I'm reposting this from last Saturday on my blog. It's too important not to spread the word.
I woke up today, psyched that it was a
Saturday -- free time, which means writing. Loosing into words those ideas that
have been building up inside my head all week.
But I can't. My head's reeling with outrage and indignation. I read Delilah Dawson'spost
and it left me stupefied. I wanted to reach out and hug her for all she's had
to endure. I wanted to tell her it will be all right. Things will get better.
Except I don't believe it. Especially after
reading Ann Aguire's post
(linked to Delilah's), and the ugly comments that followed. Horrendous replies
that attacked her personally, and bordered on threatening. All because she's
writing what she loves.
And then I began remembering all the
times I hadn't spoken up.
The time when another author said she
"didn't understand women's fiction and would never write it." (A YA
author.)
The time I got so excited that Margaret
Atwood came to speak at a local college, but she quashed my decades-old awe of
her by literally laughing at the romance genre. When my turn in line came to
have my book signed, I couldn't say anything to her. I couldn't understand why
a writer of her superstar status felt the need to put down other writers. So I
said nothing as she signed my book, and I didn't even say thanks or goodbye
afterward.
Other instances have left me puzzled
too.
Writers who started out the same time as
me, before I began writing romance but who now look at me as less than a
serious writer.
It astounds me even more when writers within the same genre bash each other. It's
almost a given that non-romance authors consider romance stories to be fluff.
But romance writers bashing other romance writers?
And the latest head-scratcher: complaints
about authors helping other authors promote their work. Alex J. Cavanaughmentioned it in this post.
Which -- unbelievable as it is -- was part of the Insecure Writer's Support
Group. Alex is an amazing guy who helps other writers regardless of genre, and I applaud him.
So now I'm responding.
Delilah Dawson and Ann Aguire, I truly
wish I could say things will get better. They won't. There will always be
people who feel the need to belittle others. Be sorry for them. And then keep
writing awesome stories.
What I should have said to the YA author
who "didn't get" women's fiction:
Fine. Don't read it. Plenty of readers "get it" and love it.
Read whatever you like.
To Margaret Atwood: Bullshit. An author
of your status should be encouraging other writers, not creating divisive
cliques to exclude certain types. Leave that for your fiction.
Me, not a serious writer? Really? I
spend every spare moment of my time either writing, promoting, or trying to
better my craft through how-to books. And I read as often as
possible--mainstream, scifi, urban fantasy, fantasy, contemporary, historical,
steampunk. Whatever. Genre doesn't matter to me. I'm drawn to stories with
compelling story lines, engaging characters and dialogue. Well written stories.
(Because face it, crappy stories exist in every genre.)
To romance writers: Romance has a myriad
of subgenres. Some stories don't fit the specific definition of romance, but
end up there because it might contain a romantic element. It's a marketing
gimmick, nothing more, but that's the way it is. It doesn't make your subgenre
any better than another. Again, let the readers decide which they prefer.
To those who object to authors helping
each other promote, I'll repeat my response that I left on Alex's blog: Why
anyone would object to one another helping another with promotion is beyond me.
Writers work hard enough to write a great book, but promotion is another
full-time job. If blog visitors don't want to read about an author's work,
they're fully capable of skipping over it. I love to help other authors spread
the word about their work, and I've been blessed with plenty of generous
writers who help me as well.
To anyone who feels the need to lash out
at a writer--for whatever reason--get the hell over yourself. If you think you
can write a better book, go for it. That's how lots of writers started out.
Some succeeded, others discovered it isn't such a cakewalk to create great
stories. It's damn hard work. Again--and I'm not sure why this is so difficult
a concept to wrap your head around--support the writers you do love by buying
their books. If you don't like an author's work, don't buy it. Period.
Author or reader, let's have some
respect. If you can't manage that much, then I hope you learn someday how to embrace
your humanity.
I encourage other authors to read both
Delilah and Ann's posts. Then speak up as well. Bigotry's rooted in a lack of
education, so let's educate everyone. Even ourselves.
And now, I've already lost half a day.
I'm going to write.
Peace.
