If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got. Thus spake somebody; nobody on the internet seems to be sure who. But it’s a good saying—a less derisive version of that other bit of wisdom, also of mysterious origins (it’s not actually Einstein, alas), about the definition of insanity being doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Oh my gosh, did this ever resonate with me! I published five novels with a major publisher in rapid succession, then tried something different (from women's fiction to historical.) It was an EPIC FAIL. Same lovely rejections: "love the writing, but the book is too quiet," "I know you'll find a good home for this, but I can't quite see how to place it," yada yada. I very nearly quit writing altogether...then thought, what the hell, let's try yet another genre. I just finished my first book of domestic suspense and had a GREAT time writing it, because I had NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE. And that's the key, isn't it? Writing what gives you pleasure, and worrying about the rest later...the agent loves it, so maybe this book will have wings, but even if it doesn't, it's still a hill of beans that was fun to pour out onto the desk. Thanks for all of your great posts about the writing process. Just found you and subscribed.
Oh my gosh, did this ever resonate with me! I published five novels with a major publisher in rapid succession, then tried something different (from women's fiction to historical.) It was an EPIC FAIL. Same lovely rejections: "love the writing, but the book is too quiet," "I know you'll find a good home for this, but I can't quite see how to place it," yada yada. I very nearly quit writing altogether...then thought, what the hell, let's try yet another genre. I just finished my first book of domestic suspense and had a GREAT time writing it, because I had NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE. And that's the key, isn't it? Writing what gives you pleasure, and worrying about the rest later...the agent loves it, so maybe this book will have wings, but even if it doesn't, it's still a hill of beans that was fun to pour out onto the desk. Thanks for all of your great posts about the writing process. Just found you and subscribed.