There are some stories I write where violence is graphic. Sometimes it is physical. Sometimes it is emotional. And yes, sometimes it is sexual. I don't necessarily apologize for these stories. My stories are personal, and while I might not necessarily have been trained as an assassin ;) or sold into sexual slavery but I do know what it's like to be passed around to my biological father's friends and I know what it's like to be smacked around. Shit like that ain't pretty and people don't like to look at it sometimes but I think books like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Winter's Bone get to a truth and show where it can be profitable for a publisher to look at those stories and publish them.
I wrote a short story and the main characters are flawed. Incredibly so. Flawed characters are much more interesting to me. Gritty, raw, and emotional they are wounded and do things that aren't always nice and written in black and white. Some people are offended by that and really that's okay with me, it's a risk I take knowingly and without apology.
I wish I could make everyone love my stories, hell, I'm a natural born people pleaser lol. And I'll admit it stings when people get hyped about the nature of how I tell a story. I wish it didn't, but hey, I'm only human.
For those who read my stories and like them I'll keep writing them. For those who write 'cleaner' fiction and are offended by what I do, you don't have to read my stuff and I won't read yours, I personally find Christian fiction boring. That doesn't mean anything about your talent, it just means I don't care for the genre. Hell one of the best Christian fiction writers out there is Maurice Broadus and while I don't read his stuff I think he's incredibly talented and is absolutely hilarious in person.
But for those who read my stuff and have feedback to give me, I'm always willing to listen and I always appreciate it when I get it. Even if it isn't singing my story's praises :).
10 comments:
It's what I like to call 'reality writing'. *smile* Authors/writers write what they know. If you know violence, abuse, protected life, millions of dollars and no worries, so on and so forth that's what you write. I'm more apt to pick up and enjoy a book where it has that 'real' feel to it rather then than fantasy Prince Charmning and Cinderella. *laugh* Mind you, I'm not saying I don't like to read them every now and again, I'm just saying I enjoy the ones that are more likely to happen or have happened. I have many characters that aren't liked by those who've read them. But that's okay, just like in real life, not everyone can be redeemed in another's eye.
I'm looking forward to reading your work Amy. It sounds like something I'll enjoy. *grin*
Thank you the link to the short story is http://AmysShortTales.blogspot.com.
I would highly recommend Orgy of Souls by Maurice Broaddus and Wrath James White. I wrote a review of it on the HDDD blog. And King Maker is on my TBR list.
You already know my characters and what they're capable of. :-) But flawed characters are all the more interesting.
Thanks Pam, I have been interested in Orgy of Souls for awhile now and if I take the plunge I'll probably start with it. And you already know I love Death Sword and can't wait to see more of your work.
Good topic. I often write historical themes and some of history wasn't pretty, so this is a comment I have heard about my stories at times, also. It's hard because you don't want to gross out your readers, but that's my voice and my truth. My one foray into writing "fluffy" just didn't cut it. You can only write what your personal muse gives you.
I'm into all kinds of stuff but I don't think I've ever done fluffy. When I won young authors in the 8th grade I wrote a story about the french underground and the rebels fell in love.
Perfect blog post. It is important to have stories out there that portray truths in human nature, and reflect personal experiences. Life experiences can be very dark, as they can be joyful, too. Luckily readers have a world of choices out there. It's great to be a reader and a writer these days--less constraints, more choices.
Thanks for the comment Leslie.
Each person's Muse leads them to a different place. We need to follow OUR story. That doesn't give anyone the right to talk badly about one genre or another or one author or another (you didn't) -- I think of it like a remote control. If you don't like it, change the channel.
Michelle
Author of Concilium, available July 2012
Concilium: The Departure, November 2012
www.Michelle-Pickett.com
www.Conciliumbooks.com
I agree. And usually I keep the channel change approach and for me there is always an exception to every rule. I like a little bit of everything.
Post a Comment