Read two things this morning that made me think about the nature of writers. One is Jennifer Crusie’s discussion of the book tour and why it’s hard for writers. The other is a question posed by Dee Tenorio about writing a book that’s not in your nature.
The issue facing most authors when they have to deal with promotion and publicity isn’t minor because by and large writers are introverts. That doesn’t mean ‘can’t speak in public’ or ‘incapable of talking to or charming strangers’. The fundamental difference between an introvert and an extrovert is where you get your energy. Extroverts get energized by being around people and drained by being alone. Introverts get energized by being alone and drained by being around people. You can do things that aren’t in your nature, but to a point. And then nature has to be accommodated. The introvert can go out and be charming and mingle with crowds, and then needs time alone to recharge.
Dee’s question is about the nature of a writer’s voice. Each of us tells a certain kind of story. There might be pretty wide range within that story type, but outside of it lies the kind of story that author cannot tell convincingly. Sometimes publishers ask the author to do this. “Write a paranormal, they’re selling really well right now.” Only problem is, that author doesn’t believe in that kind of story, can’t write it convincingly and can’t produce anything more than a competently written but lifeless manuscript. Sometimes they get published. This is what happens when a certain type of story floods the market and everybody is hot to buy them.
When that happens, we see the boom and bust cycle. Paranormals are hot so everybody rushes to market with them, but a percentage of them are not written by authors who have the paranormal writing voice capability. Readers are not dumb. They notice that these stories are not up to par. And if they run into enough of them, they stop buying paranormals. They might also in the process stop buying the author or authors who disapointed them. (By the way, I’m just using paranormal as an example. I could just as easily say chick lit or erotic or inspirational.)
Aside from the business impact (publishers don’t like it when readers stop buying an author’s books and readers may be very slow to forgive or offer a second chance), there’s an artistic price. I’ve seen authors writing what their publishers wanted them to write when it was not within their capabilities or voice. It’s not pretty. Some of them quit altogether. (Yes, they could switch publishers or get a new pen name, but it is possible to get so ground down in this business that you’d rather quit and go plant beans instead.)
Publishers and agents aren’t dictators. There is no reason to get so miserable writing that you’d rather quit than just say “No, sorry, can’t do that. How about this or this or this instead?” We’re not children, they aren’t angry parents, there is room to negotiate. Always. This is business and for any transaction to take place both parties can be expected to negotiate a bit before coming to agreement. Publishers want books that will sell. Readers want books that live up to their promise. Authors want to write where their voice lies (and that can cover an awful lot of ground; plenty of room to grow and change and stretch oneself within that). So go for the deal where everybody wins.
If I can’t write a certain kind of story convincingly, I won’t do it. This isn’t to say I won’t try something that’s out of my reach and fall flat on my face. But it will be because I was trying to grow, not trying to be something I’m not. And if I’m ever on tour I’ll need time to recharge my batteries, because I’m also not an extrovert. Bottom line; much better to know your nature and work with it than fight against it.
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