Hola.
I follow quite a few blogs that are written and maintained by writers (around 20 or so), who write in a diverse set of genres: David Cranmer {pulp/noir}, Charles Gramlich {fantasy/horror/NF}, Travis Erwin {women's I believe, but I'm sure he'll correct me on this}, Jewel and Chandler Craig {Young Adult}, Christine Duncan {Mysteries} and Gary Dobbs {Westerns}, just to name a few.
With myself, I'm not quite so sure what I could label my writing as. I do know that most of what I write, while not literally dripping with sex, is flavored enough to make people either like it or loathe it. I do feel very comfortable in having my writing flavored with sex (either a little or a lot). I'm not sure why I decided to write in this particular fashion, but it's something that seems to come quite naturally for me.
The reason I bring this up is that for the past few months (as you've no doubt heard me complain about), I've been getting hammered over the content of my book in general, and my overall writing in particular. Most of what people have been saying really hasn't bothered me (much), but a few weeks ago, I got some very interesting feedback from a couple of friends of mine over a few stories I shared with them.
They asked me why so much of my writing was so heavily flavored with sex. They also said, while they're supportive of my writing endeavors, they were having a small problem reconciling what I wrote to the person that they intimately know as a friend.
I couldn't give them a good answer, because I really didn't know how to answer their very legitimate question. I basically told them that it was my preferred writing style and it was something I felt comfortable writing in, and that I was sorry for making them feel uncomfortable with my writing.
I spent a lot time in the past week, thinking about what they told me, and I think that from this point on, to save me further grief and aggravation (yes, I was very much aggravated. I don't mind honest critique from my friends, but they had hit a particular sensitive spot in me), I won't pass on my stories to them. I respect them a lot, but I don't want to make them feel uncomfortable.
That said, let me ask all of my regular and drive-by readers a few questions:
1) Why did you choose the genre(s) that you're currently writing in?
2) Did you experience any problems with people trying to reconcile what you write, with the person that they know? If so, how do you handle it?
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
15 comments:
Go on, give me your best shot. I can take it. If I couldn't, I wouldn't have created this wonderful little blog that you decided to grace with your presence today.
About that comment moderation thingy: While yes, it does say up above I can take it, I only use it to prevent the occasional miscreant from leaving thoughtless and/or clueless comments.
So remember, all of your comments are greatly appreciated and all answers will be given that personal touch that you come to expect and enjoy.
G. B. Miller
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Hi Georgie - I found out I write a "gratitude" blog after I had been writing it for several months. I am always looking for the silver lining in days that are otherwise less than perfect and find it keeps me positive.
ReplyDeleteI like your blog - you keep it real. Cheers! Lynn
All I can say is that I write the stories and provide the voice for the characters that fill my head. Lately I've moved away from Women's fiction and toward humor.
ReplyDeleteLynn: I like your blog very much. I think having it called a "gratitude" blog describes it perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliment and I'm glad you enjoy my little slice of Connecticut.
Travis: thanks for clearing that up. I wasn't too sure what it was exactly that you wrote in. I remembered reading about a couple of times in your blog, and I always want to make sure that I get things correct when I write about them.
That being said, humor sounds like an excellent genre to write in. I look forward to reading some upcoming work, should you get any of it published or if you simply wish to share.
Okay, I'm showing my ignorance here but what exactly is a "gratitude" blog??
ReplyDeleteI haven't really chosen to write in any fashion yet. I just write what I feel at any given time. It does seem that my humorous stuff is more popular though. Which is great but I do enjoy the serious and dramatic stuff too. I just like writing - anything really.
Well....Lynn's blog is actually a nice refreshing piece of prose called "Good Things Happened", and it's basically random thoughts and observations about world around her.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I choose long ago to write with an edginess, with an occasional flavoring of sex. Most of my edgy writing has evolved from my two plus years in the chat rooms.
It has been tempered just a little bit, but it does flare up from time to time.
Like this past week.
I've written a commercial/women's fiction manuscript. I think part of the reason is because it's what I enjoy reading and so am familiar and comfortable writing the genre. My blog stemmed from the writing of that manuscript.
ReplyDeleteThat's very interesting.
ReplyDeleteMost of my stuff is a bit on the dark side, but for my blog, I try not to make it so dark.
My blog originally was an extension of chat room writings/postings, mostly because I needed a place where I could really express myself without worrying about being censored.
But it really has grown into something more. Now I try to work the tone of my blog into my writings. I still try to write what I consider "relationship stories" (no way what I write can be considered romance nowadays), but I'm also trying to expand what I write into other genres.
With very small baby steps.
As a writing rookie, I'm still trying to discover a genre that suits my writing style. For now, I mainly write about my life experience and my perspective on art and literature. Poetry is my thing these days. I look forward to learning so much from all the great writers' blogs out there :)
ReplyDeleteI guess my writing is more on the humorous side, it just seems to come naturally, as you mentioned for your writing as well. Plus its what I like to read, though not all the time. But I wouldn't call my blog a humor blog, more like parenting/life with humor. MAke sense?
ReplyDeleteSeptembermom: I think to a small degree, we're all writing rookies. We're all trying to either learn a new craft or fine tuning an old one.
ReplyDeleteAs for blogging, it's been my observation that 99% of the blogs are by people writing about their life experiences (including me). That's what makes them interesting. What makes them unique is those areas we all decide to zero in on to talk about.
As I said previously, I have the upmost respect for people who can write poetry. To me, a good poem is one that can make people really think.
I look forward to reading a sampling of poetry someday.
Rightonmom: Humor is a tough thing to write in, and I applaud anyone who can do it, and do it well.
My humor leans towards the sarcastic side, so mine is good only in very small doses.
I have a few humor blogs that I follow (including yours) and it always amazes me that people can keep it consistent throughout their blog.
I write horror oftentimes and that usually throws my friends and family in for a loop. They kind of look at me askance, but don't judge me harshly by it.
ReplyDeleteI think in some ways, they like that I have "another" side to my public persona.
I just write the story that comes to me and don't worry that it's a certain genre. Which means I have written YA, historical, suspense, and horror.
Honestly, I think my genres chose me. I seemed to naturally want to write the kind of stuff I loved most to read.
ReplyDeleteI definitely get flack from people over my choices. Most people I meet don't read SF/Fantasy/Horror and just don't understand it at all. I constantly get comments like, "Well I don't really read this kind of stuff...."
Interesting choices for genres both of you have there.
ReplyDeleteI can sympathize with the wierd responses from family and friends. I've gotten enough long pauses between my anwser of "I about the darker side of relationships/my stuff has a lot of sex in them" and the person either responding with a hesitant "okay" or a very strange expression, that I simply don't tell anybody what I really write beyond "adult fiction".
It's a funny thing though. I really enjoy flavoring my writings with sex and making them provocative, but I don't enjoy reading them for anything beyond how a someone writes the scene for effectiveness.
Odd I guess.
Like RightonMom I write what I like to read. I have friends (good ones) who have never read any of my stuff and that's okay. It's not their thing. I have other friends who read everything I write--and I won't put something out there without their thoughts. (Shrug)
ReplyDeleteI don't know that we choose a genre or that it works well when we do. YOU know when what you write is what you really want to say--and that's the important part.
That's an intersting point there. I actually write what I don't read much of.
ReplyDeleteIt's a genre that I never really got into while either growing up or as an adult. And apart from a few adult westerns and a few contemporary romances, I haven't read anything else of what the majority of my writing is.
Usually I don't have a problem showing my stuff to my friends, but my current stuff makes them feel a tad uncomfortable, and I can understand that 100%.
I'm trying to work that to my advantage. It's a slow process, but I'm confident that I can find that happy medium with them.
For better or for worse, it's my perferred writing style. And it's something I'll have keep working at.