I have an MFA in creative writing which means that I really believe that I am an awesome writer. Like I really like my writing. I think. I mull. I crack myself up all the time.
Having an MFA means that I was trained in literary fiction. Genre fiction was always something that was beneath my hearty crew of classmates and critics. So what if genre writing sells? So what if genre writing makes best seller lists? So what if people love genre stories? Ha! We would say...I don't care if I never sell a book! As long as I am true to my craft!
Then I spent 10 years trying to figure out what the heck was my craft. There's lots of cool stories in my head, but nothing ever felt authentic to me. Then one day someone said why don't you write a romance novel. I thought, I could write a romance novel. Hell, I have an MFA, I'll write the best romance novel.
It turned out that romance readers are some of the smartest readers out there. They want what they want and they know what they want. They will tell you what they want and if you can't get it right, you don't get to sit at the table. With literary fiction, you can make an argument for a wide range of choices, but with genre writing, in particular romance writing, you have an obligation to the audience to get it right. Otherwise, what's the point?
I hope I've found a balance between the things in my head that scream to keep my speech tags tight and the expectation to elaborate and let the characters express their emotions.
I'd love it if you join me on this journey. And if you enjoy my writing even half as much as I do, I call it a win!
I can't wait to start reading Taken by His Sword....I have preordered it and will be back to let you know if if exceeds my expectations!