Once you're published there's lots of white noise going on in the background that's almost impossible to ignore. Everyone has an opinion and you feel pressure (right or wrong) from all angles -- readers, your agent, your publisher, bloggers, fellow authors, book reviewers. Do their opinions matter? Of course. But at some point you realize you can't allow them to hijack your writing either, because then you risk killing your inner voice which could lead to pumping out one vanilla-like novel after another, and who wants that?I like the 'Go Big or Go Home' mantra, and as I write these days that's what's been going through my mind. Right or not, I've been trusting my instincts more with this novel than I did with the other three. Will doing so make it a stronger book? Only time will tell, but I can tell you that the journey has been far more enjoyable and empowering, so it's all good.
Other tidbits of interest:
Two weeks ago, my thirteen-year-old asked if he could read my novel, The Tin Box. (He's become a reading machine and had temporarily run out of books). Right now, he's halfway done and yesterday he searched me out to tell me he cannot believe I wrote it, one of the most backwards compliments a mom can get. I think.
My eleven-year-old is going to be a pen pal to a girl in Britain. He brought home a permission form and explained that all of the girls in his class had signed up to be her pen pal but no boys, which he thought was sexist, so he decided to write her so she doesn't think Canadian boys are jerks.
Construction work on my street has screeched to a halt for winter (insert heavenward high-five) which means I no longer have a porta-potty in my yard, the phone/internet line won't keep getting cut off for days at a time and we won't get evacuated like we did last month because they've hit another gas line (who hires these people?!)
Last of all, happy holiday season everyone, and thanks for all your kind emails in 2009, readers! Your comments and encouragement mean more to me than you can imagine.
9 comments:
Yey!!! A blog post from Ms. Holly. Trust your instincts all you like jes please blog more often.
(been missing your updates)
I heart all three of your novels (hard to pick a favorite) so I think your instincts were doing fine before.
Looking forward to your next one too though
I think the more experienced you are, the easier it is to trust your instincts. It's definitely a line upon line concept.
Glad to see another post from you.
I love this post...it's true- getting rid of the "noise" helps.
and give your boys a hug from me.
Yikes, seriously?! So she has to write back all the girls in the class plus him? Wow. Back in our day, penpals were just one-to-one, LOL. Although, I collected them, so I had near twenty at one point.
That's gotta be the best compliment ever! Backwards or not, LOL!
That is awesome news all the way around. Can't wait to read your next novel. And you gotta love those boys.
Yo! Yer back blogging.
Hope your book is going well
Happy Christmas
I luv the way you tell your stories (have I told you that already? more than once?!!) so whatever you are writing i am sure will be incredible and touching as usual and the kind of book i will treasure.
write faster!!!
Mele Kalikimaka Holly!!!
Post a Comment