Genre Elitism

I was tired already. I'd been up since 3:30 a.m. and had been at work for over twelve hours with another five hours to go. Never at my best then.

That's when I got some new feedback on my book. And it wasn't even just about my book, my writing.

It was about my genre.

I have SciFi and YA Fantasy WIPs I'm working on. But my first WIP, the one I've invested nearly two years of my life on, my learning project, the one that makes my hubby cry when I read him a new revision, is an adventure romance.

Romance.

Intellectually, I know this is a subjective business. I know there are many (all right, lots) of people who sneer at romance as a genre. Even now I'm not sure why the condescending tone of the feedback hurt so much. At that moment I wanted to sit down and cry. My instinct was to quit.

Yeah. Yeah. I get it. Honest.

If I'm really going to be brave and put my work out there, I need to be thick skinned.

And well padded.

Having a little armor wouldn't hurt.

A safety net might be a good idea.

What about you? Have you faced genre elitism or bias before? Are there people, either readers or writers, who seem to think the quality of their writing is better if only by virtue of their genre?

 Encouraging Feedback

When I posed my discouragement to a writers group I'm a member of through my church, I received some wonderful insightful comments about the nature of romances. I've listed them below if you're interested. Some of the comments are quite profound, imho.

Tiffany Graybill Williams
You need to talk to Donna [Hatch]. She had a woman thank her for her romance novel. It helped her escape while her son was going through cancer. It's a great story! We were all given many many talents and we shouldn't waste them. Keep writing your romance, it brings joy and hope, and I'll keep writing my fantasy, and together we'll turn our 1 talent into many talents we can share with the world.

Shelli Proffitt Howells
... God did not give you the talent and the compulsion to write without a reason. ... Your values shine through your writing, and those values can have a wonderful impact on a huge audience through romance novels. Don't let anyone discourage you!!!

M.d. Christie
People can be so abrasive and judgmental. It really ticks me off that people can be so ignorant. There is nothing wrong with romance and your talents are no less important than a philosophical writer. (((hugs))) keep on keeping on! You uplift many!!!

Theresa Small Sneed
Don't give xxx your 'peace' ... xxx can't take anything away from you that you don't consent to - so know that xxx's simply wrong, for whatever reason, and KNOW that what you are doing is absolutely wonderful and essential ...

Pamela Stott Williams
Don't be intimidated! Romance is good. Romance is rich. Romance helps us keep commitments and aim for ideals. Nobody should be better at writing about the most important personal relationship in life than Latter-day Saints. We understand what eternal marriage means, and we understand that choosing an eternal companion is the most important decision we make. We were individuals in premortality, but we came here to form family ties that we take with us into eternity. That's a good thing to discuss in literature!

Joan Sowards Every story needs a touch of romance!

Joyce DiPastena
Donna, there is a world of women out there searching for clean romances to read, and there are increasingly oh! so few places to find them! These readers need you. They need what you write. They need to know they can open a romance book and feel "safe" when they do so. You can help to give them that. Don't give up and don't let others depress you. If some of us don't write clean romances, where are these readers to go?

Donna Hatch
Romance has always gotten a bad rap. Those naysayers are the noisy minority. Shake them off. I know tons of women who need an escape from their crummy lives and they get it through a good romance novel. I'm one of them. And I get emails every week from people who love having an escape where two people beat the odds to get together. In preparation for a conference class I'm teaching on romance, I polled my FB friends. Here's what one person wrote: "The good ones show how important and life altering being loved and loving can be. We do things we wouldn't have considered before and make decisions that seem foolish without the existence of life-altering love and commitment. Love can bring out our better selves and inspire us to reach beyond ourselves." Amen.

Wendy Archibald Jones 
One of my favorite lines in the LDS remake of Pride and Prejudice is when Darcy (who owns the publishing company) and Elizabeth (who submitted her manuscript) are having a conversation. She says, "It's NOT a romance." And he says, "It's not a put-down, it's a category." It's a category that people LOVE to read! Keep on keeping on, despite the doubters.

Heidi L Kleinman Murphy 
Tell xxx to lighten up. Romances can help us learn what right to say and what NOT to say and do. Romances can be an escape not only for people in crummy marriages, but for people in good ones too. Everybody needs to play dress-up once in a while or they get all stale and need to be tossed out with the old bread.

Susan Aylworth  
Forgive xxx for xxx ignorance. We all know that not all romances are soft porn bodice-rippers, but not everyone else does. Love xxx. Educate xxx if you can, and let xxx comments wash off like gentle rain. :-)


Susan G. Haws  
Donna,I don't know the stats but Romance is a big industry. Everyone, even people we love have their prejudices, that does not make them right. Romance writers bring a lot of happiness, escape and comfort to a world in need of happy endings.

Canda Mortensen  
Personally, I only like fiction that has some romance. Oh--and a great story.


Sarah Miller Eden  
I wrote something of a rebuttal to this kind of comment on my blog back in April: http://www.sarahmeden.com/2011/04/walkabout-wednesday-why-i-write-romance.html It happens all the time, Donna. It used to really, really upset me. I've gotten much better at brushing it off and moving forward knowing that what I am doing is worthwhile.

Heather Horrocks Author  
It's most hurtful when xxx attacks and downgrades what we do. Sometimes it's a subconscious you're-going-for-your-dream-and-I'm-not things. Remember that you will find the fans who love your books and are uplifted by them - and most of your xxx will not fit into that category (though most are more gracious than xxx). Oh and stick your tongue out at xxx, at least in your mind : )
 
Claire Enos
haha I would really stick my tongue out at xxx but then I'm only 19 so I still act immature a good percentage of the time lol

And from one of my critique partners
Melanie Macek
You've gotten too much good feedback on this book to let one person - xxx or not - derail all your hard work. That's why none of my xxx have read it. They say they want to, but I don't want to see the rejection. If xxx acts like that with your book, I'd hate to see xxx reaction if xxx read a romance that had been kicked up a notch or three!

I have a feeling you're close to xxx ... Sleep on it, do NOT let it sway you. I bet in a day or two, it will end up being fuel to get through those last edits. Just imagine the look on xxx's face when that agent requests your book. You can hand xxx an autographed copy!!!!!!!


How's that for encouragement?

A Bit of This and a Bit of That

Confessions Book Giveaway Reminder

If you haven't signed up for the giveaway for Laura Josephsen's new book Confessions from the Realm of the Underworld (Also Known as High School), you only have to comment here (and follow me if you haven't already) and head over to Laura's blog and comment there and follow her to be put in the drawing. I will select the winner at 6 a.m. MDT on Wednesday, August 3rd.

Shifting by Bethany Wiggins ARC Tour

hosted by Elana Johnson

I had the opportunity to be part of the Shifting ARC Tour and even be the FIRST reader in Elana's group! Squeeee! It was a fun read and held me on the edge of my seat. The other members of the tour are in a for a real treat. So, what's it about?

After bouncing from foster home to foster home, Magdalene Mae is transferred to what should be her last foster home in the tiny town of Silver City, New Mexico. Now that she's eighteen and has only a year left in high school, she's determined to stay out of trouble and just be normal. Agreeing to go to the prom with Bridger O'Connell is a good first step. Fitting in has never been her strong suit, but it's not for the reasons most people would expect-it all has to do with the deep secret that she is a shape shifter. But even in her new home danger lurks, waiting in the shadows to pounce. They are the Skinwalkers of Navajo legend, who have traded their souls to become the animal whose skin they wear-and Maggie is their next target.

Full of romance, mysticism, and intrigue, this dark take on Navajo legend will haunt readers to the final page.

Goals & Discouragement

I had a goal to get a lot of books read in July, since I've been working so hard to get my ms ready for my critique group. I just didn't expect to have the three I've read in the last eight days. I'm almost sated with reading. That makes me feel good.


Yet, on the other hand, I read these three really good books, and I begin to doubt myself.

I need to be realistic.

There's no way I can do this. It's impossible

Who am I trying to kid?

I experience this now every time I enter a bookstore. I look at all the wonderful offerings, and all the above thoughts go through my head.

And I think I should just quit.

But I have to remember to take a deep breath and ask myself why I'm doing this. Why am I working a full-time job and then coming home to squeeze a few words out on my stories while trying to make sure my hubby and my house aren't totally neglected? Why do I spend money on books about writing, magazines about writing, conferences about writing? Why do I persist in doing something that frequently feels like physical therapy, that hurts because I'm forcing myself to do things, things that aren't easy and make me feel like I suck?

Is it because I think I'm going to be some great, famous author?

No. I'm very realistic about this. Besides, I would never want to be famous. Be recognized when you go places and have presumptuous people feel they have a right to interrupt you? Puhleeeze! I would so hate that.

Is it because I want to be rich?

No. I wouldn't mind a little extra money, so I could afford to visit my kids and grandkids who live far away as often as I'd like, but that's all. I learned a long time ago that wanting "stuff" is frequently more fun than actually having it. If you don't like you, nothing you surround yourself with will fill that void.

Is it because I think I'm good?

No. I think I can be better, but once again I'm not fooling myself.

So why am I doing this?

I have to remind myself I'm doing this because I love to learn, and I want to learn how to write. I don't ever want to be one of those old people who thinks they know everything and can't be taught anything new. I want to always try and look at the world with fresh eyes and imagine something different, something better.

So, in spite of my writerly flaws, in spite of the strong likelihood I'll never be good enough to get an agent or a publisher, I want to learn to be better. The best I can be at this. Whatever that is.

My battle against myself.

And I'll hang on to the words of Thomas Edison:

I never failed once.

I invented the light bulb.

It just happened to be a 2,000-step process.

So, I let you in on my pep talk. How do you encourage yourself, when you question your sanity to do this writing thing? What motivates you to keep going and not throw in the towel?