Sunday, October 17, 2010

Confusion! What to write!


What do you write? Is it contemporary, thriller, suspense, historical, paranormal, YA and now steampunk, or all of these in one genre. Is it the trends you write, hoping to hit just the right story, at just the right time? Or do you just follow your heart and hope for the best.

I've tried them all for all the above reasons.

By the time a trend hits the shelves, it's headed towards it's expiration date. Agents have mail boxes stuffed full of queries and stories on the hottest genre. They go to conferences screaming, "Don't send anymore." Whatever the hot genre is, agents usually are bombarded by it. Although I've heard that for years about Vampires. They still seem to be a hot commodity. But yet at my last conference, the agents screeched about over stuffed e-mails boxes. At times it's all sooooo very confusing.

So what is a writer to do? Follow ones heart? Or follow the trends, and write yet another teen vamp story?

I've found personally the best stories I write, are directly attached to my passion. I've written the story of my heart, at least twenty times. No matter what I do with my writing or try to do with a manuscript, I always return to my passion for historical writing. I love the research, and making those new discoveries. I love taking historical events and famous individuals, and introducing them to my characters, which is like introducing them to me. I give my hero and heroine the feeling I'd get from meeting a King or discovering I was in the presence of a someone I admire.

After a long dry spell, moving around in the modern world of the contemporary genre, I've gone back to my passion, and will once more write another book of my heart.

What I've found when writing within that passion, every word, every page, and the manuscript as a whole suddenly becomes that book of the heart.

I'll leave behind what is the trend, and just hope for the best. After all the trends do turn around, and come back to what wasn't and is new again. If the historical genre is out right now, it will make that big U turn that happens in all genres and come back into vogue, eventually.

Write from the passion that drives you, and it will become the book of your heart. I know there is an agent out there who will recognize the emotion that drives a story, more then the trend.


What do you write? Is it from the heart or following the trends?








11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lee,
I agree with you, writing from the eart makes the most sense. Writing things that we are passionate about I think will always resonate with the readers more, and by definition, editors and agents.

Having said that, I think a lot of us write in different genres, and I don't think we have to stick to just one. There is something delicious about all of them. One of the good things about being unpublished is we get to try everything. That's how we build our craft, IMHO.

Afterall, love comes in all sizes and shapes, religions, ethnic groups, families, including the earthly and divine, and in all times in history.

Sharon Hamilton

Paisley Kirkpatrick said...

All my stories come from my heart. I wouldn't know how to do it any other way. My genre is not popular right now, but it will turn around as you say. I tried to stop writing because I didn't think I was going anywhere, but I was unhappy and needed to get back to my heroes and heroines. Smiling again and the passion is running full strength. I love to write, always have.

Jill James said...

I lucked out with the jump in paranormal when I really started a bunch of stories at one time. I'm a sci-fi and movie geek and I love the paranormal. That said, sometimes an idea will come to you and it has to be a certain sub-genre. I think you have to believe every story is the book of your heart in order to write a great book. And agents, editors, and readers will feel that. So, stay true to your heart.

Mona Risk said...

Write from your heart Lee. These stories are the best. Believe it or not, I can tell when a story is not written from the heart. It shows because it lacks the emotion that we put only when we feel passionate about a subject. All my stories were written from the heart.

Dawn Marie Hamilron said...

I write what I like to read. The characters speak to me and that is what ends up on the page. :) Nice post, Lee.

Lee Lopez said...

I can see that most do write from the heart. I too, have considered throwing in the towel on writing. I felt I wasn't going anywhere, until I returned to my passion. We'll see what happens from there.

Sheila Tenold said...

Lee, I rarely read paranormals. I do love the west, where I live, and the rural life there. That puts me with the contemporary single title genre, not an easy sell. I will keep writing from the heart because there is no joy in doing this any other way.

Lee Lopez said...

Good for you Sheila. Keep writing what is from the heart,and follow your passion.

Unknown said...

What an awesome post, Lee! I have to say, I write from the heart - no pub intended, and don't follow the trends. For me, I have to love the subject if I want to write something that seems worthy. Historical is another topic I couldn't write, but I do enjoy reading it. Not so much with Vampires.

I wouldn't even know where to begin to write about Vampires, so I'll let those who know and love the subject have the glory.

Thanks for sharing. :-)

Margaret Duarte said...

I most definitely agree. Write from the heart. Your historicals blow me away, Lee. I've read many of them over the years we've been critique partners. Trend or not, I believe your books will find a market because they are well-written and well researched. After reading your work, I feel I've not only read an awesome story but have learned something as well.

Lee Lopez said...

Thanks everyone, and especially to you Margaret!! I love my historicals, and the process of finding the ear, the incident, the everything about writing them. They are of my heart.
I think the majority does follow their heart and not worrying about the trends or what will sell. If its good eventually it will.