One of my writers’ groups had a recent discussion about how easy it is to make a novel too complicated. This is a challenge I encounter a lot.
I love worldbuilding and complex ideas. When I attended Julie Cohen’s writing retreat in France, she called me out for it: “Keep it simple, stupid!” I need to be able to describe what I’m writing in a straightforward way. Once I’ve gotten to the essence of it, I can complexify from there!
I’m doing NaNoWriMo again this year, and I’m starting something new. My first idea was one I’ve dreamed about since the pandemic, set in a beautiful, complicated world. I’ve tried to begin it a few times, but I haven’t been able to make a plot work with these characters and setting.
I hope to write that story someday. It might be one of those ideas that isn’t quite ready yet, one that I will someday gain the skills to bring to life.
But I had a second idea while brainstorming. This one’s simpler and more straightforward. I know how to describe it and make it sound interesting to listeners. I know how to structure it.
That’s the one I’m writing.
Do you tend to overcomplicate your writing, too? What do you do to keep things clear?
Here are a few principles that have helped me take my narratives back to basics.
Know what the point of your story is.
Be able to describe it in a sentence.
Know what the stakes are – and feel emotionally invested, not confused.
Pitch your story to others. See if it a) makes sense to them and b) sounds interesting.
Make sure you want to write this story. A novel is a commitment!
If you write both long and short fiction, you’ve probably experienced differences between these two lengths of storytelling. As I’ve worked on two books, each focused on fiction of a different length, I’ve been thinking about the contracts between these forms and how to choose the best length for a given project.
I had a short story collection, Dream Signs, published by Lost Fox Publishing in December. I also have a novel, Chasing Harmony, forthcoming this summer. The publisher, Read Furiously, is lovely to work with and has recently shared my author bio on their website.
Both long and short fiction are ways to tell a story. The scope and focus of the story can (some would say must) change depending on the length. And let’s not forget about intermediate length forms like novellas, which have elements of both. I’ve enjoyed writing in these forms, and my novella “The Cliffman” is published in both Hard for Hope to Flourish and Dream Signs.
If you have a story you want to tell, here are some things to consider when deciding if it would work best as a shorter or longer piece.
How big is the story?
The more complex the tale you want to write, the more easily it will lend itself to a longer form. If you have a sprawling world or several points of view in mind, for instance, a novel might be a better storytelling vehicle than a short story.
What pace works best for your story?
Sometimes I have a brief idea or concept that I want to explore and not much of a plot. Sometimes the plot I have in mind is a simple one that can play out over a few pages. In these cases, I keep the writing process brief with a short story. When I want room to sprawl out and develop a longer story, I start a novel, a form where I can describe minutiae and include digressions without wasting page space. The idea and characters have to be compelling enough for me to spend lots of time with them, but when they are, I want to spend that time with them.
Is this a new idea you want to test out?
Sometimes a short story is a good testing ground for an idea that you might want to experiment with but aren’t sure you want to invest in. You can try out new characters, settings, and concepts in short form to see if they work and get a sense of who or what they are.
Which length do you prefer?
If you’re pressed for time right now, maybe you’d rather work on a short story. But if you read mostly novels and love crafting cliffhangers, for instance, maybe you’d rather write a novel. Some writers find one length suits them much better than another. Others enjoy the challenge of both.
There are many questions you can ask yourself when deciding whether to write a short story or a novel. (Of course, you could write both, but you probably want to get started with one project.) The ones above are what I tend to think about. What about you? Do you have a length preference when writing fiction?
How are you all doing? Here in London, we’re well into lockdown #3. Remember lockdown hobbies, and the optimism with which some people took up making homemade sourdough bread and learning new languages? If you’re like me, enthusiasm for indoor activities has waned a bit by now.
Writing is one of the things keeping me going as I work from home, socialize (as much as it’s possible to do so) from home, and veg out… all in the same general vicinity. As much as it can be a source of vitality and energy, though, it can also be hard to do consistently during this time. And people wanting to try writing for the first time while their lives have moved indoors face the additional challenge of getting started.
Here are a few things that have energized my writing at one point or another during the quarantimes.
Write socially
When working on my first book, I went to Shut Up and Write sessions where a group of writers gathered, chatted briefly, and then got down to the process of quietly writing. Sessions were timed, and with other people doing the same thing around me, I got a lot of work done. I’ve benefited from finding similar group writing sessions over Zoom where friendly people encouraged each other, shared resources and updates, and provided accountability.
Try something new
Last year (during lockdown 2), I did NaNoWriMo for the first time. I tried writing something in a new genre (romance) and format (novella). During lockdown 1, I read about short nonfiction writing, tried pitching a big publication, and ended up writing something for the Huffington Post. Setting challenges for myself and trying new things kept the writing process fresh and interesting.
Find a critique partner
Having someone else to exchange writing with keeps your manuscript from languishing forever unseen in your files. I found a fiction critique partner through social media and have been swapping work with her ever since. Having someone intelligent and responsive to exchange feedback with has been helpful and encouraging, and means I’m writing more.
Take advantage of your personal schedule
If you’re working from home now, like me, you might have gained time back from your daily commute. Try scheduling writing in that now-freed calendar space. Another way of taking advantage of your schedule is knowing your body’s clock. I’ve been reading about chronotypes, or the variations in people’s biological clocks, and recognizing why I’ve never been one of those people who got up and wrote early in the morning. I don’t have to be! We all have different times when we’re at our creative and productive peaks, and maybe learning about yours will help you get more writing done, too.
Write about what you’re experiencing
During the pandemic, I’ve helped process the stress of a radically changing life and environment by journaling (i.e. inelegantly venting about everything) and writing poems about the virus, Zoom calls, and shifting restrictions. It’s been a wonderful outlet.
…Or not
Sometimes I just want to escape the 2020s. I’ve found solace in writing fiction set in a pre-COVID world and in other, imagined worlds. Do you wish you were somewhere else? Writing can take you there!
Have you been putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard in lockdown? What keeps you writing?
According to coach and author Alexis Rockley, the lack of focus and creative blocks that many of us are experiencing during the coronavirus pandemic stem from the uncertainty arising from this situation. We don’t know what’s going to happen next, and our brains are overwhelmed. In this and other stressful situations, it can be hard for those of us who want to write to get any writing done.
Every writer has struggled with this at points – writer’s block, stress, and other manifestations of a mind that isn’t in any shape to create. It’s one thing if writing is our day job, and we have the external motivation of a deadline with a paycheck waiting at the end (and even then, getting the words out can sometimes be a challenge). It’s quite another when the only person counting on us to get something written is ourselves.
When your brain just won’t write, what can you do? Sometimes it’s best to recognize and care for our needs and come back to work another time rather than tiring ourselves out in the here and now. There are lots of things that can help recharge your batteries, get inspiration flowing, and move your writing career forward when your brain is stalling and the words just won’t come. Here are a few of them.
Self-Care
Rest: If you’re overwhelmed or tired, maybe you need more sleep or downtime. Listen to your body and offer yourself the rest you need.
Exercise: Like rest, we need movement in order to function. Again, listening to your body is helpful here. If you’re feeling twitchy in that office chair, maybe you need to get up and go for a jog.
Check your physical comfort: Are you hungry? Thirsty? Cold or hot? Is your furniture hurting your back? Sometimes a comfortable environment makes all the difference.
Do your to-do’s: Some writers procrastinate by doing busywork, but the opposite can also happen. If you have pressing items on your to-do list that you’re putting off, they may be hogging brain real estate that could otherwise be devoted to creativity. Look at those worrisome tasks you’re putting off and get them done.
Idea Generation
Read (or engage with other arts): Reading keeps writers engaged with words and stories, and can be a wellspring of ideas. So can taking in other forms of art, whether that’s looking at paintings or binging Netflix shows. Feel free to re-engage with old favorites too.
Research: Like your to-do list, this is some writers’ favored procrastination tool, but it’s also productive. Read and learn about topics that interest you or that are related to your writing project, or try something new and out of your comfort zone. You never know what will spark an idea.
World build: Act like a kid and make things up! Draw an imaginary map. Invent a lollipop land. Dream up a new animal. If you already have a created world as part of your writing, play around with adding things onto it.
Learn your craft: Take a writing class, attend an event, or listen to a podcast. Try something that will teach you new elements or angles on writing and expand your horizons.
The Business of Writing
Pitch or submit: When the words aren’t coming, that can be a good time to submit and query the pieces you’ve already finished. You can try pitching ideas for new pieces as well, or pitching rejected ideas to other publications.
Edit: Try rereading your drafts with an editorial eye. See what would benefit from being rewritten. Reading your work aloud can be helpful here, as can exchanging critiques with writer friends.
Build your social media or web presence: It helps to have a presence and network online. Reach out, make connections, and put yourself (and your work) out there. Find people who will want to read your work once you get back to writing it.
Build relationships: As with the above, it’s useful to connect with others in the writing world. Try attending events (virtual ones count, of course), joining a writers’ group, or going to a conference. Keep in touch with the people you meet and like.
If you just can’t write right now, truly, it’s OK. A writer is someone who writes – but you don’t have to write all the time in order to qualify for the title. There are lots of things you can do that will contribute to your writing when the words won’t come. I promise that blank page will still be there, ready for you to get started.
For two years, I’ve wanted to go to London Book Fair. This year I was finally going to get there, accompanying colleagues to look after ICE Publishing’s stand, network, and learn. Then, as you can probably guess, the fair was cancelled due to the coronavirus. The sound reason did not dim my disappointment. Despite the cancellation, though, I got one good thing out of the London Book Fair: acquaintance with the Bestseller Experiment.
When reading through the list of Insights Seminars planned for the fair, I saw that there was a live episode planned for the Bestseller Experiment podcast. The name intrigued me. A bestseller is a big promise. What could a “bestseller experiment” be and how did it work? I looked the podcast up and discovered it was created by two British men, both named Mark, who sought to write, edit, publish, and market a bestselling book in a year. What an awesomely audacious goal! I began listening, and soon I was hooked.
The pair of podcasters make appealing foils for each other. Mark Stay is a seasoned writer, with a novel and movie to his name, and a veteran employee of the traditional publishing industry. With the benefits and cynicism of experience, he acts as the podcast’s pessimist, skeptical of the likelihood of success but game to go forward. Mark Desvaux, a Canada-based life coach who’d started books prior to the podcast but hadn’t finished them, is the pair’s optimist, bringing enthusiastic belief in their success and a sense of spirituality to offset his co-host’s national outlook. It’s fun to listen to the two Marks bouncing off each other. What really makes the podcast shine, though, is the caliber of its interviews.
From the get-go, Mark and Mark interview industry professionals and bestselling authors of both traditional and indie titles. They set out to find the “secret sauce” that makes a book or an author into a bestseller, speaking to the likes of Bryan Cranston, Joanne Harris, Joe Abercrombie, Michelle Paver, Shannon Mayer, and professionals from NaNoWriMo, Kindle Direct Publishing, authors, agents, editors, and more. All the interviewees speak lucidly and eloquently about their craft and share a wealth of knowledge about the industry. Their writing journeys differ, from those who have worked in obscurity for years before having a sales or publishing “breakthrough” to early success stories, from those who hate revision to those who love it, but all share a belief in writing success because they have all experienced it. Every episode I’ve listened to so far has been worth the time, and all have left me with a feeling of hope.
What bestselling secrets has the podcast shared? So far, the interviewed authors share a belief in taking yourself seriously as a writer (most of them write every day and set themselves word counts), having deadlines (I share their experience of writing faster when somebody gives me a due date), and writing about topics that matter to you. Again and again, the authors reiterate that you can’t write a bestseller cynically, and that good books come out of love of the subject you’re writing about. Many of them recommend go-to books on the craft of writing, and some share marketing tips. Editors and agents encourage writers not to worry about trends and to write what they’re interested in. The need for self-care when writing is also explored.
The Marks also share the stages of their journey in writing a book. In one of my favorite episodes, Ben Aaronovitch tells them off for writing a 50,000-word “outline”! I also enjoyed listening to the Marks discuss an editor’s critique of their manuscript. Since they wrote about a female protagonist, the editor suggested using a female pseudonym, and I’m pleased to note that they succeeded without one (though Mark Desvaux used the shorter pen name ‘Mark Oliver’). It’s no spoiler to note that the Marks indeed wrote and self-published a Kindle bestselling novel in a year. Back to Reality is a fast-paced story about time-travel, body swapping and the lives one could have lived. Its success doesn’t surprise me given the excellence of the Marks’ podcasting platform, but it does make me smile. They did it! And the podcast is still going and growing, with many of their listeners publishing books including more bestsellers. If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a bestseller, you might enjoy listening to it, too. Thank you, London Book Fair!
So, you’ve finished the first draft you were writing.
Congratulations! It takes a lot of effort and discipline to get this far. Take
time to acknowledge the work you put in, celebrate its completion, and take a
break in order to give yourself some distance from the work.
Maybe you’ve done this. Maybe that break has taken a
little too long now, and you’re reluctant to get back to work on your
project. Maybe you’re scared to begin editing it, or you aren’t sure how to
start.
That was me not long ago after I’d finished the first draft of a manuscript. Even though I edit and write as my job, I got stuck this time around and wasn’t quite sure what to do next. It took time to get moving, but this is what I did, and these are some of the things that worked for me. Maybe they’ll work for you, too.
Get feedback: If this is your first book, or if it’s a different type of project from the ones you’ve written before (like this manuscript was for me), feedback from an objective outside source can be especially helpful to give you a sense of your book’s pros and cons. I recommend reaching out to people with expertise in the area you’ve written about and asking them to review your manuscript. Both written and oral feedback can be helpful, as is getting multiple opinions—one person will catch issues that another person misses. It can also be useful to find a reader or readers who aren’t as familiar with your subject. These people can point out areas that are confusing, where your writing will benefit from further clarification.
Get focused: What’s your book about? Do you know your project’s topic and key messages, or have these changed while you were writing? Feedback can help you see what others perceive your book’s focus to be. Another way to get a sense of this is to reread your book and write a summary or blurb about it, highlighting the main points of what you read. If the book you’ve finished is different from the book you set out to start, your revisions will need to either build on the new focus or build a bridge back to the old one. If you’re writing on contract, your book might need some revisions to make sure that it still follows the focus you were asked to write about. Either way, there are ways to make a change of focus into an advantage.
Take out unnecessary things: As you were reviewing your book’s focus, you or others may have found that parts of it distract from the main idea. If something seems off-topic and doesn’t add to the point you’re making, it may not belong there. Make sure you save your draft, and once you’ve done that, don’t be afraid to cut the unnecessary bits. These might be chapters, topics, or sentences.
Boredom-proof your book: Are your readers bored at any point? When you reread your manuscript, are there places where you’re bored? Your intended audience is interested in your topic, but that doesn’t mean that you will automatically have their attention. A book still needs to be engaging and relevant. A boring section might be overly dry; if that’s the case, liven up the language and try adding examples. It might mean that an explanation is too long—if so, condense it. It might be confusing—if so, work on clarity. Ask yourself why this section reads as boring—and rewrite it until you’re interested in reading it again.
Add more when needed: Just as rereading and getting feedback can show you where you need to cut things, it can also show you places where you need to expand. Identify these places and then identify what they’re missing. Do they need more explanation or more examples? Do some of your ideas need to be connected more closely? Do you need to do more research? Once you know what you’re missing, work on adding it in.
Check spelling, grammar, and flow: Once you’re happy with the changes you’ve made to the content, take a look at the technical aspects of your manuscript. Use a spelling and grammar checker, along with your own eyes, to ferret out typos. Work on smoothing out your sentences. If you have an editor, they will help a lot with this too, but they’ll also be thankful if you take the time to reread your manuscript and edit out the errors and clunky bits you spot!
Vary your writing routine: Sometimes a boring routine is a factor that gets in the way of writing. If that’s the case for you—if you’re dreading sitting at that same old desk where you wrote your first draft, for example—try something new. Put on music that creates an enjoyable space for writing, whether it’s energizing or calming. Write in a different place, whether that’s a café, a quiet retreat, or a room full of other writers working simultaneously. Write at a different time from the usual. Try printing out your pages, rereading them, and editing them longhand. Sometimes changing the way you write is all you need to get into that editing headspace to make your writing the best it can be!
Revising your book can be an anxiety-inducing prospect, but it doesn’t have to be. The tips above will help you complete a book that brings your ideas clearly into the world and puts your best foot forward.
“Write what you know.” It’s one of the oldest truisms of creative writing. Life experience offers a wealth of material and ideas. Once you’ve experienced an aspect of life for yourself, it’s easier to depict it accurately, because you know what you’re talking about. However, there are heaps of books out there about aliens and magic powers, none of which has been proven to exist in our reality. There are fantastic stories about improbable events which the writers have never experienced, and touching nonfiction written on subjects in which the authors are not experts. Good writing isn’t inevitably drawn from direct experience. Here are some tips on writing what you don’t know.
Research: If you want to write about something you aren’t familiar with, research is a good starting point. Read authoritative books on topics related to your subject. Watch movies or TV related to it, or listen to podcasts and radio on the topic. Some writers seek out museums or travel to relevant locations. If you’re writing about something that others have experienced but you haven’t, seek out first-person accounts. Decide on some initial questions you want to know the answers to, and begin researching them online. One link will lead to another, and you may find yourself diving down a rabbit hole of relevant and interesting information. Sometimes posting in online forums or on social media will yield great results as well.
Talk to people who know what you don’t: Go one step beyond research by talking directly to the source. If, say, you want to learn about Italian cooking, you might learn a lot from talking to an Italian chef. Informational interviews are a great way to learn more. Remember to thank the people you interview for making their time and expertise available. One way to do this is by treating them to coffee or a meal during the interview. You can also seek out specialized beta readers or sensitivity readers who come from the knowledge area or background that you are writing about and can advise on authenticity in your manuscript. In some cases, you may already know people who are knowledgeable about your subject. You may be surprised what you can learn from your friends, and from their friends!
Try something new: Say you’re looking for writing inspiration and your own experience isn’t yielding it. As Neil Gaiman says in his storytelling MasterClass, sometimes the answer is gaining more life experience. Try something that interests you which you haven’t done before. Go somewhere you haven’t gone. Talk to new people. Julia Cameron calls this “filling the well” of your creativity. Trying new things is a wonderful source of ideas!
Get inspired by media: Reading a book or watching a show can give you great ideas for writing that don’t necessarily come from direct experience. What would it be like if you got the chance to visit that magical land? What would happen if that vampire got together with the policeman tracking him down? Wouldn’t it be cool if…? Fanfiction comes from these inspirations, but a lot of original media has come from them as well. Use your imagination to build on the springboard of inspiration from creative work that has come before.
Take “write what you know” metaphorically: Maybe you’re a nurse who’s looking to write about something unrelated to nursing. As you write, you might find that other aspects of your experience are still relevant. The emotions of treating patients might enrich your characters’ experience, or the fast pace of your job might help you write a convincing suspense plot. Don’t just draw from your experience by looking at what you’ve done. Draw on what you’ve thought and what you’ve felt. Extrapolate by imagining yourself in your characters’ shoes.
“Write what you know” may be stellar advice in some cases, but by looking beyond its literal meaning, you can extend that foundation of knowledge to a much broader range of topics. Happy writing!
Writing
is a holistic activity, but when it comes to honing our craft, it’s useful to
break it down into parts. The June 30 episode
of Writing Excuses, a podcast about the craft of writing that focuses
primarily on fantasy and science fiction (SFF), introduced Aristotle’s elements
of tragedy. These six aspects of writing apply to modern storytelling as easily
as they did to ancient Greek plays. While Aristotle placed these elements in a
specific order of importance, the authors on Writing Excuses argue that their relative
importance changes based on what an author is trying to achieve. In my opinion,
there’s no better way to make use of this theory than by looking at how it
applies to books that do each element well. Below, I share how each element is
used in an SFF book I recently read and loved. Take these examples as a
starting point rather than a be-all and end-all. And, if you’re writing a work
in progress, think about how Aristotle’s elements apply to it and which ones
you want to emphasize.
Aristotle
ranked plot as the most important element of tragedy, and a tightly plotted
yarn certainly keeps us reading. In Children of Blood and Bone, the divîner caste in the West
African-inspired land of Orïsha
have been brutally oppressed since the king eliminated their magic. Young Zélie finds a scroll that
temporarily reignites these powers and gets caught up in a plan to bring magic
back for good. This novel is tightly plotted and action packed. Each chapter
ratchets up the tension, with gladiator battles, kidnapping, and an epic hero’s
journey.
Three
women take turns narrating this loose retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, and protagonist
Miryem has the standout character arc. The daughter of a Jewish moneylender who
is too softhearted (and frightened of persecution) to ask for his money back,
Miryem resolves to turn around her struggling family’s fortunes and takes over
her father’s job. She teaches herself to be relentless and drive a hard
bargain. Her skills attract the attention of the mystical Staryk king, who
wants to make use of her ability to “turn silver to gold.” Miryem’s evolution
from daughter of a struggling family to skilled and hardened moneylender to
strong-willed leader is a delight to witness.
The
Tensorate universe is founded on ideas. It has a carefully crafted magic system
that involves entering the “slack” and “tensing” different elements to achieve
effects. It’s a world where children choose their own gender in their own time
and are considered genderless until then. Yang’s two novellas follow the twin
children of this world’s dictatorial leader as they choose divergent paths, Akeha
(Black Tides) becoming male and leading a rebel faction, Mokoya (Red
Threads) becoming female and hunting monsters in the wake of personal
tragedy. This intricacies of the magic and gender systems are fascinating and
thoroughly explored. What happens when someone falls through the gaps, or
thinks they know the rules but might be missing something? Yang has thought of
that, too.
One
of the joys of an odd-couple cop story is the interplay between the pair. This
novella’s two space sleuths are Long Chau, a consulting detective with a drug
addiction and a hidden past, and The Shadow’s Child, a sentient spaceship
traumatized from past military service who now makes a living (barely) by
brewing and selling tea blends that keep customers’ minds clear in deep space.
Long Chau approaches The Shadow’s Child for two things: tea and transport into
the deep spaces that still trigger her trauma in order to find a corpse to
study. The mysterious circumstances of said corpse’s death lead the pair to
investigate. De Bodard’s dialogue is understated, with formal tones conveying
the characters’ wariness around each other. Gaps in conversation show where
they leave things unsaid and where Long Chau misses social nuances. At times,
the characters are edgy and snarky:
“I’m writing a treatise on decomposition. How
the human body changes in deep space is a shamefully undervalued area of
study.”
“I
can see why you’d be a success at local poetry clubs,” The Shadow’s Child said,
wryly.
There’s
a lot to appreciate in this story, and the dialogue is one element that works
to show evolution in the characters’ fragile trust.
Astrid
has spent her whole life on the Matilda, a spaceship that has carried
humanity’s survivors for generations towards a promised land. It’s a brutal
milieu, divided by nation-like decks, where the lower deckers (intersex people
of color) are subjugated and forced to work on the revolving plantation deck.
Astrid discovers that the journals of her late mother, an engineer, hold a
secret code and that the Matilda’s bouts of power loss and illness may be more
significant than anyone realized. Astrid is a nuanced and brilliant protagonist
on the autism spectrum whose formal diction sets her apart from fellow
lower-deckers, and the inhabitants of each deck in turn are distinguished by
their language. Solomon imbues each shipboard culture with its own turns of phrase,
use of pronouns, expressions, and cadences. The music that gives shape to this
novel’s worldbuilding is exquisite.
Spectacle
means putting on a good show. Kuhn’s fantastically fun urban fantasy, the first
in a trilogy (with a follow-up novella and more to come soon), is full of flash
and dazzle. Evie is the put-upon personal assistant to superheroine Aveda, her
longtime best friend. But when Aveda is injured in a demon fight, Evie is
called on to impersonate her, and the fire power she’s worked so hard to hide
may be the very thing that saves the day. In SFF, spectacle can happen through
worldbuilding and description as well as through action scenes. The heroes in Heroine
Complex fight fanged cupcakes, and one of the pivotal battles takes place
during a karaoke contest. Bring on the popcorn!
Feedback on the first draft of a fiction manuscript I’ve been working on for a while, while positive in other aspects, suggested that the characters’ relationships lacked a certain spark. So, while working on the second draft, I turned to a genre that models relationship writing: romance.
Romance writing is a realm where constraint fuels creativity. A relationship focus and a happy ending are key to meeting the genre’s expectations. Readers know that the main characters are going to get together in the end; the fun (and literary skill) is in finding out how they get there. As well as being enjoyable to read, romance offers wonderful insights into building characters and crafting the dynamics between them. There’s nothing like a romance novel – focused on chemistry, rapport, and relationship development above all else – to illustrate how to write effective relationships in fiction!
Here are a few of the romance titles I’ve enjoyed recently, and the insights I’ve gleaned from them.
The Bride Test, by Helen Hoang: For Hoang, writing romance intersected with discovering that she was on the autism spectrum and creating characters who share neuro-similarities. In this delightful novel, the mother of Khai, an accountant on the spectrum who wants nothing to do with relationships, returns to Vietnam to find him an ideal bride. Esme, a whip-smart janitor with a young daughter (inspired in part by Hoang’s immigrant mom), is eager to seek new opportunities in America. But to secure a better life for herself and her family, she must, in one summer, win the heart of a man who believes himself unable to love. The relationship between Khai and Esme evolves with sensitivity to their very different needs and experiences. While there’s mutual attraction, it comes with a lot of misunderstandings, often related to culture or neurology, that the characters must overcome. Hoang excels at creating interpersonal conflict with solid reasons behind it, both internal and interpersonal. Read this novel for a great example of how two very different characters, with realistically divergent experiences, can convincingly come together.
The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles), by Amy Spalding: In this queer YA romance, Abby begins a summer internship at her favourite clothing store only to discover that a co-intern, Jordi, is also vying for the single job available once the summer ends. But the two girls hit it off so well that sparks fly between them, and private, plus-sized Abby, who’d cast herself in the archetypal romantic-comedy “friend” role, must come to grips with photographer Jordi’s view of her as a leading lady. Abby’s thoughtful perspective definitely leads here, with Jordi being more of a secondary character. I found her a great example of crafting a non-point-of-view romantic interest who is appealing and fleshed out – scenes with her photography and family are charming, though not central. Another great secondary character is the funny jock Jax, best friend of Abby’s best friend’s boyfriend. A secondary storyline follows the “friend chemistry” that evolves between him and Abby as the unlikely pair sample L.A.’s burgers for a rating app.
Outback Billionaire, by Nikki Steele: The cover cracked me up, but the writing kept me reading until I finished it in one sitting. This was a fun read with a tight perspective on the two romantic leads, alternating POVs between Marlo, an American aspiring actress brought to Australia by her good-for-nothing manager fiance (they break up quickly thereafter), and Jack, a wealthy cattle station owner who offers her a job on his land. In a genre often focused on the heroine, I would have liked to know Marlo better, but found Jack’s concerns (health problems, hot buttons, vulnerabilities) to be particularly well explored. His interests are appealing and understated. The fantasy of wealth is conveyed through the understated sensuality of French press coffee, good wine, and a love of open spaces. The Australian Outback is described with precision and gorgeous language – you get a romance and armchair travel in one!
Hate to Want You and Wrong to Need You, by Alisha Rai: In this family-drama romance series, two families that once co-owned a grocery chain have a bitter falling out after a parent in each family dies in a car crash. Hate to Want You is the story of Nick and Livvy, children of the respective families, a couple forced to break up after the families split. Since then, they’ve hooked up once a year, and when Livvy comes back to town, both of their suppressed feelings for each other threaten to reignite old wounds. Wrong to Need You develops a romance between Sadia, single mom and widow of Livvy’s brother, and the surviving brother, Jackson, a once-close friend who cut Sadia off after being accused of burning the flagship grocery store. I have yet to read the third book, Hurts to Love You, which ties up loose ends in this angsty saga of family secrets. Rai’s series excels at developing multiple character relationships at once. Family, friendships, and romantic ties are all complicated and all matter deeply to both plot and characters. Every heated moment has emotional heft. Mental health issues are integral to the plot, and the characters are diverse and deep. If you’re interested in writing romantic relationships, an ensemble cast, or both, the Forbidden Hearts series is well worth your time.
If you’re looking to bring more romance in your reading life (either for fun, for writerly insights, or both), Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is an awesome resource for discussions and recommendations of what’s good, what’s not so good, and what’s out there. And of course, there are lots of romance deals available on Amazon to get you started!
I’m delighted to see this genre getting growing critical respect (the New York Times Book Review now has a romance critic!) and publishing a wider variety of voices. In an often harsh world, there’s something both comforting and radical in reading about all kinds of people finding happiness.
This year I was given an incredible birthday gift – a year’s subscription to MasterClass.com – and I wanted to tell you about it because I think there are many others who’d appreciate and benefit from these classes as well. MasterClass is a website that features video classes taught by celebrity experts in their fields, and the big names are really the draw. It’s not every day that you have an opportunity to learn about writing from Neil Gaiman or acting from Natalie Portman! Thus far I’ve focused on my subject of interest, the writing classes.
So what can you learn from the masters about their craft? A lot, I’ve found! This month I’ll share my breakdown of how MasterClass works, what you do and don’t get from it, and a taste of what I’ve learned from the writing classes so far.
How MasterClass Works
When you sign up for MasterClass.com, you can purchase either a single class for $90 / €70 or a year’s All-Access Pass for $180 / €150, which includes access to every class on the website. The All-Access Pass is a good deal if you’re interested in more than one of the classes, as it allows access to a wide range of content on your own time.
Each class features about 20 videos from the expert in question. They take the form of condensed mini-lectures of 10 to 30 minutes or so, focused on a particular topic and divided into subtopics. Catchy music breezes you in and out of each segment. Each class has an accompanying workbook that summarizes key points from each video and offer supplementary exercises. The classes also include “office hours” where you can post your responses to these exercises, and instructors provide video feedback to selected students, as well as a community hub.
Pros and Cons
MasterClass is a wonderful way to learn from professionals who are or have been foremost in their fields. When you have instructors like Margaret Atwood, Judy Blume, and Dan Brown, their resumes speak for themselves. Students get to learn their philosophies and techniques – to see how these authors created their successful books and learn about the ups and downs of their careers.
Practical know-how is blended with heartfelt wisdom. The great thing I’ve discovered so far is that both of these vary from writer to writer. Listen to a few of the classes and they’ll start repeating key points, but also contradict each other at times! For instance, Judy Blume begins with character while Dan Brown begins with setting. R. L. Stine begins his class with by saying that, in contrast to the popular advice to write from your heart, he’s written many books and not a single one from the heart. You’ll take what works for you from each instructor and apply it as it fits, and there’s a wonderful sense of liberation in realizing this. The teachers thus far have all been animated, genuine, and encouraging. I get the sense that they believe in their students and want to see them succeed.
The videos are well made, with good production quality and visual touches (Neil Gaiman showing pages from one of his comics, Margaret Atwood demonstrating point of view through moving around boxes and staplers). The format is easy to work into the day – you can easily listen to a video, say, on a lunch break or train commute. Everything goes at your own pace, so you can take the classes as quickly or slowly as you like. For self-directed learners, and those who learn well through online interaction, MasterClass might be as good of a fit for you as it is for me.
MasterClass is not going to be for everyone. It’s not a substitute for the hands-on nature of an in-person writing group or workshop. If you’ve taken writing classes before, some of the content will be repetitive. Because the classes are so different, and the writers have diverse approaches, you’ll find that some will speak to you more than others. You’ll want to have the time to devote to digging in, learning, and really applying their teachings to your own writing, so some amount of “free time” for this is required. Some of you may be interested in taking classes on other topics, but there’s such a range (from politics to cooking to composing…) that you’re likely not going to take them all, or be interested in everything on offer. The workbooks vary in the intensity of their supplementary teachings and homework. Some feel more like outlines of the class, while others, such as Neil Gaiman’s, offer extensive reading lists and wonderful in-depth exercises to apply what you’re learning. If you’re committed to it, I believe that MasterClass and its teachings will improve your writing. I’ve found new insights and inspiration to revise the manuscript I’m working on.
If you’re reading this and thinking that MasterClass sounds like your thing, you can check it out here. Happy writing!
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