Amy Sue Nathan's Blog: Women's Fiction Writers

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Write Your Best Novel!

Why trust me?

I’ve been working with writers to create their best stories since 2009. I’ve worked for agents on their slush piles, and I’ve taught writing at different levels for Writer’s Digest and Gotham Writers. I coached for Author Accelerator, and, I’ve just joined the faculty of Drexel University in their Low Res MFA in Creative Writing.

In addition, I have written four novels and am now writing the fifth, which is coming out in 2021.

Also? I’m a straight-talking sweetheart! So just email me and we can chat about your book.

Now that I have your attention, watch out for THE LAST BATHNG BEAUTY coming soon! I can’t wait for you to read it!

http://bit.ly/thelastbathingbeauty

Fall Coaching

What kind of lapsed blogger would I be if I didn’t post my deals here first? I may be a slacker but I’m polite.

xo Amy

How I Handle Waiting.

SUB TITLE: NOT WELL.

I’m not sure this is what they meant by “doing the limbo” but there you have it.

My proposal for Book 5 is off to my editor, two of writers have finished drafts of their novels, and I AM BORED. I can’t/won’t/shouldn’t dive into the novel I want to write without a commitment from my publisher. Too much work. Too much dedication. Too much emotion. I am super proud, like a writer-mama, of my writers who showed up, did the work, and got to type The End.

But all of this at once?

What was I thinking?

Yes, TV is better than it’s ever been, and Hallmark is killing it with Fall movies this year. A Very Brady Renovation was epic in the nostalgia category and Jack Whitehall: Travels with my Father was my #1 comedy pick of the past few years.

I listen to about one audiobook per week and yesterday I read an actual book (actual being an ARC on my Kindle).

Today I am going to bathe the dog. You’re welcome.

I have started teaching a novel-writing course online but I miss the one-on-one of my long time writers. Plus, I know that no one writes from Thanksgiving through New Years — so that’s why I urge writers to get busy now and for the next seven weeks — so that on January 2, 2020 (OMG 2020!!) they’re pleased as punch instead of perturbed.

It will be fun when I get the ARCs for THE LAST BATHING BEAUTY so watch the blog, FB, Twitter, and IG for giveaways.

In the meantime, tell me how you stay busy when you’re not. Cleaning and classes are OFF THE TABLE.

Amy xoxo

The Writing Zone

The writing zone. I imagine it like one of those indoor trampoline parks (never been, my kids are adults) where it’s likely you get so much momentum going you JUST. CAN’T. STOP.

That’s what happened to me yesterday — and to a lesser extent day.

Hours pass. I’m stiff from sitting. The creative energy surges. Words bounce around in my brain and land on the page. Brand new words.

It’s hard to start a new novel. Especially, for me, because the last time I started one it was 2016. I lived in a different state. I had a different life. I wrote most of The Last Bathing Beauty in my current home, but I never created the origin of a novel here.

So far so good.

I’m also well aware this could change at any moment.

xo Amy

Is Your Story a Secret?

The cover for The Last Bathing Beauty exceeded my expectations, I finished my copyedits, and I visited my daughter in Chicago. You know what that means? I HAVE TIME FOR YOU! While I’m starting to write Book #5 and I’m awaiting my page proofs, I’m under no crazy, frantic deadlines — please take advantage of that because it ends. It always ends. I would like nothing more than to add to my roster of writers, so drop me a note with your questions or concerns and let’s see how we can work together.

I don’t know about you but the more I have to do the more I get done. I’ve written 25 pages of my new book, which I’m keeping close to the vest for now. I talked about Betty and Boop from the day I conceived of them and The Last Bathing Beauty and I’m trying something new this time. RESTRAINT. Ha. We’ll see how long it lasts.

What are you working on?

Do you like to keep it quiet or talk about it?

I see the benefits of both, do you?

Amy xo

PS Let’s be real. It’s KILLING me to not blab about my new idea. But you know, that restraint thing. xo

Cover Reveal

This cover captures the essence of my 1951 protagonist, eighteen-year-old Betty! You’ll also be treated to Betty at eighty-four, when everyone calls her Boop. She’s always this girl on the inside though!

The Last Bathing Beauty will be crowned in April 2020. Watch the blog for ARC giveaways this Fall.

Amy xo

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Oh, I crack myself up.

I didn’t go on vacation, but after three months of INSANE EDITING, I did hand in the final version of THE LAST BATHING BEAUTY to my editor.

Can I get a high-five?

I’m so pleased with this book and can’t wait for it to greet the world next April. Right now we’re in the cover and marketing stage and that’s exciting, as I wait for copy edits. I miss my characters, and it’s the first time this has happened to me. I’m eager to see where I messed up with grammar, punctuation, spelling, and the like. When you’ve read a manuscript seventy gazillion times, $hit gets overlooked.

You know how you wonder if writing books gets easier? My answer is no, not for me. Each book presents unique challenges. I welcome that. It’s intentional. But it also means that I am finding my way for the first time, over and over again.

With this book, I rewrote the first 30 pages 3 weeks prior to handing it in. I was reading and thought to myself — “Self, this is BORING.” So I handled it. Kudos to my critique partner for pointing this out months earlier. It’s not that I didn’t believe her or don’t trust her — but I didn’t SEE it until much later. And you can’t fix what you don’t see.

I also added a brand new character then too — or shall I say — I resurrected her. This might prove once and for all that nothing is wasted and that I should trust my own instincts just a smidgen more sometimes. She’s a new and improved version, and I didn’t see the need for her. Until I did. So when you meet Piper — don’t tell her she was sort of an afterthought, m’kay?

Through the craziness I lost several clients. Not in the sad and tragic way, but in the “READY TO MOVE ON AND QUERY” way or the “READY TO REVISE AGAIN” way, so I have spots in my schedule if you or anyone you know needs:

Feedback and Accountability

(When you add them together, without fail, it equals PROGRESS.)

Email me! I don’t bite!
And I’ll chat with you to see if we’re a good match!

And now, of course, I’m working on my as-of-yet untitled Novel #5. All I’ll tell you is that it’s set in 1962 — and that’s super fun. I’ll keep you posted, of course.

Back to the whole idea of vacation: I am going to visit my daughter at the end of the month and I’ll also see a few friends, so I guess that qualifies for now.

What about you? Have you taken a vacation from your writing? The notion, to me, is preposterous, but I’m willing to concede that might not be the healthiest attitude.

xo, Amy

Did you know? It’s Women’s Fiction Day!

Can you believe it? WE HAVE A DAY!

I started this blog in March 2011 because I couldn’t find like-minded writers anywhere. I didn’t see information on the interest that spoke to the kind of author I wanted to be, the kind of books I wanted to write. It didn’t exist, so I created it!

Now there is an international organization WFWA and an acknowledgment of the genre in mainstream publishing.

Of course the arguments ensue. What is WF? Why is there no men’s fiction genre? Why do we want a label that marginalizes us and our readers?

To me, like I’ve always said, WF is a story in which the main character saves herself. It’s about life from a woman’s perspective, partially at least. No, I don’t believe books without at least one female POV are WF, but that’s me. If the emotional journey is a man’s alone — to me — it’s not what I’m looking for. But that doesn’t mean you’re not welcome to feel differently. But if you’re nasty on social media or my blog, I’ll delete and block you. This is not a democracy. No one pays me to do this. I pay to keep up this site, with money and with time and with energy. So be nice. There’s no men’s fiction genre because the whole damn world is men’s fiction by default. I do not feel marginalized by the WF label, I feel empowered. I choose to write stories that specifically are meant to be meaningful to women. I choose almost exclusively to read books by women, most fall under the WF umbrella in some way, some don’t. Again, choice is empowering. Take that any way you will. I happen to think lipstick is also empowering.

Writer Unboxed has a great WF post today as well.

Whatever you think and whatever you write, just do your best and be kind.

The rest will follow.

xo, Amy

Passive verbs suck.

EDITED TO ADD: APPARENTLY I AM NOT WRITING ABOUT PASSIVE VOICE, AS IS NOTED IN THE COMMENTS. THIS IS WHAT WORKS FOR ME WHEN WRITING MY NOVELS. IF THIS TYPE OF HELP DOESN’T HELP YOU, THAT’S COOL. I HAVEN’T TAKEN AN ENGLISH CLASS FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS. CHILL.

EDITED AGAIN: I CHANGED THE TITLE SO AS NOT TO MISLEAD ANYONE WHO IS A PURIST. IN MY OWN HEAD, TO WRITE MY OWN NOVELS I REFER TO WHAT IS DESCRIBED BELOW AS PASSIVE VOICE. IF YOU DON’T, I DON’T CARE IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY–MEANING YOU DON’T HAVE TO TAKE THE ADVICE I OFFER, YOU REALLY DON’T. I HOPE YOU ONLY DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU, THE WAY I DO WHAT WORKS FOR ME.

THIS BLOG IS NOT A DEMOCRACY SO IN THE FUTURE, REPRIMANDS WILL BE DELETED.

***

See what I did up there in the title?

I work with a lot of beginner writers and showing them the difference between passive and active voice in fiction is usually a given. It’s a writing nudge that makes a huge impact and compared to all the varied intricacies of self-editing, this one is EZ.

But don’t kid yourself. It’s not only beginners who need the nudge. Even seasoned writers fall into the passive pit, so that nudge serves as a gentle (or not so gentle) reminder.

Today I’m going to share with you the how instead of the why. How to go about transforming your writing is key. You know why you’re doing it. And you likely know that the title of this post is true.

I think we gravitate toward passive voice because it more or less does the job — just not good enough. In my own efforts to rid my work of passive voice, I spend a lot of time DOING THINGS so I can choose not just a better word, but the right word.

I know I’ve said it before — I read aloud and act thing out, hence I do not write in public.

If I were revising a sentence, let’s say:

Betty took the book off the table and put it on her head.

You know what she did, right? Sure. But not exactly, and exactly is what we’re looking for.

Chances are I’d push away from my desk, walk into my bedroom, and proceed to take a book off the nightstand. There. I took it. But what else did I do? What word is better? I’d likely do it again and again. I lifted it, grabbed it, snatched it, removed it.

And if I were so inclined, which I likely would be, I’d put it on my head. No, I’d balance it, of course. Which I wouldn’t be able to do, but Betty would, and this isn’t about me.

Remember if you can’t picture it, it’s passive.

Amy xo

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