Boxed In

When I moved into my new house, I put my silverware in the wrong drawer. I know it didn't really matter, but I kept reaching for a drawer on the other side when I wanted a spoon. I finally moved stuff. It's funny but I think when grow up, we continue to do things the way we did them as a child, the way our mothers did. We've always done it that way.

Then a second person comes into our lives and tries to show us the way they always did it, because that's how their mother or dad folded the towels, put the paper on the bathroom roll, mowed the lawn. Unless, of course, we hated the way our parent did things, then we totally rebel. Sometime, along the way we find a brand new way, it becomes ours and we pass it along.

Writing may be the same way. We stay in our comfort zone, writing what we always write. We're comfortable that way, but is our career going where we want? When we read, are we reading only the writers we always snap up, or do we try new authors, who may have new takes on a genre? Taking risks, submitting to print publishers and agents when epubs like the work you do, trying a new genre or stretching the one you write now. I think we need to write what we enjoy, but if we are no longer happy with what's happening then it's time to stretch, find the new way, step out of that comfortable box.

Have you stepped out of your box lately, stretched and reached for something new?

Finding Magic

A friend of mine, Rinda talked about letting those self editors on our shoulders run our writing. I find other things have the same effect. If a book doesn't sell as well as you hoped, you may start second-guessing what you do and be tempted to write what ever is selling. My opinion is that you have to stay true to writing what you love to write and what you read, because if you write to a particular genre, market, only because it sells, not because you love it, the readers will know. It will show in the writing.

I caught myself trying to reevaluate what I write and thinking in terms of writing what is selling, and in ebooks, it seems to be a mix of paranormal and erotica. Well, not an erotica person here. Not that I can't enjoy reading it, but writing it just isn't what I do. If I start trying to write something that doesn't speak to me on a real level, it won't work for me or for the readers in the long run. So I will continue to write what I write, which is mystery plus paranormal plus humor. If I don't make a fortune, so be it, the process is what counts. Selling a painting doesn't give me as much pleasure as the actual painting process. With my writing, yes, I would like it to be read, but small numbers are better than no numbers and if even one person is pulled into a different world that I created, cool. I've done my job.