Lindar's Blog
The Power of the Pen
by Linda Louise Rigsbee on 02/17/12
On my free read websites I occasionally get a scathing comment from a reader. It stings. Why would a reader feel the need to attack me that way? If they don't like my writing, why not simply go to another site? Recently I received a comment from a reader who told me in no uncertain terms to do my research before I wrote things that I obviously knew nothing about. In that particular case, the reader was wrong. I had not only researched, I had lived the experience. I had first-hand knowledge of what I wrote about.
As a writer, it is my intent to invoke feeling - to stir memories. Unfortunately, not all those memories are going to be good ones. In this case, the memory for me was good, but obviously not for the reader. When readers attack writers, it is because they have been provoked - even if the provocation was unintentional. It doesn't mean that we should change anything. When I get one of these rare gems, I remind myself that my writing struck a passionate cord. It is simply a reminder of the power of the pen.
Reset Button for Writers
by Linda Louise Rigsbee on 01/21/12
Like millions of other people, I started a diet on the first day of 2012. I've been saying I need to go on a diet for years, but I always had a good excuse why that wasn't the right time. There's no need to name the reasons. We all have hat full of them. This time, like any daunting task, I simply set a date, a goal and then began. After a successful three weeks, I was tempted to treat myself to a cookie or something, but was afraid if I did, that would be the end of the diet. Diets need a reset button - a day off, so to speak. Instead of binging that day, I fixed a nice balanced meal, ate a reasonable amount and then treated myself to a small piece of cheesecake afterward.
Writing is a lot like a diet. While writers enjoy writing, a large project with a deadline can be daunting. There is only one way to get it done - begin. Even so, long hours at the same thing can result in burn-out. We need to hit the reset button every once in a while. Measure out some time for enjoyment. For me, taking an hour or so to go outside and walk, enjoy the flowers and trees - even the feel of snow crunching under my feet. Maybe my brain has become numb from sitting on it, but when I come back, I'm refreshed and ready to tackle that project again - usually with solution to something that had me stumped.
Most things have a reset button. We simply forget it's there.
Painful Feedback
by Linda Louise Rigsbee on 11/10/11
As a conservative writer, I was shocked the first time someone referred to an "inappropriate" scene in one of my romance novels. Several years and thousands of reads into the book, no one had ever said such a thing about that scene - or any other. In fact, my most frequent reader complaint was quite the opposite. The young reader went on to say that it was difficult to find a book with good morals and she was disappointed in mine. The comments left me virtually sputtering. I knew the protagonist's behavior was inappropriate. That was my point. If the reader had continued to read, she/he would have discovered that the scene had a moral point. But the reader didn't continue - and that was a fact I had to accept. I comforted myself with the knowledge that you can't please everyone. When the sting abated, I realized that this was good feedback. The reader was constructive - even confessed to enjoying the book up to that scene. The reader could have called the entire book smut and written a scathing comment. Instead, the reader's opinion was expressed respectfully and to the point. Whether the scene was necessary or not was beside the point. Was there a better way to express it? Probably, but I wouldn't have thought about it had the reader not brought it to my attention. If constructive feedback is hard to come by, it is probably because it is so difficult for the reader to write. It is natural to want to defend our writing, but we shouldn't. We should thank the reader for their feedback if possible, and let it go at that. I doubt I'll change this particular story, but I know I'll keep this lesson in mind for the next one. I thank my readers - all of them - especially the ones who take the time to make constructive comments.
Timeless Writing
by Linda Louise Rigsbee on 09/01/11
Today, as I was reading a writer's blog, my thoughts pondered on the fact that readers have different expectations over the years. What will readers want 100 years from now? The monetary impact is inconsequential. We won't be selling our books then anyway. That's when it really struck me that writers don't simply have different style. They have different goals as well.
I'm interested in writing to the best of my ability - but not necessarily to the contemporary audience. I am far more interested in writing from the aspect of leaving a legacy than making sales. I won't be there 100 years from now to bask in the glow of popularity, but I'd like to think that my books continue to bring joy to readers in the next millennium.
Among other things, I write conservative romance. I maintain two free read websites. When a reader comments that they are homebound and my writing gives them pleasure, I am rewarded. When people read my books free and then buy a copy, I feel doubly rewarded for my work. When a reader comments that my conservative romance helped them in their marriage, I know that I have gone beyond contemporary. My books are written with conservative morals that are refreshing to some and boring to others - but they are timeless. That's my goal - not necessarily a classic, but timeless.Words Are Like A Box Of Crayons
by Linda Louise Rigsbee on 08/26/11
Recently I saw a facebook comment proclaiming there are too many words in the English language that mean the same thing. Excuse me? As a writer, that raised my hackles. That is like saying there are only four colors, so why buy a big box of crayons? They might ask why there are so many colors of blue, or why so many people have a different perception of turquoise.
Words are like a huge box of crayons. For some there are nuances of color that make them appealing. Sometimes there is more than one meaning for a word, depending on how it is used. Then again, sometimes even a group of experts can't agree on the exact meaning of a word. Of course, there are also some who prefer to use only the basic words.
Still, my ire is unjustified. I hold the pallet, not the reader. A sunset can be beautiful even if we can't identify all the colors. In fact, it is most enjoyable when we don't even try. In the same way, a book can be enjoyable even if we don't know the nuances of words. If the writer paints a good enough overall picture, it doesn't matter. The reader will see the sunset, not the words.
