the agents who sounded like they’d be the best fit instead of focusing on my best writing (a ms with less commercial appeal). When I finally decided to concentrate on the quiet historical novel-in-verse, I signed with an agent and sold it at auction (to my surprise). I am not a flashy writer and never will be. There is still room for all kinds of stories.
.-= Caroline Starr Rose´s last blog ..On Writing =-.
Great post; related strongly to staying true isn’t locking in.
I’d say that “staying true” is what avoids writer’s block. If you are trying to write things for other purposes than what’s in your heart, then you are lying to yourself.
.-= Daryl Sedore´s last blog ..Contest Post “Facial Recognition” =-.
I want to be able to read my work ten years later and know it’s good. That’s what’s real.
Greg Gutierrez
Zen and the Art of Surfing
Definitely! I’ve found that if you try to force a novel to be what you think it “should” be, it will fall flat faster than anything. Sure, you should heed the advice of others and listen to their criticisms, but ultimately you must do what you think is right or you won’t be satisfied with your work.
Besides, trends come and go. Genres go up and down in sales. (I often see posts that say SF is up and down in the same day.) You can’t count on any of that.
I’m in somewhat the same situation as you right now. I just finished a manuscript that did not come out the way I wanted it at all, and I’m suspecting that I need to change the POV character, or possibly have more than one. I’m not scared of the rewrite, but only that if I stick with one POV character, the novel will become similar to another I plan to write (one where I am certain I’ve already got the right POV character picked out!), and that my two works will start to resemble each other too much. (If I go with multiple POVs, it’ll be different at least, but…not sure I want multiple POVs.) But I know I will have to listen to that voice in my head and stay true to it if I want this novel to work.
This fifth novel I’m working on I’ve rewritten 4 times now–or is it 5? And that’s not ‘drafts’–that’s complete rewrites. I’ve gone from 1st person to third (fortunately not back again, because I think it worked), written out entire characters and replaced them with new ones, changed centuries . . . The strange thing is that every time I do this, I feel like it makes the book better; that I am staying ‘true’ to the story. The hardest thing about rewriting is realizing that there is nothing God-given about telling the story in a certain way. The second hardest thing is rewriting it :)
.-= Sarah Woodbury´s last blog ..Gerald of Wales =-.
Aww, thanks, Ray, for making my cross-genre escapades sound like a good thing. And they are — for me. I’m a strong believer in keeping an open mind when it comes to story, gathering opinions like crazy, and running everything through the Gut Test.
I look forward to hearing more about Finding Magic!
Ray – what a superb, refreshing post. It is such a difficult paradox that “staying true” in our writing does not necessarily translate into publishability (is that a word?), even if the story is well-written, and good. I’ve been there, too, over and over. I had an agent tell me my latest book (my third unpublished!) can’t break into the fiction market because I’ve used flashback in the narrative, and flashback, no matter how relevant, is “out” for debut authors. What a strange and abitrary trend. That’s why I’ve decided to self- publish. Enough of the paradoxes and tacit rules. I do want to stay true.
To me, *really* staying true to your writing means writing fluidly, without expectations and with confidence. Whenever I first sit down to write (unless I’m feeling particularly inspired), I usually am forcing my words. It’s my daily duty as a writer to practice, practice, practice and it always what I want to be doing. But once I get into the flow of things, my writing stops being what I expect it to be and starts coming alive.
I also think that staying true to yourself means being very selective with the writer’s advice that you listen to. I’ll read maybe a dozen (or more) tips a day, and of them, I’ll only keep a few in mind. I know what my tastes are and I’m not changing them for anyone — not a blogger, not an editor, and not a publisher.
.-= Dominique´s last blog ..The Great Writer’s Instincts =-.
and it isn’t always*
.-= Dominique´s last blog ..The Great Writer’s Instincts =-.
right to the heart of the matter, as usual, ray! t
Wow! Great post! I’m fighting a big case of trying to please everyone and ending up with dreck right now. You said what I needed to hear at the perfect time for me.
.-= Connie Cox´s last blog ..LOVE wordpress plugin CommentLuv =-.
I write like you do–three sci-fi, one very straightforward thriller, several YA, a couple of romances, and fantasy, too. My stories are what come to me. I write them. I wrote a Star Trek story that really resonated, and the Pocket Books people applauded the writing but couldn’t publish it because it didn’t fit their “formula.” It wouldn’t have been right, within their formula. Then I tried to write another the way they liked it, and it just wouldn’t come. So I agree, staying true to your own inner storyteller is the best!
.-= Babs M´s last blog ..Taking a chance =-.
Exactly what I needed to hear today. Thanks, Ray.
.-= Jan O’Hara´s last blog ..The Perplexed Prom-Parent Post, in Which I Don’t Discuss Writer Unboxed (Much) =-.
Yep. I’m a flibberty-gidget, too. Good post. :)
.-= Lydia Sharp´s last blog ..52 Qualities of the Prosperous Writer: Number Sixteen, Groundedness =-.
As an amateur novelist, my approach is story-driven, not career-driven, so there’s no downside to “staying true”. If my vision of the story turns out not to work, it will mean that the vision was flawed and I really misunderstood my story and characters. Of course, I’m open to feedback – crave it even, but I’d have to agree with it to use it.
Write now, my challenge is to return to my draft, which has been stalled at chapter 3 while I’ve been sucked into the world of literary blogs. :(
-Steve
I’m in the exact same boat… fantasy/romance, comedy, horror, literary, SciFi… and the one I’m kinda thinking of next is either MG Fantasy or else Adult Cyberpunk. The way I think about it is that I just like stories, not genres.
[…] at Writer Unboxed, Ray Rhamey makes some important points about following industry trends as opposed to staying true to the stories you want to […]