I’ve been doing loads of writing this week – just not the blogging kind. The BOOK kind. Manuscript is growing! We’re at 60% word count now. I know, right? It’s excellent. However, one of my main boy characters has a place-holder name (because I sort of just spewed a name out there), and I want to change it to something more interesting. I even had something in mind. But yesterday I read a book (mostly yesterday, some of it the day before) that had a guy named ______ (that name I was thinking) and I didn’t like the book, and I’d really hate for anyone to connect them. Strangely, the 2 main characters in that book had names of two of the major characters in a classic MG historical fiction that I love (okay, I’ll quit being so vague – the one I love is “Nory Ryan’s Song”) but I didn’t really make that connection until I was doing dishes this morning. So maybe nobody would connect – but he needs a different name anyway.
Isn’t it funny how hard I worry about naming my characters? Honestly? This is harder than naming my children was. Of course, they’re named Kid 1, Kid 2, Kid 3, and Kid 4, so how hard could that have been?
Back to the topic of the book I didn’t like: Am I just grumpy? Because this book was probably good. It certainly has a gorgeous and dramatic cover. It’s very sellable right now. But maybe what I need to say is this: If you’re writing paranormal romance, please give me something new. I don’t mean rewrite The Story with a new Fictionalized Monster Who’s Misunderstood Or Just Not So Bad – give me something really different. “But, Becca, Wait!” you say. “Nobody’s done Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Mermaids! This is Different!” Okay, I’ll say. It’s maybe different. But not if the girl, who lives in a strangely cold and weathery place, suddenly receives romantic attentions from Dangerous Guy, who turns out to have magic powers/be undead/want to eat her. And then he saves her from the Real Danger. I’m done with that plot. I am SO not talking about one series here. If you think I am and just trying to hide it, ask me for specifics. I can think of 4 books I’ve read very lately that follow this line. And I’m not pinging on anyone in particular, least of all Someone who May have made a great deal of money in recent years writing very popular teen paranormal romance. Because my take on that is, good for her. Or him. You know.
Is it completely unfair of me to ask this? Probably. Because I write romantic comedies. Characters generally follow the same lines in my books: There is a goal. Something/someone is in the way. There is laughing. A little kissing. Sometimes a bit of crying. And ice cream. (I think everyone in all of my books eats ice cream. This is why there are no Zombie Mermaids: it’s a refrigeration issue.) My books have happy endings. So maybe I’m formula, too. And maybe it’s crazy for me to expect new books to be vastly different than the ones that have been selling like mad. But hey, what can I say? Sometimes I’m a girl who demands the illogical.
(12) Comments for this blog
I’m formula too… In fact mula is one of the things I stand for most. It could be genetic.
However, I love me something good and orginial. I’ll even take something a little wacky, or a hard plot twist at the end of something wicked fomulaic. It suits me.
But don’t, under any circumstances, ever, spin me a yard in 3rd person omniscient voice that suddenly reveals a plot twist when said twist is centered on a character doing something wholly outside of what we know to be true values/ feelings/ emotions/ ideals. Or I may stop reading your books. Forever. (And I’m not talking about John Grisham… for strictly legal purposes.)
I’m formula too… In fact mula is one of the things I stand for most. It could be genetic.
However, I love me something good and orginial. I’ll even take something a little wacky, or a hard plot twist at the end of something wicked fomulaic. It suits me.
But don’t, under any circumstances, ever, spin me a yard in 3rd person omniscient voice that suddenly reveals a plot twist when said twist is centered on a character doing something wholly outside of what we know to be true values/ feelings/ emotions/ ideals. Or I may stop reading your books. Forever. (And I’m not talking about John Grisham… for strictly legal purposes.)
I love the refrigeration issue! LOL Yes, the formula gets a little old, but trends are where the money is. Did I tell you about the good buzz I heard about your books at the little social thing at Borders before Storytellers?
I love the refrigeration issue! LOL Yes, the formula gets a little old, but trends are where the money is. Did I tell you about the good buzz I heard about your books at the little social thing at Borders before Storytellers?
I heard that same buzz Kazzy heard. You’re awesome. And I’m an essayist, which is the literary term for “virtually unpublishable”. So I can’t fault you for finding a ‘formula’ that works! But I will admit you rank several steps higher in my estimation for not writing about zombie mermaids or time-traveling Nephites.
I heard that same buzz Kazzy heard. You’re awesome. And I’m an essayist, which is the literary term for “virtually unpublishable”. So I can’t fault you for finding a ‘formula’ that works! But I will admit you rank several steps higher in my estimation for not writing about zombie mermaids or time-traveling Nephites.
I’m attempting to write a non-formulaic adventure novel for youth and dang is it hard. How can I not have my main characters be trying to save the world? How can there not be a wee tiny spark of romance to keep girl readers interested? How can they not succeed in the end without readers being ticked off?
It’s a puzzlement, that’s for certain. What I found in your books is something I want to emulate in my own. Characters who are real to me. Humour and wit. A few surprises. Some dang good writing. Those are what take the old formulas and make them new again.
I’m attempting to write a non-formulaic adventure novel for youth and dang is it hard. How can I not have my main characters be trying to save the world? How can there not be a wee tiny spark of romance to keep girl readers interested? How can they not succeed in the end without readers being ticked off?
It’s a puzzlement, that’s for certain. What I found in your books is something I want to emulate in my own. Characters who are real to me. Humour and wit. A few surprises. Some dang good writing. Those are what take the old formulas and make them new again.
I just realized (a week ago)that my characters names start with A,B,C & D. I have a whole alphabet going for me. =)
ps I agree with the ice cream. They should all have it in there. =)
I just realized (a week ago)that my characters names start with A,B,C & D. I have a whole alphabet going for me. =)
ps I agree with the ice cream. They should all have it in there. =)
I was helping to spread that buzz!
Anyway, I don’t know why I can’t get into paranormal fiction, but with few exceptions, I can’t. I liked Wings, but that’s the only recent piece from that genre that I thought was okay. I sure wished I liked the paranormal YA thing because then I’d have a WHOLE lot more to read.
I was helping to spread that buzz!
Anyway, I don’t know why I can’t get into paranormal fiction, but with few exceptions, I can’t. I liked Wings, but that’s the only recent piece from that genre that I thought was okay. I sure wished I liked the paranormal YA thing because then I’d have a WHOLE lot more to read.