Okay, I’m taking a quick break from my deep editing of my book to actually write a blog. I know! It’s been, like, forever. But the time away is well worth it as my *unique* story is getting a deep dive with my *new knowledge* of how to edit my *original work* before I submit it to an actual NY agent.
Yes. I’m going the traditional route. I’ve been reading and studying and attending wonderful writer’s conferences and transforming my brain and my written words into magical fiction that has less “telling” and more “showing.”
But it’s been a hard and slow three years. It’s been fun and it’s been torture. I’ve stepped away from time to time but I’ve always come back. Because I love my story. Because I want to share it. Because I want it to be the very best it can be.
Unlike some other authors out there.
Now, I’m a pretty open minded gal. And I’m also pretty outspoken when I feel that someone has cheated the system. I’m not bitter over their success – because, really, they must have done something right, right? But when the successful inexperienced author wins the Publishers Weekly Publishing Author of the year award for, oh, plagiarism and stupid writing, well…that really gets my hackles rising.
Granted, I only got through two free chapters of Fifty Shades of Grey – you can visit my prior rant to see what I thought – but when PW – who I have a lot of respect for – goes and gives this woman an honor like this…well, WTF? I can write crappy prose about DP between Katniss, Peeta and Gale until I’m blue in the face – but they are not my characters and I would feel like I’m violating Collins’ world. Maybe because I have a conscience? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’m not ruthless enough? Doubtful…I’ve always fought for what I believe in.
So if “cold hard cash” is the only name of this game, then who do inspiring authors need to use as role models?
Well, this Irish girl is gonna continue to do it the old fashioned way. Slow, methodical and with only one partner. It’ll be steamy and it will be exciting and it will be shared with the world in its due time. And when it is published…I expect FanFic authors to be respectful and publishers to be ethical.