As seems to happen in cyberspace, conversations become cyclical. One email loop or blog will talk about a specific topic, and suddenly everyone is talking about it at the same time and you’re not sure who started the conversation.
This has recently happened in communities I’m in related to the subject of what is taboo in romance. (And fill-in your favorite sub-genre, because it’s not just straight contemporary romance, but romantic suspense, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, historical romance, etc., etc.)
But many people aren’t talking about what’s forbidden (if there is anything that’s forbidden), but if people would want to read this type of book. For example, someone will ask a question, “I’m writing a book about a dog falling in love with a cat. Would this be something you’d want to read?” The responses are polar opposites, from “I’d never read a book like that!” to “I’ve been waiting forever to read a book like that!”
The topics are wide and varied. Divorce, remarriage, the death or murder of a child, a cheating spouse, heroines who sleep around, having a dog’s POV in the story, etc., etc. Some very serious, some not-so-serious.
These conversations aren’t limited to writers loops. They are discussed among readers as well, as evidenced by me lurking last night on a few romance message boards as I contemplated writing this blog. I wanted to see if these strong opinions were reserved for writers, or if readers shared them. Well, they do. Many readers won’t read books with certain plot devices . . . though they are usually willing to give their favorite authors a chance.
As a writer, I’ve had to learn a hard lesson. It’s really a life lesson: You Can’t Please Everyone. We all try, right? We want to be good wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, employees, bosses. But when you spread yourself too thin, you end up exhausted and unable to please anyone because you’ll never be able to meet all their expectations.
This is true in writing. No matter what you write, someone is going to hate it. They might hate your character, your story, or the premise. It doesn’t matter. Even the most popular authors don’t please every reader out there, even every reader of that genre or every one of their fans with every book.
So that’s the first thing that aspiring writers need to learn: you can’t please everyone. Who can you please then? Well, the first person you MUST please is yourself. As Stephen King says, “Write with the door closed.” He refers to your first draft, your sloppy copy, your rough draft, whatever you want to call it. Get the story down on paper the way you want to tell it, without thinking about fans or readers or editors or agents. Write the story you love, tell it the way you want.
King goes on to say, “Edit with the window open.” Listen to suggestions on how to improve the story, create better characters, tighten the prose, keeping an eye out for things that may not be working.
The single most important thing in writing is passion. YOU must have passion for your story. YOU must love what you’re writing. Aspiring writers are constantly asking about what’s selling? What’s hot? What’s the market like? I say, it doesn’t matter. Because if you don’t love what’s hot, you’re not going to effectively write it. You won’t have the passion for it. That will show in your writing.
This holds true for any controversial plot. If you want to write a book about infidelity, because you have this wonderful story that’s bursting inside you and you want to pour it out and see where it goes, DO IT! Why do you care if an email list of writers tell you they would never read a book like that? Because in the end, I believe that it’s all in the execution. One writer can take the idea and it’ll bomb; another will take the exact same premise and hit the bestseller lists.
Does this mean there aren’t any taboos? That everything goes? Yes . . . and no. Controversial or “taboo” topics can be hard to write, but they can also be the most emotionally rewarding. The thing to remember is: you can’t please everyone. If you’re writing something you are passionate about, do it–knowing that some editors and some agents and some readers are not going to love it. You’ll be rejected. But if an editor loves it, chances are there are readers out there who will love it–it’s just finding them and writing to them.
Voice is so important in fiction. When I discovered my “voice” was naturally darker than I thought, I let it go–meaning, I stopped restraining my writing and pulling back. I was scared–because not everyone likes dark romantic suspense. Not everyone wants to be scared or nervous or checking their doors three times before the go to bed. But this is me, and I had to accept that not everyone would love my books before I could truly release my voice and write what came naturally, rather than forcing my prose into a mold I thought I needed to stay in to sell.
Joining writers groups like Romance Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and others can be hugely beneficial in so many ways to aspiring writers; however, it can also be stifling when you find out there are “rules” and you try so hard to follow them.
I would argue that in following these rules, in not pushing the envelope in whatever you’re writing be it suspense, comedy, angst, hot sex, that you’re stifling your natural creative voice and diminishing your passion. Without passion (and I’m not talking sex), it’s much harder to sell.
Now all that said, you need to know what you love to read, what you love to write, and what publishers publish what you love to read and write. Because some publishers do have “taboos” and they’re all different. But generally, it’s all in the execution–and if you can pull it off, go for it.
Every reader has their own “taboo” subjects. Some people don’t like books with animals, or children who talk on the page, or secret baby stories, or blond heroes. Some are more serious taboos, like no books with children who die, no books about infidelity, no books about rape.
I’d considered asking people what book subject matter they would never read, but then I decided to do something more positive . . . so I’d like to know a book you’ve read that dealt with one of your personal taboos that you ended up liking in spite of or because of the taboo plot point or character trait. Was it the author? The voice? The execution? All of the above?
No related posts.
Interesting topic, especially about the one person loves it, one hates it. My agent is shopping a new book, and the responses sure drive that point home. I’m pleased that the one commonality is they all think I’m a good writer, but from there, the rejection reasons have been all over the map. Good series potential/can’t see this as a series. The last one said the “death knell” was the meth lab thread. ??? Why? I mean, it’s not like the meth people were the good guys, and it wasn’t the primary focus of the book. But that was it.
For me, I don’t read paranormal, and usually steer clear of historicals. However, I love Diana Gabaldon’s books, and also Lynn Kurland’s time travel. For some reason I can accept that. And since I started writing with Highlander FanFiction, you’d think paranormal wouldn’t be far out of the box for me, but somehow, I rationalized that “Immortality” thing with a comparison to Star Trek’s “Requiem for Methuselah” episode where Bones explained it as “spontaneous cell regeneration.” My scientific mind could get a handle on that.
But I sure wish this paranormal trend would swing the other direction and put more choices out there. I was really into a recent read until the heroine died in the middle but was given a second chance at life. Couldn’t buy into it, despite the excellent writing. I could have bought any of a half-dozen other ways to get to the same point with the heroine, but a true ‘coming back from the dead’ just didn’t cut it.
you are so right. in writing class they teach you to “think about your audience, your market,” but this seems to me to be the death knell to a writer. you’ve got to wrench stuff out, it’s got to be real to you. that’s the only way any of my writing is ever any good.
great post.
“…it’s all in the execution”
This is so very, very true. As a rule, I don’t like sci-fi and I don’t like westerns, so if someone had asked me if I would watch a futuristic space western called “Firefly”, I would’ve said, “Absolutely not.” And I would’ve missed out on one of my favorite shows ever. Same thing has happened with books more than I care to admit.
Goes to show that we as readers don’t know what we want; we only know what we think we want, based on our preconceived notions on what something is.
Look at the number of people who have decided they don’t like romance, without ever having read one.
When I think about it, the books I’ve loved most were the ones I had every reason not to like. They were the wrong genre, the wrong POV, had characters I knew I would hate or situations I couldn’t fathom would ever be believable. And yet, somehow they managed to open my mind and change my opinion. And for me, being given something I didn’t know I could ever like is a much greater experience than being given something I liked by default.
I don’t like first person stories. It’s just me. I don’t like them. But I love my CP’s book, The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox. It is funny and the narrator’s voice sparkles.
I don’t think there are too many subjects that are taboo for me. If it is done well, I can handle just about anything.
Writing the books we love is the ONLY thing an author has control over. We can’t control sales. We can’t control publisher wishes. We can’t control trends.
A great book will overcome any taboo for me. EXCEPT the happy ever after with romance. I buy romance for exactly that. The warm, all is right with the world, feeling.
Terry, good luck with your submission! It’s a tough market, but obviously you have interest . . . it’s just finding the right match.
I’m willing to suspend disbelief far more in science fiction than I am in crime fiction. If it’s obviously another world, I’m fine with what the author chooses to do–as long as it makes sense for that world. But in crime fiction, I’ll fret for days about a small plot point if I think it makes something contrived or unrealistic. I don’t mind writing improbable scenarios, as long as it’s technically possible.
Crys, you’re absolutely right. Writing or a specific audience, in fiction, can be stifling. How do you know where your natural voice lies? Are you writing to the market or what you really want to write? But once you’re published, you do have an audience, and you need to be mindful of it. My goal with each book is to keep my readers happy by providing a story they expect, while keeping myself happy with what I’m writing, while trying to capture new readers through identifying the people who enjoy my books and finding more readers like them.
But to sit down and decide, “I’m going to write a vampire book because vampire books are hot” instead of “I’m going to write a vampire book because I love vampire stories and have one burning to get out,” is the problem. If you do sell even if you don’t love what you’re writing, you need to write more of the same (but different!) because you’re building that audience. If you don’t love it, you’re not going to what to do it for 5-10 years.
Liz, outstanding points!!! I’m that way with movies; if I go in expecting something fabulous and it’s not fabulous, I hate it far more than if I go in not expecting anything very good because I don’t like the type of movie (this happens all the time when I take my teenagers to see the YA type movies), but it turns out really good. STEP UP, a teen movie, was the last one I saw that I ended up thinking was very well done and enjoyed.
Jess, that’s exactly what I mean! And I got Angie’s book because of the buzz . . . I can’t wait to read it!
Rock on Kimber! We ONLY have control over the book. I wish I could control the universe, but I can barely control my five kids, so the universe is going to have to wait.
The HEA is a given in romance, but you know what? There are some fantastic romantic stories that don’t have a traditional HEA but I would still consider them romances (or with a romance subplot) like CASABLANCA. I have a thing, I think, for bittersweet endings.
I used to avoid books with children in them like the plague, but there were just too many good stories out there with children in them to continue that stance.
I also tend to avoid first person, but again, there are some great stories out there written in first person.
Like you said, it is about the execution.
I recently picked up a book with a gay leading man. I liked it. At first didn’t think I would, but in the end, I was hoping he’d find love, and be happy. I liked him….It was author Susan Brockmann. (I think I spelled her first name wrong.) But I loved the book…And never thought I would…It wa a pleasant surprise.
There has to be something for everyone. The world would be a very dull world if we didn’t. So there will be thinks individually some like, some hate…Its the way of the world….Can’ avoid it.
The vampire thing made me laugh. I thought I was doomed to never sell a book because I’m hemophobic and can’t stand the idea of vampires. I sold a Futuristic Romance instead. LOL
No one can make me do vampires. But I’ve found a couple that I’ve read that I’ve liked. I just have to skip parts.
Great post. I have to say I don’t have any taboo’s, there are just genre’s within romance I don’t like to read. Personally, I don’t like historicals, a few reasons, but mainly because I have a hard time immersing myself into those worlds. There are authors who do this well, such as Christina Dodd and Eloisa James. I can read both and enjoy both, but over all I just don’t care for historicals.
There was one book by Sharon Sala (I’m pretty sure that was her name) that dealt with a little girl who had been kidnapped by her mother, mom dies and she ends up in this sexual cult and sold as a child prostitute. It was a rough read, I pushed through and finished it. I can’t say I enjoyed this, because of the topic, but more because I needed more development of the heroine…her trauma and over coming it, before she could fall in love.
So I guess, I don’t have taboo’s really. Just certain genre’s I don’t particularly enjoy.
I agree completely with you that it is the author’s voice that drives the story and whether I will like it or not. I’ve read enough erotica, encountered enough BDSM, threesome scenes, and some author’s do it well and other’s have just freaked me out and I’ve tossed the book away because it was so disturbing.
It’s in the execution.
I thought I would never read vampire and demons and then I found a few I really like. I even ended up writing a vampire book. It was fun. Fantasy? No way, I don’t like it, and yet, my CP turned me on to the most wonderful world’s imagineable. There are some things still taboo for me, but you never know.
What I really wanted to write was the kind of dark suspense that you write, Allison. I love reading those. Unfortunately, I tend to have a light, flip type voice. So, I’m trying to go with my strengths and write what I write.
I consider infidelity a big no-no in a romance novel, and yet, I’ve enjoyed books in which one of the partners cheated. In Susan Johnson’s Seized by Love, the hero never promises to be faithful–and isn’t–but I still end up believing in their HEA. Against all odds.
Also, Barbara Delinsky’s Three Wishes has a very non-traditional ending for a romance novel. Still a great book.
I say break those taboos. Please. Sometimes I need a surprise.
I will not read anything where something bad happens to a child, and I am not fond of teenager-in-trouble plots (too real for me). Those are my taboos. Oh, and as for voice. I would love to be able to write in that profound, deeply emotional, dark voice that Michael Connelly, PD James or Elizabeth George do so well. But like the other poster, I find that I’m a little funny, a little wry, and positive. I can feel very dark, all the weight of the world and its misery–I feel that way alot, actually–but I can’t translate those emotions to paper–yet.
My lst thought was Linda Howard’s CRY NO MORE, a story of a 6-week-old baby’s kidnapping, & its mother’s obsession to find him. After the lst several pages, when he gets kidnapped out of his mother’s babypack, while she’s at a store shopping to buy special groceries for the lst sexual reunion with her husband following delivery, I wanted to stop reading because it was so heartbreaking. However, it was written with so much passion, I couldn’t. Reading how the mother becomes an advocate for child kidnapping, &, yet, with every birthday, buying him an age-appropriate gift, but not finding him, was gutwrenching. I wouldn’t want to read another similar story, but, this one will never leave my mind.
Hmm, I was obviously on cold medicine when I wrote my answer, because you were asking about taboos and I wrote about books I previously just wasn’t interested in.
Sheesh.
Taboos for me are books where something bad happens to children or babies. It took me forever to get through Deep End of the Ocean. I did it, but it gave me nightmares (still upsets me actually). In fact, Allison, you know that I have pestered you about the baby in your first series too. It bothers me. It bothers me that it’s not resolved because the child was so young. But when the writing is good, it’s good. So I have read books with this subject in it, but it is a really hard thing for me to deal with.
The book that Patricia mentions above sounds completely heart-wrenching and there’s no way I could read it.
Sorry I was out of commission yesterday afternoon–sports games, sports practice, and a lot of running around!
Thanks for all these great comments, and I think it shows that we are all different and we like different things and I think that’s great. But because we’re human, we are willing to try something we might not like . . . and sometimes we like it.
Patricia, CRY NO MORE is one of my favorite of Linda Howard’s books. Gut-wrenching, fabulously written, and truly a memorable book. Very tough subject matter, but Linda Howard is a master.
Michelle, go with your voice! It’ll be easier (not that it’s EASY, it’s never easy, but it’ll come more naturally.) I love reading romantic comedy and light, fun romances (SEP, Jenny Crusie, Susan Andersen, etc) but I can’t write them. I tried once and it was so awful . . . I’m sorry about Justin (Nelia Kincaid’s son who died.) If I ever find out what happened to him, I’ll write about it. I know it’s not a good answer, but sometimes we never find out. Because Justin was far into the backstory, though his death touched everyone’s lives and changed their paths, I never planned on resolving the cold case. Maybe. I have a lot of stories clamoring to be written.
BTW, Leah, one of my closest friends, also a writer, wouldn’t read my NO EVIL series because I sent her the prologue to proofread and I scared her–she has teens. So do I, well one and almost one, and I think I obsess over all the bad things that could happen and writing gives me a way to purge the fear. Not that it’ll ever go away, but it’s an outlet.
‘The book that Patricia mentions above sounds completely heart-wrenching and there’s no way I could read it.
by Michelle (MG)’
Michelle, I understand your feelings, but, I should mention that in CNM there were reasons to continue reading: i.e., the marriage didn’t survive, but, the husband/wife continued working together to find their son: she, by being obsessed by it 24/7, while searching for other children, & he by funding her efforts, in spite of remarrying & having another child. I liked that Howard did not write the obvious response: that the h/w came to hate each other. I also liked that it wasn’t written that the wife’s actions to retrieve kidnapped children were always “within the law”–her actions weren’t, & it wasn’t fluffed over.
As someone who has read all of Howard’s books, &, frankly, haven’t liked some of her recent ones, this book was fabulously crafted & made me think & learn. By the same token, I certainly can understand how someone couldn’t get through it.
[...]Romantic suspense author Allison Brennan…posted an insightful piece related to this in her Romancing the Blog post.[...]
Re Cry No More:
Imagine having your baby wrenched from your body as it was being born by people who simply wanted a child.