Don’t Know, Can’t Care

[lagilman]

http://www.lauraannegilman.net/dont-know-cant-care/

Yesterday, someone asked me what the on-spec manuscript I've been working on, was.

My answer: a story.

No, they said, what kind of story?

With words, and characters, and Stuff Happening and their world changing, even if The World doesn't change for them.

But what genre? they insisted. Is it fantasy? SF? YA? Mainstream? Is it Steampunk or UF? What is it?

I don't know. Or yeah, I kind of know, because there's magic and there's adventure, and there's growing up and there's dying and there's love and faith and the loss of same, and guns and horses and snark and drama...

But I don't know what kind of story it is. Agent Guy and I have discussed this, and come to no real conclusion except: it's the story I need to write right now. And when it's done, then we'll worry about it.

Because yeah, I'm immersed in the business side of things, as much as I can bear.  I know that to keep going, I have to hit the market, keep up sales, find new readers without losing too many of the old, all that.

But there are times when thinking too much about the business of writing - the marketing and the promotion, stressing about the tropes and the memes and the audience expectations - gets in the way of the simple stillness of telling.

So yeah, when this is done, we'll figure out what it is, what I've done.  Right now, I can't think about all that.  I'm writing.

What do you think: smart brain-management, crazy as a fox survival tactic, or writerly denial?

Comments

[madrobins]

Smart brain management for 1000, Alex.

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

I'm waffling somewhere between "crazy as a fox" and "denial." Considering I do the same thing with my job, I'm more inclined to say "crazy as a fox", because I really don't want to think "denial".

Of course, that's probably "denial" all by itself...

[brickhousewench.livejournal.com]

That makes me think of an adult looking at a baby or small child and asking "Who are they going to be when they grow up?"

You just don't know yet. And even when you know enough to finally put some sort of label on them, that label is guaranteed to 1) not be able to explain their many wonderful and complicated facets of their personality and 2) guaranteed to be at least two sizes too small to contain all of their awesome.

[greatsword.livejournal.com]

At some point, the genre category does only two things:

Allows fans of your other work to easily find this one. (I fail at recognizing your Kornetsky pseudonym when I'm in the bookstore. )

Draws new readers to your work.

I don't think you need to know now; you can decide later what class of new readers you want to draw in. Do you know what name you're publishing it under?

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

I'd have put it down to "if I talk about it, I'll jinx it" or maybe an attempt at a polite "none of your business right now," but that's me.

[claireeddy.livejournal.com]

All three. But it doesn't matter--this is what is calling you. You have to follow the path...

[gwynnega]

Sounds smart to me!

[natf.livejournal.com]

What do you think: smart brain-management, crazy as a fox survival tactic, or writerly denial?

How about none of the above, merely the truth or, if needs be, *your* truth?