Jonathan Franzen:
“It’s doubtful that anyone with an internet connection at his workplace is writing good fiction.”
job
#MotivationMonday
The Feminist Romance
As an author of romance herself, Alisha Rai spoke in an interview about her experiences incorporating feminism into her writing. In her novels, her lead female is the one in power, such as being a billionaire with a huge company in the palm of her hands. Matter of fact, most of her female leads take on some form of dominant position (and no, I’m not talking about in the bedroom!) where she is “overpowering” her male counterpart. That’s the not the usual trope you see. From reading many of the romance novels on the market today, one would think that women like to be controlled and compliant. But, authors like Rai are telling us that’s not always the case and why it shouldn’t always be that way.
In a way, romance novels can be feminist works even without Rai’s juicy switch. Romance is a special genre already. But, we can revolutionize the genre even more by adding in more feminist elements to the stories and characters. This is important if we want to keep the genre evolving and relatable. It will also keep the genre ‘special,’ for more than one reason. One writer points out why romance is special, in 7 ways:
- Just like Rai’s protagonists, other authors choose to include strong female protagonists.
- Romance is a genre filled with female/women’s voices.
- Women’s needs are placed first. Inside the bedroom and out.
- The genre allows women to explore their fantasies.
- Regardless of how she is in real life, a romance novel allows a woman to take control of her sexuality.
- Romance allows topics that have been outcast as “taboo” to be explored in depth.
- And finally, it is a genre which allows many voices to get their foot in the door.
Seeing women that have it all may be refreshing and encouraging to read, but if none of that appeals to you, there will always be authors writing about the classic romance between two individuals- which we definitely don’t want to lose either.
Writing Revelation
Will Self:
“Always carry a note-book. And I mean always. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper you can lose an idea for ever.”
#MotivationMonday
Fighting With Your Writing
Getting into an argument with your SO is definitely not ideal. Which is why I’m here to tell you: it is OKAY to fight with your writing. Many famous published authors admit to fighting with their keyboard regularly. So, if you are sitting behind your computer staring at a blank Word document fear not… your writer’s block will pass.
John McPhee recently published a book titled, Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process, and spoke in an interview about his personal relationship with his own creative writing. If you think that just a few hours after from your writing will inspire the next “Great American Novel”, think again. McPhee commits to a “five-day walk.” He takes a step away from his writing and will leave it for days on end. Take the time to rethink your argument, plot line, character development- whatever it may be and take your five-day walk. You may think you don’t have that time to waste, but the refreshed outlook and new ideas will more than make up for lost time.
I discovered a blogger who wanted to remind her readers about accepting the unknown and the uninhibited. It’s one of the many duties of being a writer and trying to get published. She also said, “Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone was rejected 10 times before it was published, and Rowling suffered depression and anxiety. Stephen King was broke without a phone line when he wrote Carrie, thought the draft was terrible and only sent it in for publishing after his wife fished it out of the bin. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, the writers of a warm little page turner called Chicken Soup for the Soul, received 33 rejection letters before their manuscript was accepted.” This just serves as a little reminder that your relationship with your writing should still hold strong long after the manuscript is done. Without a little confidence and persistence, the manuscript may never see the light of day in the publishing industry.
And most importantly, don’t forget to learn from your mistakes. Rather than be angry at the wrong turns you have made, embrace them. YA author Alice Oseman serves as an example of learning from her writing. One of the biggest things she’s learned is diversity. Oseman said it best herself, “It’s important that all people are able to see themselves in literature.”
Bottom line is, don’t be afraid to scream and shout at your computer. When nothing else seems to be working- walk away, learn from the mistakes you made, and go forth with a stronger relationship with both your writing and yourself. These are the simple ground rules to a wonderful and successful union.
And of course, don’t forget to apologize to your computer.
Writing Revelation
Rose Tremain:
“In the planning stage of a book, don’t plan the ending. It has to be earned by all that will go before it.”
#MotivationMonday
Making It On The Big Screen
On this episode of “The Road to Publishing,” we’re going to talk about the important things to know when it comes down to handing your rights over to make your book into a movie, a TV show, or even a Broadway show.
For film and television deals, it’s important to know your agent. There are a lot of literary agents who are very experienced and connected in the Hollywood scene. Even if your agent doesn’t have a ton of these connections, as long as they have a working knowledge of the film industry and the contracts/agreements that go along with it, then you will be in good hands when a deal comes your way (fingers crossed!). If yours doesn’t seem to have many connections, or the appropriate knowledge, then seeking out a film agent might be your best bet. You can query film agents like you would literary agents, they typically want to know (and are looking for) the same things. You could also take a bold step and query right to a producer. This way will certainly get you a bigger buck for yourself, but unless you have your own connections, it’s also very likely that your query will never make it in front of their eyes.
No matter who your agent is, there are a few things you should keep in mind to make sure you are getting the best care possible. First, you should never sell your film or television rights to an inexperienced producer or script writer. Your book should land in the hands of someone who has made a film or television show before (or has been an actor/actress with the appropriate connections). The less experience the licensee has, the less likely your movie or television show will come to fruition.
Another point to consider is where the producer is coming from. Are they a producer coming from a studio in Hollywood? Or are they a small-time producer from a reputable indie production company? This is crucial to know because it can determine the fate of your work, as well as your involvement in the project. When a major studio is involved, although very exciting, your chances of being involved in the process often become minimal. It’s also just as likely that you will never see your book on the big screen. Hollywood has a lot of money to throw around in order to find their perfect next block-buster, so producers can go out and buy 300 ideas (including yours) and scrap it in a month or two because they narrowed it down to two or three projects they hope to move onto production. If the producer is coming from an independent place, scope out their other work and ask to be involved in the production process. That way you can get the product the way you envisioned and can also be involved in finding a studio for it.
It’s also important to consider what you are looking for negotiation wise. Negotiating your movie and television rights deals is just like any other. If you have already been involved in print, e-book, audio, or translation deals then you already have a pretty good feel for what’s ahead. You will come across all sorts of deals/offers out there. Some of those deals are going to have a lower price tag than normal, especially if you go with a less experienced producer or a smaller production company. You need to decide what your target revenue stream is and at what point it just doesn’t make sense to relinquish those rights, no matter how enticing the idea of a movie is. A stipend is also usually given to the author while production is underway. It’s important to make sure you are being compensated for your hard work the way you should be.
Second to last, utilize your confidence. Remember when you first queried literary agent about your novel and how much you believed in the book and in yourself? During the film/television submission process channel that same energy once again. Make sure not to come off as desperate. This will turn anyone away from even picking your query letter up again because if you don’t believe in yourself, why should they? An experienced producer or agent will be able to tell the difference right away, so be sure the look things over (perhaps with multiple people) before you reach out.
FINALLY: Be patient! These sorts of deals don’t happen overnight! Agents/producers need to be found, deals need to be negotiated, and you need a moment to breathe as well.
Writing Revelation
Zadie Smith: “Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you.”