Guest Blogger: Deirdre Savoy

Okay, I'm putting the emphasis on relaxation, which has been too scarce in my life lately. I'm reading a fun book and am going to take a long soak in the Jacuzzi with my book and plenty of bubbles . . . and I'm not getting out until I've read the last page. This is the second book I've read in a week and only the third I've read all year. Of course, I should be writing, but do I feel guilty? Hell, no!

Here's Deirdre Savoy with what will likely be the last of the guest blogs I've been running. I want to thank everyone who helped me out during this busy time, and also those who had good intentions that didn't quite pan out. Writers are seriously busy folks!

Be sure to pick up a copy of Dee's latest release, an anthology called Soldier Boys that is in stores now. (I don't know about you, but every time I hear that title I start humming the old Shirelles tune that was a favorite of my sister . . . who was about 12 at the time. Anybody else remember it?)

Take it away, Dee!

Writer Know Thyself

by Deirdre Savoy

I am teaching a writing course in which one of the participants admitted that she had given up trying to weed a certain element from her work. My response: yay! Fighting with your writing is a sure way to make yourself miserable. Each writer has to determine not only what they want to write, but also where their natural talent will take them. There is a famous quote from Jean Cocteau that goes: "Listen carefully to the first criticism of your work. Note just what it is about your work the critics don't like–then cultivate it. That's the part of your work that's individual and worth keeping."

This is one of my favorite quotes because it speaks to the writer's need to hone their own talent, believe in it and be able to withstand the influences of what editors want, agents think, what's hot now or the latest trend. That's not to say that editors/agents/trends/what's hot or whatever shouldn't inform your work, but you've got to have the confidence in what you write to hold fast when others try to sway you away from where you want to go or what you feel is the strength of your writing. Otherwise it is too easy to find yourself blowing in the wind of whatever fad is flying at the moment.

I remember when street fiction first came into vogue and there were many folks who asked me why didn't I try writing that. I couldn't write a street lit novel if someone held a gun to my head and said produce or die. I don't know anything about the life from the viewpoint of a participant nor do I have any desire to explore it. It's not where either my interest or talent lies.

The same is true of erotic stories. Not my forte, even if I can whip up a good love scene on a moment's notice. At least not in book length form. What I do like to write are suspenseful, character-driven love stories. Some people say I'm good at it.

So what do you feel is special in your writing that you try to cultivate? Do you avoid trends or follow them? If could change your writing in one way, what would that be?

Thanks again, Bettye, for the opportunity. Hope you are enjoying summer.

All the best!

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Thanks for an excellent column, Dee. I don't know what's special about my writing, but I do believe it's reasonably good and that I'm continually learning ways to make it better (that would be what I'd change . . . make it better!) As for what I won't write, there's a long list that includes: No YA (which is booming right now, but it's just not for me). No erotica. No street lit. Nothing that I feel is silly. No fantasy. No publishers other than the major houses. What I will write: What I want to. Period. If that means I have no publisher, so be it. It won't be the end of my world. I'll still write . . . that's not just what I am, it's what I do. And I'll leave all my manuscripts to the kids. You never know what will come back in vogue in 2050.

What about the rest of y'all?