Beth Camp Historical Fiction

Wednesday, September 07, 2022

IWSG September 7: Finding the Right Shoe

 As my poor right foot heals from minor surgery, I wonder how many weeks before I can wear proper shoes, and not this oversized black rubber 'sandal' that sticks out 3" in front of my toes. At least, I can walk, and grateful I am for each pain-free step!

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know that the first Wednesday of the month is the day many writers (some 319 of us) post a response to IWSG's challenge question:  This month, a simple, direct question: 

 

What genre would be the worst for you to tackle and why? At first, I thought, oh, easy question. For I would have a hard time writing erotica. I'm too shy. Still believe some scenes happen behind closed doors. Sexual violence, no. Romantic suspense, yes! Mysteries, yes! Historical fiction, yes! Maybe even science fiction?

And then I realized I probably would not write Young Adult. Hmm, you might say. My childhood was too dark, and that darkness spills over into my writing. Even drafting a memoir was hard work, and I put it aside for the more accessible family history, allowing me to jump into the far away and safer past. I'd rather write about some treasured antiquity, wonder how it was made, who created it, and why it might be lost today -- and rediscovered. 

I have no words of advice other than this: Write what you love, what you feel passionate about, what affirms life, what you cherish. And, then, revise, revise, revise!

Other news? Celebrate the launch of Scattered Stones with me, perhaps the last in my historical fiction series set in 1840's Scotland. Here, you'll find the tale of Dylan who facing evictions, leaves his island home and wife behind to search for work, not knowing Moira is pregnant. As evictions continue, Moira travels to Inverness to find him. Will these two find each other?

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is an online writing community of writers who, once each month, share their thoughts about writing and connect with others (at least 12 other writers each month!) by reading their blog posts. Alex Cavanaugh, our fearless leader, challenges us 'to rock the neurotic world!' And, so we shall.
 
Why not visit our IWSG home page and discover what other IWSG writers have written? And while you're busy following Alice as she chases the rabbit, why not visit our hosts for this September 7 posting to thank them! Kim Lajevardi, Cathrina Constantine, Natalie Aguirre, Olga Godim, Michelle Wallace, and Louise - Fundy Blue!  

For fall begins. A perfect time to discover new writers and curl up with a book!


Beginnings of fall at nearby Manito Park (2022)




23 comments:

  1. I hope your foot heals quickly. I couldn't write erotica either. Congrats on your book release! I hope it's been going well.

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  2. Anonymous5:31 AM

    I think trauma plays a huge role in what we tolerate in our life and of course what we read, watch and write. I agree write what you love.
    ~Teresa
    From T. Powell Coltrin Writes @ https://journalingwoman.blogspot.com

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    1. Just visited your site and enjoyed it very much. Write on!

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  3. I'm with you on not being able to write erotica. I'll leave that to the talents the likes of Anais Nin. Congrats again on your new book.

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  4. Hi, great advice. I often say to people who ask me, write what you love to read. It they say they don't like reading, then I tell them they have a problem because fifty percent of being a writer is being a reader.
    All the best.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

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    1. Hello, Pat. Now I'm wondering what that other 50% of being a writer is about! Thank you for stopping by. May you have a good month ahead!

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  5. Congratulations on the new book! And good luck with the foot, I hope it heals quickly and well.

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    1. Thank you . . . of course, this puts me back to researching and drafting the next story. Re the foot, so far, so good, but it's hard to stay seated nearly all the time!!!

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  6. I'm with you regarding erotica or sexual violence. It would be an absolute NO for me. I don't read it either. The same is true for YA - not for me, even though my reasons might be different from yours.
    Good luck with your latest release.

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  7. I like what you said. I agree write what you love, if I don't love I probably won't write it or at least finish it. Literary is the one I won'd write. Don't enjoy it much.

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    1. I agree with you, Juneta. Once literary fiction invited me in; now, it feels contrived. Even so, I suspect I could learn from reading literary fiction -- if I got around to it.

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  8. I agree that our past experiences, good or bad, can heavily impact the genre choices we make. Dredging up a difficult past through months of writing and even more months of editing would be miserable.

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    1. Hello, Miffie. Yes to writing a memoir could be difficult, and it could be healing. Just one reason I set aside memoir and switched to family history, the stories I want my family to know that go back further than just me or my Hollywood mother. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Have a great month!

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  9. No erotica, young adult, or romance for me! Don't like it, shouldn't (and couldn't) write it.

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  10. Congratulations on Scattered Stones, Beth! Nothing holds you back ;-)
    Happy September!

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    1. Thank you, Diedre, for your positive affirmations!!!! Lovely!

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  11. Interesting how we choose genres or genres choose us. I like your reasoning. Probably there'd be a wide audience for a 'dark' memoir.

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    1. Hello, Denise. Now I have to go look again at what genres you've chosen and wonder what was behind them. My historical fiction comes directly from a love of history, what the ordinary person experienced and how he or she survived. Memoir, even now after drafting, seems far too personal. Thank you for stopping by. May September be good to you!

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  12. I've tried writing a YA novel, loosely based on an event when I was a teen. It's been sitting in a draw for about seventeen years and an early beta reader loved it. I plan to rewrite it when the time is right, hopefully soon. Sometimes a new genre can work for us, while others we can easily cast aside. But I think it's a combination of having some passion and trusting one's gut. It sounds like you've achieved that. Congratulations on your new book! I wish you all the best.

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    1. Thank you, Debbie. Your comment that combines passion and trusting your gut resonates! But sometimes we also need a community of readers and writers who show support and interest in our work. This helps us look again at what is possible. May all your writing projects go well.

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  13. Wise words of advice, Beth! Scattered Stones sounds really good. Take it easy with that foot!

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    1. Thank you, Fundy. Yes, I'm taking it easy, but that's hard! Maybe in two more weeks I can go for a short walk before the snows come. Enjoy fall!

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  14. Don't think I can ever write a YA novel. I am not a big fan of the romance genre as a stand-alone when it comes to writing. Congratulations on your new book! It sounds very interesting.

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