#WritersCoffeeClub 6. Is it the reader's/critic's interpretation of a work or the author's?
Is it... what?
I can't quite parse this question, which feels rather a propos given what I think the question is asking.
Short version, though: once a writer has written something, what the reader gets from it isn't something they have any other influence on. They can declare whatever they'd like about the work, but if the reader doesn't see it there, it's not there for that reader.
That said, I do think there are absolutely situations—especially when we're talking about marginalized authors writing from their lived, breathed experiences, even in fiction—where readers who don't have that experience speak over author voices in a way that can do and does do harm.
Especially when the vast critical majority aren't coming from that marginalized point of view.
Like everything else, no simple answers, but rather nuances to consider.
#WritersCoffeeClub Dec 3: What writing advice would you give your younger self?
When that Creative Writing Prof rips you to shreds, he'll have a novel in print, so you'll feel like he's got the weight of experience and knowledge behind him.
He'll still have that one novel in print when you're on short story number thirty-six, four novels, a collection, seven novellas, and three YAs.
So... don't let him derail you for those years, huh? Pretty sure he just didn't like you wrote queer stories.
One last reminder for those who love #Christmas#Romance (and also Canada!)
I've hooked arms with some wonderful Canuck romance authors to bring you a gathering of books which very well might include your next Christmas favourite!
One last, super-important, thought about covers: if you're book is about a werewolf (or werebear, or any other shifter) and the cover art has a completely smooth-skinned man with zero body hair what-so-ever, I'm going to be annoyed.
(Especially if we're talking about a gay werebear. I mean, COME ON.)
#WritersCoffeeClub Nov 19: Describe the funniest moment you’ve written lately. Share an excerpt.
(Dave spots crush in a coffee shop; it's winter; I imagine fellow Canadians will understand toque reality.)
“Abort, abort!” Dave whispered to Asher.
“Hu-ush,” Asher said in a low sing-song voice. Post-toque, Asher’s dark curls had chosen violence: they stuck up in every direction at once. “He’s sitting with the Primetimers. They won’t notice us.”
“He will with you doing your Muppet impression.”
It's rare, but this morning my husky is leaning against me on the couch, and it's so hard not to just throw my arms around him and snuggle the heck out of him, but that's not his way.
#WritersCoffeeClub 16: What ancillary writing apps do you find the most useful?
I write my first draft on Scrivener, which comes with more bells and whistles than I'll ever totally use, but lets me write out of order easily (my go-to).
I transfer it to Word before the editing process.
I suppose the closest I come to using an app is sometimes writing on my phone on the phone's notepad app.
Writers, your audience exists in today's world. No matter what you write, today's world is the place it exists in. I say this because even when you write the darkest of hopeless horrors, your audience still exists in today's world, and that means you have to consider what ideologies, your work might prop-up or suggest—even without authorial intent, which I get is harder—but come on, a romantic lead who is a part of the KKK?
That's not even a low bar to clear. It's on the fucking ground.
But while it is 100% correct that no one can stop you from writing whatever you want, it is also 100% true that "I can write what I want" is of zero defence against the consequences and impacts of what you've written.
@micahdraws Or that you are owed a platform, monetization, equal time at the mic as those who live the topic you're discussing (when you don't), or the like.
So, the whole of my #QueerYA writing are these four (so far):
"Leap," is a short story in the first, in the collection Boys of Summer; Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks was my first YA novel, "Hope Echoes" is a novella included in the tree-novella book Three Left Turns to Nowhere, and then the aforementioned Stuck With You, my hi-lo novel.
Hey all! I'm 'Nathan Burgoine, and I'm a tall queer guy who writes (mostly) shorter queer fiction—though a few novels have indeed happened. I tend to live with one foot in Romance, and one foot in Spec-Fic (often both), as well as YA.
My latest was a Hi/Lo Queer YA rom-com, Stuck With You.
Also, I think tomorrow I'll be handing in the edits for TRIAD MAGIC and these dudes will finally get to take their bow. This book was supposed to be my project of 2019, but... well.
#writerscoffeeclub Nov 1 - What's the best writing advice you've heard or read?
Anyone who gives you advice starting with "all writers" (be it "all true writers..." or "you're not a true writer unless..." or "real writers..." or "any writer worth their salt..." or any variation thereof) is wrong. There is a writer out there doing it without following that rule, and doing it well.
Doesn't mean there might not be useful advice in there, but if it doesn't work for you? Don't do it.
Okay, I'm usually pretty anti-get-the-Straight-guys-to-do-queer-things-as-an-object-lesson because so much of it doesn't land right: they're never in the actual position of queer dudes, there's always the "and that's done" safety moment thereafter, and it tends to minimize queerness into actions rather than existence, but... I really enjoyed watching this.
Like, these dudes were willing to do something that frightened them—I have to admit to laughing the first time one of them said it was a little scary/anxiety-inducing because 'why?' but then, oh, yeah, they've grown up with very proscribed rules of what guys do. I got to throw those rules out the damn window.
Anyway. Fascinating, and a little moving in places.
@Cassandra@herhandsmyhands Right? Also, I can't quite put my finger on many specifics, but I loved the sense of multiple layers of consent involved there. So much pre-talk (and even the "I got permission from my girlfriend" part was quite lovely, in a different way).
