Month: May 2017

There’s a popular myth I’ve heard for years: don’t tell anyone about your work in progress or it’ll get stolen out from under you. Another variation on this myth is if you’re not first to market with your idea, it’ll never sell. These are kind of like urban legends for writers. There’s a reason it’s not possible to copyright an idea for fiction. To mangle a quote from the Bard, the execution’s the thing. If you gave each of the Miss Demeanors an identical writing prompt we would all come up with our own unique spin. Anyone who’s taken a creative writing class or attended a workshop knows this. It’s a common exercise to help writers develop their “voice,” that special perspective that only you can bring to your storytelling. The fact is, if you work in your own little fortress of solitude you’ll actually lose out on opportunities. Workshopping your idea through writing groups, conferences or even sharing your pages with friends you trust to tell you the truth helps to identify gaps you overlooked, like leaps in logic or flat characters. You learn about tropes and cliches. You may also get ideas or inspiration to take your characters in directions that would never occur to you on your own. There are other benefits, too. Something I’ve seen several times at workshops that breaks my heart is a direct result of this misguided isolationism. It’s a crestfallen look of someone who hears well-intended (and paid) critiques for the first time on a book they spent 5 or 6 years writing in secret and believed to be a masterpiece. Workshops are also a fantastic way to network with industry professionals, one of whom may one day be your agent or publisher. At the very least, it can help you build a support system of fellow writers that carry you through the dark days, which all of us need in all parts of our lives. This same support system is a cheering chorus to help celebrate the wins. Does plagiarism happen? Probably. It happens everywhere. In my day job, someone once took credit for my research. Guess what happened next? That person couldn’t live up to the expectations created by that first report and their reputation took a major hit when the truth came out. The same thing happens to plagiarists in the literary world. When they’re uncovered they typically get shunned by their peers and/or dropped by their agents and publishers. They may also get sued. If you’re in it for the long game, meaning a multi-book publishing contract or screenwriting deal, the rewards from sharing far outweigh the so-called risk. Grab every opportunity with both hands to hone your craft, develop your voice, and build your network. Be what no one else can – be you.  

There’s a difference between art and craft. My parents were both professional artists in different fields so I have a perspective that others may not. In my experience, “art” is a personal endeavor. You create in some form or fashion for yourself as a hobby or as a way to keep yourself sane. It may be something you do collaboratively with friends. Or you may enjoy sharing the fruits of your labor with friends and family. You might create your art throughout your life but it’s not something you take seriously, if you’re being honest with yourself. “Craft” is a different story. It’s an activity you continuously work at with clear goals you work toward. “Craft,” to me, is synonymous with “career.” Thus, I approach writing like any entrepreneur approaches a start-up. There are sacrifices I’m willing to make in order to achieve my goals. Time, focus and discipline top the list. Also, like any start-up, there’s a financial outlay. Writing itself is free, of course. But workshops, conferences, promotional materials and travel costs are not. This is why most agents I’ve met encourage their aspiring and mid-list authors to keep their day jobs. It’s not because they don’t believe in their clients. It’s because they do. And they know that what comes after the books requires money that’s not likely to be covered by advances. It comes out of the author’s pocket, especially when you’re at the early stage like I am. But those dedicated to the craft see it the way I do – as an investment in the future of career longevity. I work hard at achieving my career goals, regardless of the venue. I used to think it was hard to explain what drives me through each of my reinventions. It’s not for money, although I don’t say no to being financially rewarded for my successes. It’s not for glory, or ego, or however you want to phrase that, either. I realized a while ago that my drive is more intrinsic. I chase my goals with a white hot passion because I love it. The rush that comes from each baby step of success. Solving the puzzles to learn from the inevitable stumbles and the sweet sense of accomplishment at bouncing back stronger. Coming up with new and different characters to put in perilous circumstances then figuring out how to get them out. Holding the finished products in my hands. Meeting and mingling with other authors. Hearing from people who read my words. I love each and every part of it. What drives you?  

I am a person who is almost obsessively organized. I wake at the same time every day. Work the same hours every day.  Walk the same little dogs in the same woods every day, teach the same classes every Wednesday. So it’s been a strange feeling for me to be away from home for the last nine days. (I’ve been traveling around England as part of an Alison Weir Tudor Tapestry Tour, which has been fabulous. Yesterday we were at Parham House, pictured to the right.)  Added to that is the fact that I finished up a manuscript I’ve been working on for years. Of course, “finished up” is a squishy term in this business. It means many things to many people, and for all I know, I’ll be working on it for the next five years, but the point is that I typed up “The End” and sent it to my agent. So the story that has been preoccupying my mind for some time, is not there. My mind is empty. Then there is the fact that I’m out of the United States and all the tumult that that means. Since Election Day, when Maggie Dove’s Detective Agency was published, and other things happened, my mind has been preoccupied with the news. When you’re in England, and in a rural part of England, there’s a sort of news buffer. I read this morning that Trump had fired Comey and I thought, How interesting.  Which is not the response I might have had in New York. Tomorrow is our last day here, and then we will make our way home. I’ve learned so much, have stored up so many ideas, have met so many wonderful people. And eaten so much food. But the fact is, I’m looking forward to getting back to my routine. I’ve come to realize how much I enjoy it.