The official website of A. B. Gayle - Author and Editor
Share this:
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • My Books
  • Free Reads
  • Blogs
    • Tyler Knoll's Blog
    • Interviews
    • Reviews
  • Man 'em up Dude
    • Leather + Lace >
      • Chapter 1: Stand Back
    • Red + Blue >
      • R+B - Reviews & Blogs
    • Caught >
      • Caught - Reviews & Blogs
    • Initiation
  • SciFiRomance
    • WIP - Nature
  • Mainstream
    • In Search of the Perfect PinotG!
    • The Lost Diary of Thomas Kendall
  • Coming Soon
    • WIP - Home+Away
    • WIP - Pride+Prejudices
    • WIP - Truth+Lies
  • Bio
    • Links
  • Editing Info
    • Editing Special Forces

Some Do's and Don'ts about Writing

12/4/2010

4 Comments

 
As a writer, I find reading books by successful authors in my genre a very educational experience. What makes them successful? In many cases it's the sheer volume of quick, easy reads they produce. Carol Lynne, Stormy Glenn, Kim Dare and Claire being cases in point. Often (but not always) the standard of their writing improves as they progress. Even if they don’t, people who only give their books 3 stars are still happy to buy more when they come out. So they must be doing something right, right?

During the recent “Black Friday” sales I purchased a stack of Claire Thompson’s books. I’d seen her work rating highly on a number of lists but was wary because one of the first BDSM books I read was a m/f slave book of hers, which I hated with a passion. But then again, now there aren't many m/f books I like, so that's possibly more my problem than Claire's. I hate beautiful, perfect heroines....

As I’m a fast reader, I churned through the new books pretty quickly because they are easy reads. In a way this is unfair to the author as quirks in their style of writing and “voice” become even more apparent as do repetitive phrasings, words (nether hole – shudder) and themes.

One of things I did notice about Claire's books is that too often she builds to a climax like a kiss or a fuck and then before it actually happens, wham, bam she ends the chapter. You turn the page expecting to see the event and the time has suddenly shifted forward to the next day or even the next week and you may or may not get a description of what happened as a recall. (Golden Boy and Golden Man were filled with those.) So what should have been a “show” instead becomes pretty much a “tell”.

Another problem Claire had, and one that is shared by a number of writers: a lot of her characters’ narratives are big “tells” about how they feel about something. It’s sometimes as if they’re on a therapist’s couch. In a BDSM setting this can be appropriate as a sub is supposed to explore how he feels and relate this to the Dom (Jane Davitt's "Bound and Determined" does this very well). Mind you the Dom often doesn’t get this opportunity, so maybe that’s something to ponder (Syd McGinley's Dr Fell would agree with me on that one).

This is true of many other writers not just Claire, so it got me thinking about other things I feel many writers get wrong. (So the rest of this blog is really a general rant.)

For example, is this ability many heroes have to articulate and discuss the reasons they do things realistic? In my experience, while women still retain a lot of the ancient “gatherer” mentality in which the females had to consider and evaluate every berry, mushroom and vegetable they foraged and teach others, males in general still are the “hunters” who act first often without thinking, and it is only later at the pub, when they relax with their mates and have a few beers under their belt that they have the time or the inclination to discuss and boast about why they did whatever they did. Nowadays, sportsmen exhibit the same behavioural pattern.

In my experience, outside the pub, males rarely sit down time and time again and have meaningful heart to hearts.

Another beef in books? Switching to another character’s POV and giving a complete rehash of a scene we’ve just had without it adding much new. While I don’t dislike this dual POV aspect of the same situation, we have to learn something different, because if an author has established the character properly and the reader has learnt how they tick, we should have worked out what would be going on in their head without being told based on what they say and do. It’s only when they do something unexpected or out of character this “explanation” is needed when we switch POV.

Another thing I find is that too often, to get from point A to point B in an emotional arc, the characters merely make a decision to change their ways, do it and then explain why they did it to the other character. Sometimes in just a couple of paragraphs.

Authors, please don't rush the good bits.

Next conflict. The absence of decent conflict can be a death knell. Here's a good post from Alex Voinov on the subject: Five Things Burn Notice Teaches About Writing

It’s a well established dictum that all stories require conflict. This can be externally produced, the result of internal issues in a character, differences between characters, their lifestyles, their pasts. It can even be in the form of embarrassment and frustration. The whole point of romances is seeing how characters resolve and get beyond these conflicts. Preferably this requires a character to change their way of behaving, to learn lessons, to grow.

In many books, the conflict is in the initial situation ie the setup. This is often shown in the blurb. It is how the characters resolve this which makes a book memorable and different. Too often though, the resolution is too easy. Characters don’t have to change to overcome things. Either the conflict is made to be a non issue or if they do change it just seems to be a case of “Oh, I see the error of my ways, I’m going to change” end of story.

Finally, guys have to talk like guys. Get rid of the soppy, sentimental dialogue. Man 'em up Dude.

Because I’m trying to discover their secret, I do tend to be analytical and possibly overly critical when I read now. This possibly isn’t fair to some authors, but I need to discover what it is in their writing that I don’t like to ensure I don’t fall into the same traps and what I do like serves as an inspiration and a reminder to me of what I should be striving for.

Finally, don't make your male characters TGTBT (Too Good To Be True) that's nearly as bad as females being (Too Silly To Live).

Given the popularity of some author's books though, obviously female readers like this. A lesson I have to remember.....
4 Comments
Michaele
12/6/2010 07:22:14 am

How easy it is to criticize another author. I read you blog entry and really came away wondering if you were talking about the same Claire Thompson whose books I have greatly enjoyed the last few years.

Most of the examples you cite are from earlier works and not representative of how her writing has evolved and grown. Recent works such as The Cowboy Poet, Heart of Submission, Safe In His Arms and Sub mission Times Two don't follow the patterns you describe. I find her take on BDSM extremely realistic and accurate stretching from the characters thoughts to their actions right through the scenarios. And I confess I know very well from personal experience. I really wonder if you do.

Perhaps purchasing books that were "Black Friday" sales was your mistake and prevented you from seeing her work as I and, apparently, a very large number of other readers do.

You yourself admit you churned through the books. Is that fair when acting as a literary critic? I think not. You also clearly state that an earlier read of one of her books left you predisposed to dislike her work.

In your comments I sense a discomfort with what she writes about.Her genre is not for everybody and apparently it is not for you.

While we all know that the expertise of critics is easy to attack, the list of superb books, movies and artwork that has be panned by critics is long. Yet, such works bring great joy to people and are worthy of the effort that readers expend to that end.

Read her recent works and reconsider because I think you are way off the mark regarding Claire Thompson.

Reply
A.B.Gayle link
12/6/2010 07:59:12 am

Hi Michael
Thanks for your feedback.
The parts in my review which specifically referred to Claire were her tendency to jump past a scene at a critical point and then describe it in retrospect. This is a craft issue and nothing to do with the BDSM aspect.
Similarly, her tendency to have the characters discuss at length their feelings is a craft issue and not related to the BDSM.
I didn't comment on that as it wasn't a blog about BDSM so much as a blog about craft.
As you note, her craft has probably improved since then.
Part of the issue is the length of those earlier books. I read "Switch" after writing this blog. It's a longer book so there was les "telling" and more "showing" and the book craft wise was better for it.
Of those books you mentioned, the only one I have read is "Submissions Times Two" I will see if those two aspects are still there and if not I am more than happy to amend or recant.
The argument about many writers of m/m romance having guys who talk and ariculate as much as hers and other writer's characters do is a question I put back to you. (If you are male). Is this realistic?
You did make this comment:
In your comments I sense a discomfort with what she writes about.Her genre is not for everybody and apparently it is not for you.
I bow to your experience of the scene and note I did not dispute her accuracy of the description of her BDSM.
I have been doing a lot of reading in the BDSM genre as you can see of my quotes of other authors, eg Jane Davitt, Syd McGinley, Kim Dare and Jay Lygon. I've also read the Deviations series and Sean Michael.
I get the impression from Claire's writing that she does excellent research. As I said, if this blog was all about Claire, I would have mentioned that. I also like the way she is prepared to have her characters make some quite political statements, like her comments about the fluidity of sexuality in "Handyman"
Perhaps, I should do another blog about what I liked about Claire's writing specifically.
One day I may also do a comparative blog about how writers depict the BDSM scene. Which of those gets it "right" may be a different matter and I will probably not be the best one to judge, but I can at least compare.
I'd be very interested in getting feedback of the thinking in Dom's minds. Many, to me, get the submissive state of mind okay, but there seems to be something missing from the Dom's viewpoint, which is why I like the Dr Fell books.
Perhaps I should have made it more obvious that apart from those two examples at the beginning, most of the rest of the blog was a general discussion about trends and aspects in m/m writing than specifically directed at Claire's books.
I do not doubt the popularity of Claire's books or the enjoyment readers get from them. I would also be likely to purchase and read more. I stand by my right though to point out areas where I feel craft can be improved.
In the end of the day though it is only my opinion and who am I to judge?
Thanks for your feedback, anyway

Reply
Michaele
12/6/2010 08:51:29 am

And thank you for your well thought out response which I respect. I hope you will take another look at her work as she is one of my favorites.

Reply
A.B.Gayle link
12/6/2010 09:59:45 am

Thanks Michaele
I will check out The Cowboy Poet and Heart of Submission.
My offer for further suggestions on any books that you feel get the thought processes of a Dom's mind right still stands.
The one aspect of BDSM I am uncomfortable with is the humiliation, degradation aspect which often seems to be more prevalent when females are submissive. This was very much an element in the first book of hers that I read.
I loved Jay Lygon's "Chaos Magic" but found "Love Runes" harder to like (although I still appreciated her craft) mainly because of that element of humiliation it contained.
There also needs to be a distinction made between fetishes and BDSM. For example, from what I can gather people can have a pissing fetish but still not be involved in a BDSM scene.
Yet in real life are these boundaries blurred or apparent?
Is this the sort of thing Claire is referring to when Nathan makes those remarks in "Switch" about it being a "game".
I am very interested in the D/s aspects from a psychological point of view more than the m/s which to me can just be indulging in a fetish.
I like to explore why both sides of the equation need the side they are suited for, what they get out of it. That's the side that intrigues me the most.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    A.B.Gayle

    This is a collection of reviews I've posted at Goodreads and
    interviews authors have granted me.

    Plus from time to time, I'll share my take on writing and marketing. This will be done under the Tyler Knoll banner, because nothing is better for curing the headache these things can be for us.

    Archives

    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    June 2010
    March 2010

    Categories

    All
    Alexis Hall
    Ash Penn
    Barry Lowe
    Bev Dentham
    Brad Vance
    Bryl Tyne
    Chainmale
    Chaos Magic
    Christopher Koehler
    C.H. Scarlett
    C.J. Cherryh
    Clare London
    Damon Suede
    Darla Sands
    Desert Run
    Dirk Vanden
    Don Bastien
    Don Schecter
    Drag Queen
    Duck
    Dusk
    Erotic Horizons
    Habu
    Hank Edwards
    Heidi Cullinan
    Heights Of Passion
    Hot Head
    Hourglass
    Interview
    Isolation
    Jane Davitt
    Jay Lygon
    Jeff Mann
    John Preston
    John Wiltshire
    Josh Lanyon
    J.P. Barnaby
    Julie Bozza
    K.A.Mitchell
    Keith Fennell
    Kim Dare
    Lisa Henry
    Lyn Gala
    Margie Church
    Marshall Thornton
    Mel Keegan
    Mimosa
    Morticia Knight
    Mr Benson
    Opinion
    Out Of The Box
    Patric Michael
    Phillip Mackenzie Jr
    Quotes
    Redemption Reef
    Reversal
    Review
    Reviews
    Robert Reynolds
    Robert Rodi
    Ryan Field
    Scott Terry
    Stray
    Syd Mcginley
    T.A. Webb
    Thom Lane
    Trey #3
    Tyler Knoll
    Vancouver Nights
    Wild Raspberries
    William Maltese
    Writing

    RSS Feed

    Follow this blog
Picture
The copyright to all the material published on this site is owned by A.B. Gayle.