Write what you want to write

This week's post is inspired by this quote I came across on Tumblr. Charlaine Harris is the author of the Sookie Stackhouse series.

“Maybe the best advice I can give is … don’t be afraid to write what you want to write. Don’t decide to write a serial killer book because they’re selling, or steer clear of a subject some readers might find objectionable. Once you’ve decided on the book you want to write, work intensely until it’s the best book it can be. Don’t be afraid to listen to criticism, but pick your critics carefully.” -Charlaine Harris

A lot of writers, new writers especially, make the mistake of writing to fads. You read something super popular, like, I don't know, Twilight, and you think, "Hey, I could write a better vampire story." And so you get to work on your novel and... after working on it for a while it's likely that one of these two things will happen:

A) You find that, after all your hard work, vampires are not in anymore. Now it's angels and -- oh wait -- now zombies. It's true that fads come in waves -- you think you've got a good shot with your vamp romance because the bookstores are full of them. The thing is, the publishing industry moves slowly. What this means for you is that by the time vampire novels hit the shelves, publishing houses are sick of them and are looking for the next big thing. 

So, should you look out for the next big thing and jump on that train? No. Not necessarily. Because:

B) Writing a novel is a commitment. You need to be invested in your project; you need to care about it more than anyone else ever can. Chances are, if you choose the topic of your novel just because it's popular, you won't feel as strongly about it as you should. Nothing is worse for the fate of your novel than you, the writer, losing interest. If you don't believe in it, who will? 

Write about something you care about. Write that story that won't let you go -- even if you're not sure why. It might be far from the latest Jack the Ripper trend. You might feel like no one would ever want to read about this topic. And you might be right... or you might be onto something exciting. My point is, if you care deeply enough about your topic to see it all the way through to the end, your novel will have a much better chance than if you choose a popular topic that you only sort of care about. 

That said, if the story that keeps waking you up at night, waiting to be written, happens to fit a current trend, go ahead and write it. If you think you have a fresh spin on a topic, go for it. The most important thing is your own level of passion for the book you are writing. Don't be afraid to write about controversial topics. My current WIP (work in progress) deals with some sensitive subjects, but I have enough faith in the story not to be bothered by potential controversy. Be true to yourself. Don't worry about the trends. Write what you want to write.

Happy Turkey Week!

This year I'm making Thanksgiving last all week.

Last night was the first of three Thanksgiving celebrations. This one was with a group of close friends, including my man and my sister. My sister and I cooked all day. It was glorious.

I contributed several things, including:

• This peanut butter pie from the Pioneer Woman. Good gravy, it was amazing.

• These adorable chocolatey pretzely thingies.

Melt Hershey's kisses on mini pretzels (3 minutes at 275 degrees). Then press an M&M on top while they're still hot. Put them in the fridge until they're nice and solid. (from foodgawker.com)

• And fresh baked dinner rolls. Here's a helpful hint: you can find frozen dinner rolls at the grocery store. All you have to do is bake them right before the meal and you've got fresh rolls! Just remember to give yourself an extra hour (or three) to thaw them -- I almost forgot about that part. That would've been bad. Yum, carbs!

Next on my Turkey week agenda: dinner, games, and ruckus with my three best friends, the most hilarious ladies you'll ever meet. Then the third and final Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house. SO MUCH FOOD. SO LITTLE REGRET.

What are your Thanksgiving plans? What's your favorite thing to cook/force someone else cook for you?

Schedule Success

If you want to write – or do anything else, really – take control. The idea of writing a novel can be extremely intimidating, but you have the power to do whatever you set your mind to.

More specifically, you have the power to control your schedule.

Now, now. I can hear you protesting that you can’t control school, that you have band practice, tennis, a job, you have to help your mom cook for your seven siblings. I get it. We all have things to do. We’re all busy.

But what about those hours you spend on Tumblr every night? Or the time you spend catching up on Vampire Diaries? The twenty minutes you spent just the other night, lying on your bedroom floor imagining what life would be like if you lived in Paris? Yeah. That’s what I thought.

If you want to accomplish anything, if you want to write that novel or create the perfect bacon-donut, you have to commit. Understand that you’re doing it for yourself, you’re doing it because you really want this. Make it part of your day. Schedule the time.

Because you are busy, go easy on yourself. Set aside an hour to work on your project every day. Every other day, even. Two hours if you can swing it. It’s not a race. The point here is that if you do a little work every day, it will add up. It might not feel like much on a daily basis, but you will be making steady progress toward your goal.

Find what works for you. You might find you work best early in the morning or late at night. You might prefer to set a time limit (90 minutes a day) or a page limit (one page a day). There are so many other things that come down to personal taste – location, music or silence, fuzzy socks or monkey slippers – but the universal rule on the road to success is to schedule it.

Get into a routine. Do it for you. The first step to achieving your goal is to start.

Good luck! Let me know in the comments how you schedule time to work toward your goal.

Books Read in October

I'll be doing a post like this every month where I list the books I've read and whether or not I recommend them. Click the title to find the book on Amazon; click the author's name for their website or blog.

1. THE OPPOSITE OF INVISIBLE by Liz Gallagher

Recommended: Yes.
This is a fun, quick read for fans of contemporary YA. I met Liz at the PNWA 2012 conference. I was psyched to find out that she writes realistic YA set in Seattle, like me! She's super sweet and I loved her book. Wished it was longer though -- I finished it in three hours!

2. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor

Recommended: Yes.

I'm not a big fantasy reader, but Laini Taylor's elegant, engaging prose sucked me in right away. The main character kicks ass and has peacock-blue hair. Need I say more?

3. A LITTLE WANTING SONG by Cath Crowley

Recommended: Yes.

I adored Cath Crowley's GRAFFITI MOON so I knew I would like this one. They're both realistic YA stories set in Australia. I recommend both of those -- Graffiti Moon is pure fun and romance, while this one is more bittersweet (but it still has romance!) 

4. AN UNCOMMON EDUCATION by Elizabeth Percer

Recommended: Unsure. I'm halfway through it now. I liked the first part, but now I'm losing interest. We'll see!