What Really Matters

Being that it's NaNoWriMo there is a lot of author discussion flying about on both Facebook and Twitter. It's great fun to see the different ideas, questions and genres that are discussed in such a vast array of people. But I've noticed a trend that makes today's post a necessity, at least , in my eyes.

I see so many questions about what may or may not turn a reader off. "Will this be too much for readers, will this turn them off, will this offend them, what if I do this, will my book still sell?" And the list goes on. I try to answer this questions gently by saying write the story as it speaks to you, go with the story that feels honest that demands to be written. Only that way will you have a book you can be proud of.

What I really want to say is "There is always going to be someone who hates your book, hates your writing and is offended by any scene you point to." Guess what that's why there are so many book choices, so many genres and so many variations on the same theme. Now I don't usually say things so harshly but the truth remains if you try to write while at the same time worrying about who you will offend, if a certain type will like your book or if a certain scene crosses the line too much you will never like what you write. Writing to try to please everyone and offend no one doesn't exist and doesn't work. Not to mention when you try you come dangerously close to losing your voice and entering the world of formula writing.

That's fine if it's what you want. But if you write because it's a passion an obsession, a need that drives you to take notes on napkins then go with your gut. Write what drives you, what forces itself from your fingers and leaves you looking at the clock and wondering where the time went. The physical act of writing isn't easy and often times we have to work to make certain scenes come out of our brains but at the end of the day you should be writing what you want.

I write Erotica/Romance and I used to be quiet, restrained and almost embarrassed about what I write. Now frankly I'm proud of my work. It will never appeal to a vast majority of the population. In fact a great amount of the people out there probably think I write the devils work and again I don't care. Not because I don't value others opinions that's not what I'm saying at all. Asking for help deciding if a certain scene flows, or if logistically it makes sense or if said building does exist etc. That is not what I am referring to. We all ask for advice on certain things.

What I want most to encourage in writers is trust your art, trust your voice and trust that someone somewhere will love what you wrote. Have faith in yourself enjoy what you write take pride and confidence in it, even if you know for certain that someone somewhere would love to burn your book to ash.