Norwescon was last weekend. It stirred up a lot of thoughts and emotions for me this year. I’ll go into that in a moment but I also decided I was ready to talk about writing again on a regular basis. So Wednesday Words, this is your (re)birthday.
With the editing of others: Working on a book for a young woman in my writing class. 90K plus words of pure fantasy. You may have noticed, I don’t read fantasy, that’s because I don’t like fantasy. LOL. But she’s my student so I slog on. And yes before you ask I am being careful not to suggest she should remove things that are appropriate to fantasy while not appropriate in other genres.
With my own writing: Still rewriting the first chapter of my spy novel. I don’t have a lot of writing time, but I am working towards increasing that. I have been steadily moving the time I wake up back in 15 minutes increments. So the time available is actively growing. LOL
Side note: This is my 500th post to WordPress. Get on with me productive self.
Emotionally: Super conflicted about my writing right now. I feel like last year was such a let down. To publish a good solid book and have it go completely unnoticed by the world at large was painful. I was depressed a good chunk of the year (help along by some other personal issues). I don’t want to publish my spy novel, which is 4.5 years in the making, and feel the same. Which makes me wonder if I am emotionally cut out for the life of an author.
Topic for debate on my writing: To sex or not to sex.
Most thrillers, which a spy novel is considered one, don’t have sex scenes. They have fade to black of various levels. Mine currently has two scenes and a fade to black. I tend to get one of two responses to this. Either A) MORE SEX! or B) Why is there sex in this book?
Should I buck the no overt sex in thrillers trend or change my scenes to a sooner fade to black option?
T.A. Henry 
I don’t read a lot of thrillers but every thriller that gets to tv has a bucket load of overt sex it seems to me! Personally if the sex gratuitous why bother … if it develops plot and characters then why not. I read and reviewed your book by the way ….
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Did you like it?
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Yes … I posted my review of Scripting the Truth on Amazon, Goodreads and my blog a while back.
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I just went back and read. That was a year ago and I had no reviews between yours and the latest one. Sigh.
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Haven’t helped have I!
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LOL. I try to console myself, I sold more than the average book but it doesn’t do much to soothe the temperamental artist.
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This may not be much help, but I think only you can decide whether it should have sex or not. It’s your book…or, you can polish it up and submit for publishing or to a ‘professional’ editor and take their thoughts on shaping your book. I think your Emotional point should be taken into consideration in what you choose as content. You’ve learned that your book will be appreciated by you more than others and that it is up to you to create notice and enthusiasm where you can. The biggest part of that is believing in the book 100% yourself. That won’t automatically get it noticed or purchased – as you’ve also learned – but if you don’t believe in it, no one will. So make the book the way you would love it. The way you would appreciate it if you were the reader that pulled it off the shelf. Write for you and the let the rest of the journey follow.
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Interesting advice.
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May not be good advice if your goal is making loads of money as a writer, but if the writing is the thing…
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I prefer romance to sex (when reading…let’s be clear) so writing the awesome leadup is most of the battle. The actual act, meh, we all know how that goes, pretty much, and it plays out much better in our heads. Describe the chemistry and the electricity…not the sound effects. lol
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ROFL.
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