My story collection Silly Little Monsters demonstrated the growing pains as I came into my own as a writer. And yet, “everyone wants to find a place to belong, to connect” served as a mission statement. Reaching out, trying to make connections. That’s what it’s always been about.
me, a few weeks ago (heck yeah I just quoted myself)
Last time I talked about reader and writer preferences regarding love scenes in adult books. Personally I can take them or leave them, though I do like that I can slip a Terry Pratchett novel in my work bag to read on breaks without fear of it falling into the wrong hands. One thing most of my favorite narratives have in common – be they film, books, or television – is that the characters feel like my friends. So while I root for them, I don’t need all the intimate details of their lives the way some demand. I imagine it’s more common with people who like to put themselves in the character’s shoes, which may have been the case for me in my youth, but not so much now that I feel less of an urge to live vicariously through others.
If wish fulfillment exists in my writing, it’s found less in characters’ romantic relationships, and more in their friendships. I enjoy writing about the bonds of new and existing friends. Friendship is even central to many romantic relationships. I guess I’m more interested in reading and writing about the deeper connections than the physical ones because I’ve found them more elusive. I enjoy writing about romance as well, but I like exploring the subtle moments often ignored in favor of other bigger moments.
I recently wrote two separate scenes in an upcoming novel, one that hints at why two characters failed to make a connection despite looking good on paper, and one that hints at the reason for a different matchups’ success. So often romance can be too intense and overwrought, and while soulmates and star-crossed lovers have their appeal – Ladyhawke remains one of my all time favorite movies (and friendship was still a pretty significant element in that) – I think there’s room for more nuance. Not everyone’s first love will be The One, and it’s not the end of the world every time a relationship ends. Exploring other possibilities can make narratives more dynamic and less predictable. I know I say this a lot, but even when I write urban fantasy, I still like to keep the human elements down to earth and relatable. Sometimes we want escape, but sometimes catharsis or feeling ‘seen’ is nice, too.
The other thing I say a lot is there’s an audience for everything. And it goes for people, too, not just books or television – even if some of us are more ‘niche’ than others.
My next novel has a much larger revolving cast of characters than I’ve ever had before, which provided an opportunity to explore all sorts of different relationships and complex social dynamics. I swear, it’s like herding cats. Especially as a pantser who lets the characters run the show. But I can’t wait for readers to meet them. I’m sure they’ll delight and frustrate you as much as they delight and frustrate me. In a good way.
Something strange I need to work on is how many of the characters I write are the only child in their families. Even the parents in some of the stories I’m writing for a future collection exploring adult fears have just the one child (so far). I suppose it wouldn’t be so strange if I was an only child, but I have an older sister from my mom’s first marriage, and my own immediate family includes a daughter from my husband’s first marriage, and twin sons.
Maybe my characters keep siblings a secret to protect them from a bloodthirsty author. Okay. Sometimes I like to entertain the silly notion I’m tapping into an alternate universe.
And maybe writer’s block is just me waiting for the characters to catch me up. I dunno. I do know writer’s block has not been a problem this summer. I made a point for setting aside the start of my days to write, and it’s proven weirdly effective for a self-proclaimed night owl like me (even though I still get the journaling bug at odd hours). I’m not saying I’ve cracked the code for everyone’s writing woes. I’m just saying these particular characters are LOUD.
