Thursday, June 14, 2012
I Want to Write Like...
I want to write like Sherry Thomas, because even when I disagree with a choice she makes she still makes my heart ache with her emotional dynamics. She has set up a relationship dynamic for a couple that’s coming out in her next book and when I even think about reading this book I get teary eyed!
I want to write like Sarah Mayberry because she makes me remember everything I used to love about category and why I wanted to write it. She can fill up 70 thousand plus words over just a relationship conflict with no other bells and whistles and that is amazing. Plus she’s contemporary and fresh.
I want to write like Meljean Brook. I keep going back and reading her short story set in the Iron Duke world, which ultimately makes me go back and start reading The Iron Duke again. I want to invent that world. I want that world to be mine.
I want to write like my fellow DWT writers because they know more about craft and construction and pacing than I ever will. I want Eileen’s vampire guy with the icy breath, and Molly’s, Eli in Can’t Hurry Love and Maureen’s Dome world and Sinead’s historical/monster/YA idea because it’s so freaking new and different.
I want all of that to be mine instead of what is mine.
Do you all ever get like this? Like every time you write a sentence you’re just like blahhhhh that’s not any good. I’ll never be good. I suck. Why do I think I can write when there are other better writers out there?
I’m in this weird phase where I’m waiting for my next Super release in October and wondering how it will be received. Some days I think I nailed it. Other days I think… I’m kidding myself. Because it’s not Sherry Thomas and it’s not Sarah Mayberry and it’s not Meljean Brook. (Of course it couldn’t be… no steam punk in the Superromance line.)
But that fear, which I don’t ever remember having before about a book, is impacting the one I’m writing now. I’m trying push myself harder and go deeper with it and all I can think of is blaaaahhhhh!!!
So that’s what my current WIP is going to be known as. The Blaahhhhh book. And maybe tomorrow I’ll get up and think I don’t suck.
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7 comments:
Ah Steph. I can so relate. I have that about every single freakin' book. I just did AA's for my October book (I have one out in September and another in October) and really got depressed. So I can relate. I need to check out those authors you mentioned.
My I want to write like:
Barbara Samuel - beautiful turn of phrase, lush writing style, wonderful deep character development.
Kristin Higgans - sense of humor, character development.
Kristin Hannah - all of the above.
I want to be as good with setting as John Lescroat, as layered with theme and meaning as Spring Warren, as witty as Catriona McPherson.
I want to plot as well as Harlan Coben I want to have as big an imagination as Anne McCaffrey.
Oh, I could go on. The weeks where the words never seem to measure up are really hard.
I want to write like - Jill Shalvis because she's funny.
I want to write like Molly O'Keefe because she can steam up the pages like she did in Tyler's story in the second O'Neill's trilogy.
I want to be like Stephanie Doyle and have a book pubbed by SuperRomance!
I think it's natural to want to be someone else - but think of this - someone wants to be you too (see above).
MarcieR
Great post, Steph, and sort of sums up some of what I've been feeling the past couple of days and part of the reason I didn't post yesterday... Couldn't think of a positive spin on... anything. :) (Better now)
Right now I'm reading Blood Red Road and I want to commit to character like Moira Young. I want to trust my reader to not need explanations like she does.
You're right Marcie! It's all relative.
Haven't heard of Blood Red Road... but I'm digging the title.
Stephanie, am reading Blood Red Road as well and there is so much trust in the reader in that book, not just by the author, but her publishers as well, it's really great..
great post - steph. I agree on all of them. Sarah Mayberry is doing some smart smart things.
Steph, I wish I had your clear eye for heroines. You make and keep them so strong and modern, even when they're being dragged around by their hearts. It's like this awesome through line in all your books - they're real, and tough like women want to be...
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