Terry Shames's Blog: 7 Criminal Minds, page 9

Welcome John Lansing

This week, I’ve invited author John Lansing to write a guest post after having read his latest, Embedded. It’s the start of a new series about jailed Army Ranger Dakota Judd who’s been offered a life-altering deal from the FBI: infiltrate a White Supremacist prison gang while he’s incarcerated, then embed himself into their militia on the outside and become the eyes and ears of the FBI. If successful, his record will be expunged and he can live a normal life. If he fails, he'll wind up dead. It’...

Terry here, with our question of the week: Do you write ...

 

Terry here, with our question of the week: 
Do you write from the heart, following your muse, not thinking about the reader at all; or do you write with the market in mind, thinking of the reader and how you can make the novel commercially successful; or somewhere in between? How would you advise an emerging author on this? 
I write from the heart and the head; follow my muse and my whims; think about the reader and about my own enjoyment. And I pretty much never think about how to make a book c...

A love letter to a future reader - Matthew Greene

Do you write from the heart, following your muse, not thinking about the reader at all; or do you write with the market in mind, thinking of the reader and how you can make the novel commercially successful; or somewhere in between? How would you advise an emerging author on this?

Dear Future Reader,

I’ve been thinking about you a lot. Sure, we haven’t technically met, but I know a few things about you. You probably gravitate to the kinds of stories I like to tell. So, we might read some of the sa...

Writing Outside Your Experience by Poppy Gee

 

CRAFT What are your thoughts on writing ‘outside your ownexperience’? What are the potential pitfalls? What are reasons to do it? Canyou give a personal example of how you navigated this potentially problematicterrain?

This month was my turn to set the questions, and I plannedto share my experience writing a neuro-diverse character, in my novel VanishingFalls, when I am not neuro-diverse myself.

But recently, I had an interesting conversation at a writingcommunity event, so I want to s...

Celtic Vibe, by Catriona

What are your thoughts on writing ‘outside your own experience’? What are the potential pitfalls? What are the reasons to do it? Can you give a personal example of how you navigated this potentially problematic terrain?

The blog title is why I can't watch Outlander. If you're from Sheridan, Wyoming, I'm sure the carnival of accents with a general Celtic vibe seem like Scottish authenticity second to none. Me? Made it through half an episode. But I've got no problem with the blanket "Northern" ...

Write what you (don't) know by Eric Beetner

 CRAFT What are your thoughts on writing ‘outside your own experience’? What are the potential pitfalls? What are the reasons to do it? Can you give a personal example of how you navigated this potentially problematic terrain?

I’ve long been a critic of “write what you know” as writing advice. I’m a fan of write what you want to know.

Of course you will bring a unique, lived-in reality to your writing if you write from your own experience, but I also think personal experience can lie below any sto...

No Shake and Bake for You

 

What are your thoughts on writing ‘outsideyour own experience’? What are the potential pitfalls? What are the reasons todo it? Can you give a personal example of how you navigated this potentially problematicterrain?

 

There are Two Easy Outs to answer this question.

Research.

Imagination.

But you didn’t come here forSimple and Easy. No Shake and Bake for you.

I’ve never been one to shy awayfrom uncomfortable truths, and any writer worth their salt will eventually facethe choice: pl...

Write what you know?

 

What are your thoughts on writing outside your ownexperience? What are the potential pitfalls? What are the reasons to do it? Canyou give a personal example of how you navigated this potentially problematicterrain?

 

One of the first rules of writing that I learned was rightwhat you know. I couldn’t agree less. So, I ignore it all the time. Personally,I think that should be a rule strictly for non-fiction. I mean, consideringthat someone always dies, normally not well, in my novels, my ...

To Share, or Not to Share - A Writer's Dilemma, by Harini Nagendra

Here's the question of the week: How much should a writer share about their personal life? 

SallyRooney has refused, in interviews, to talk about her private life. AuthorDebbie Urbanski recently wrote a piece for Literary Hub titled: If Itell you secrets about my personal life, will you look at my new book? Thepoint Debbie made was, most of us are desperate for publicity, we need ourbooks to sell, so we feel compelled to participate in the sharing of personalinformation. What are your thoug...

Voyeurs and Exhibitionists from James W. Ziskin

Sally Rooney has refused, in interviews, to talk about her private life. Author Debbie Urbanski recently wrote a piece for Literary Hub titled: If I tell you secrets about my personal life, will you look at my new book? The point Debbie made was, most of us are desperate for publicity, we need our books to sell, so we feel compelled to participate in the sharing of personal information. What are your thoughts on how much writers should share? 
In the Before Times—before social media—people didn’t...