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Some weeks it really works well to be the Saturday blogger
at SFF7. Our topic is to discuss one piece of writing advice we disagree with.
I’m going to fly at the 100,000’ level and share what bugs me about all writing advice. (My comrades were much more disciplined and
stuck to the letter of the subject line LOL.)
My hackles go up and my blaster comes out when people say
THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY TO DO THIS AND MY WAY IS THE ONE. Forgive the all caps but
people who want to try to force every other writer into their way of writing books, be it index cards, outlines, pantsing,
Scrivener , 2AM writing sessions, NaNoWriMo cabins– whatever the “secret” they
feel they alone have identified – make me NUTS.
Not for myself, because I’m too stubborn to write any other
way than the way that works for me, and I don’t expect my way to necessarily
work for any other person on the face of the Earth. But so often I see this
kind of advice given in various author groups, and many newbies feel
unnecessary pressure because they haven’t yet given themselves permission to
ignore things. “Author So-and-So said you have to do the XYZ plotting method or
you’ll fail…”
Sure, it’s not a bad idea to try a new software, or promo
tool or method of plotting if you’re so inclined. One should always keep an
open mind and be willing to adapt and change if the shiny turns out to work for them. I like hearing about new
things, especially if I’ve been tempted to try whatever it may be or had never
heard of it until someone took the time to share their experience.
But there’s no one golden way to write good books and
achieve success (however you may define it) in the writing world. Especially
today, with so many avenues for getting the books into the hands of readers.
Speaking of which, I had a new release this past week!
KIERCE, the latest novel in my Badari Warrior scifi romance series is out there
now and here’s the blurb:
Elianna McNamee, spaceship engineer, is far from her home in
the human Sectors, kidnapped along with all her shipmates to be used for
horrifying experiments conducted on a remote planet by alien scientists.
Her captors decide to toss her in a cell with a ferocious
predator, expecting him to kill her…but Kierce, the Badari warrior in question,
has too much honor to mistreat a human woman. The trouble is, he’s trapped in a
form drastically different from his own as a result of twisted genetic meddling
and hiding dark secrets to save other Badari lives.
Able to become a man again briefly with Elianna‘s help, he
and Elianna bond over their mutual hatred for the enemy but when rescuers
finally arrive, the pair are separated by well-meaning Badari authorities.
Kierce struggles to overcome flashbacks from the torture and
drugs the alien scientists inflicted on him. He and Elianna despair over
whether he’ll ever be able to regain his rightful place as a man and a soldier
in the pack, much less be ready to claim a mate.
Elianna accepts a risky but essential assignment far away
from where Kierce is being held, working with another man who’s more than
professionally interested in her. Her heart belongs to Kierce and she can’t
forget their two nights of shared passion but will that be enough to lead them
to a happy reunion?
