Writing Lessons 201
Welcome to the Celebration
Hello. Hi. Bonjour. Salute mes amis. Welcome to the celebration of my upcoming release of Demon Rodeo which will happen on September 5th. From now until then, I’m posting daily on a topic that is in some way related to something mentioned in the story. There will be recipes, behind-the-scenes gossip, giveaways, and my regular content blogs (mental health, writing, relationships/romance, and of course, all things Creole and Cajun). There will be something for everyone, and I hope everyone joins me for the ride.
I’m kicking off the celebration with what I learned about writing Demon Rodeo. Demon Rodeo isn’t my first rodeo at writing. (Sorry, but I couldn’t resist the pun.) Having written a few books, I’ve learned a thing or two over the years. I don’t consider myself an expert by any means, but I think I can offer a little something to the conversation.
When I first began writing, I began as a hobby—as a type of therapeutic release. However, writing as a hobby isn’t the same as writing as a profession. In fact, it is nowhere close. And unless one is writing a memoir, it may not be an easy crossover—and I’m not talking about typos. See, writing for a hobby can be ramblings with no structure. Writing professionally as a discipline has structure—not just formulation structure, but life structure. What I mean is, that writing is a type of lifestyle.
Journalists have to hunt and research their stories. Frequently, they have deadlines and word count guidelines. They may be dictated their assignment, but it’s up to them to figure out an angle and a way to make the piece relative, informative, entertaining, and something others will want to read. Simultaneously, they must make it their own. It sounds simple to say these things but can be complicated to achieve. More often than not, it is the background chatter that makes this difficult.
First, many people (not writers) dismiss writing as being easy. When someone tells others that he/she is planning to write a book, often it is met with an eye-roll or not taken seriously. A friend writer was often asked to babysit for relatives because “she was at home anyway.” Had she held a traditional nine-to-five job, her relatives likely wouldn’t have thought to make the request. What they did was a slight. They did not view writing as serious work.
Second, there is so much bad writing advice out there. If there is one piece of advice that I can stand by it’s that no one piece of advice will work for every writer. Some years ago, someone decided using adverbs was sinful and lazy/weak writing. Okay. Fine. If that’s what they want to believe. Obviously, many of them aren’t familiar with the Southern storytelling that is jammed full of adverbs. And if a writer is electing to write in that style, having characters that do not do this is going to take something away from the dialogue. Adverbs are words, and at the end of the day, can add value to stories.
I had a supervisor who reminded me of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. She had this huge chip on her shoulder that caused employees to want to avoid her. The difference was that Miranda had the power to make or break employee careers. My supervisor was overseeing dead-end jobs. Employees working for Miranda hoped to one day advance or be promoted. Employees working for my supervisor needed a paycheck and had no expectations of ever moving up. In The Devil Wears Prada people feared Miranda, and her opinion was valued. My supervisor’s employees didn’t fear. There was no admiration. It was just a dread of dealing with her and her ego.
How this relates to writing is that she once accused me (as well as other employees) that all my reports sounded the same. Well, of course, they did. She edited them. She was the one who demanded certain wording and information be used in each report. She is the one who decided on a template/outline for the reports. She created a report formula, and employees (at least the smart ones) picked up quickly that if they wanted a hassle-free life to write reports precisely as the supervisor wanted. When she would edit these reports or give advice, she was unconsciously shaping them all to be the same. Then, one day, she noticed. Actually, someone higher up than she pointed out that all the reports being so similar was problematic because they appeared to be either copied and pasted or computer generated. Either way, they did not appear to be personalized to the consumer which was something that it was supposed to have been. Some of the writing advice out there is based on trends or what well-established authors are doing. While that is all fine and dandy, it runs the risk of stripping less-established writers of their voice and personality. Not everyone is Stephen King. Stephen King is Stephen King for a reason. He made himself that way. He grew into who he is as a writer. If all the writing advice is to write like Stephen King and mimic what he does, everything is going to read like bad knockoffs.
It took me a while to find my writing voice. I had it long before I knew it but changed it listening to “expert” advice. Then one day I had a story critiqued. Let me tell you, I got dragged the length of two football fields. I thought I’d written the biggest piece of crap a dinosaur could poop. When I began making the suggested changes, my story completely fell apart. I had no story. When I mentioned this, I was accused of being too close to my story and not wanting to accept advice. What I wanted was to improve my story. What happened was jarring, and I took a step back to critically read the books of the people giving advice. I didn’t like the style or the content, and I began realizing that these were not “my people.”
Later, I received a rejection from one of the people in the group who was a self-proclaimed top-notch editor and had been a nominee (although he said finalist) for a prominent writing award. It later was revealed that anyone could be nominated and thousands were. It was the handful that were accepted for consideration that mattered. I was so upset—no, not upset, ticked—by his rejection that I went on a massive querying spree. (Here’s another piece of advice from me. Don’t do that.) What set me off wasn’t the rejection per se. It was the inclusion of others. All the stories that he had accepted into his “chance of a lifetime” anthology all sounded the same, as if, this was the only writing option. I did not want to write that way. But I also noticed something else—something more sinister in my opinion. I noticed that the stories accepted were written by either his friends or writers who had been brownnosing for months. I also realize the financial imbalance that loomed dangerously close to predatory publishing. While it was billed and I could see it as possibly being a big opportunity, I couldn’t believe this was the only way. Thus, I began querying.
Less than two months later, I had sold a short story to a not-too-shabby anthology and a novel to a publisher with some big-name clients. This proved that I did not have to follow a formula.
However, it wasn’t until years later that I recognized my writing voice, and actually, it was readers who did it for me. I wrote a book as part of an open call for submissions. The publisher was looking to expand in certain niches. I wrote the story as a challenge to myself. Looking back, I laugh. It was something that I had been doing from the beginning but never recognized. I’m at my best when I tell stories authentically.
Anne Rice is one of my favorite authors. She told stories that transported readers into the book worlds she created. She set the tone and scene, and she made everything vividly real. It was real because she tapped into who she was, how she spoke, what she saw, her experiences, etc. It was unique to her. Although I’m far from being an Anne Rice and wouldn’t dare care for myself, I do share something in common with the icon. I understand the importance and richness of culture. Much of what made Anne Rice’s writing unique is the way she delved into the cultural aspects of her settings to bring it to life. Once I embraced my culture, I found my voice. I stopped attempting to pretty up my language and write in trends. I leaped into my niche and told the story the way I’d been told stories, the way I talked to my friends.
And here’s the most important lesson for all writers. Each journey to writing will be different, but one path will be the same. Readers will know when a writer is authentic and will invest in stories with an authentic vibe. Does that mean a writer who has found his/her voice will appeal to all readers? No. It doesn’t matter how good a writer is. He/she will not be every reader’s cup of tea. But that is how it is supposed to be. It is essential for writers to find the readers they are writing for.
As a young girl, my father would always tell me it was easier to do something wrong than it was to do it right. That was because there are so many ways to do something wrong and usually only one way to do it correctly. A writer discovering his/her voice is the first step. Finding his/her audience is another. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, and the latter may be more difficult than the former. Rejection is often a matter of a writer not being in front of the appropriate audience as opposed to terrible writing. (But make no mistake. Sometimes it may be the writing.) As a writer, it is important to have faith in oneself and in the writing process.
Demon Rodeo has taught me that learning and growth are a continuum. There’s always something new, and the unknown isn’t unconquerable. Writing challenges shouldn’t be viewed as setbacks but, rather, as new opportunities. A story that seems to have been stomped into the ground for not following a formula may need to stray even farther from the formula to highlight that the break from “recommended” is intentional. When an author doesn’t go far enough into his/her voice, it may leave the reader stuck between the “formula” and the writer’s chosen style. This may not be a pleasant reading experience.
Last, is there anything wrong with using a “formula?” Absolutely not. Formulas account for the biggest success stories and sales. Think of large fast-food chains. Is it the best food out there? Not usually. But does it appeal to the masses? Yes. For one, consumers know what to expect. It’s familiar. Many times, they already know the menu and can walk up to the counter and order without contemplating choices. When going to a fine dining restaurant where the menu isn’t always the same, consumers are likely going to take more time to read the description of the unique choices. And chances are, more people are going to go to the fast-food joint than the fine dining place.
I hope sharing this experience has helped someone with their writing journey. Let me know how you feel about this. Leave a comment below.
Buckle up and get ready!
My contemporary M/M paranormal sports romance, Demon Rodeo, releases on September 5, 2024, and is available now for preorder on Amazon. For video book trailers, visit my TikTok page. The full blurb is on my Instagram and Amazon.
Demon Rodeo is the first book in the Chasing the Buckle series but can be read as a standalone. It’s a friends-to-lovers romance set in the rodeo world. These are not your typical cowboys. It’s a widely diverse cast of characters and a mashup of genres that aren’t always seen together. If you’re looking for a palate cleanser, this may be a book for you. Also, expect a lot of goodies and giveaways.
Preorder
⇨ Amazon: https://readerlinks.com/l/4174852
⇨ All Stores: https://books2read.com/u/bP8RG7
Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.
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[image error] Locker Room Love Series [image error]
Out of the Penalty Box (book #1) One minute in the box or a lifetime out. Defending the Net (book #2) Crossing the line could cost the game. Ice Gladiators (book #3) When the gloves come off, the games begin. Penalty Kill (book #4) Let the pucker begin.Future Goals (book #5) The future lies between a puck and a net.About the Author:
Hi, I’m Genevive, a blogger and contemporary sports romance author. My home is in South Louisiana. If you like snark and giggles with a touch of steamy Cajun and Creole on the side, I may have your poison in my stash of books. Drop by the bayou and have a look around. The pirogues are always waiting for new visitors.
