I think one of the best things about writing for my the publishers that I do, is the freedom they give me to create the characters that I want to write. I love writing about women you wouldn’t have traditionally seen on the bookshelves a few years back, i.e. women of color, big beautiful women, women with real life issue, etc. But you know, sometimes I do like writing the traditional heroine as well. I don’t even want to pigeon hole myself as a specific type of author.
I think an author has to write what the story calls for, because when you compromise your vision, you don’t always give your one hundred percent. And at the end of the day, you can’t please everyone so why not please yourself?
I’m working on a story right now of one of my most popular characters. I get emails about him all the time, yet I find myself stalling and putting it off, because frankly, sometimes I find it a little disheartening to be told how I should write this story. I guess eventually, I will have to sit down and force myself to write it, but for now I’d rather put it aside and work on something else.
I was chatting to an aspiring author earlier this week, and she’s working on getting something published and she asked me for advice, I told her, “never stop learning” I think that’s the best advise given to me by a very special person. If you stop learning, readers get bored. Never get so big that you feel you’re above taking suggestion. A New York Times Bestselling Author once told me that she’s still learning. That made a profound impact on me. That was a few years back, but I still take her advice to heart. I’m nowhere near to proficient as I’d like to be, but I’m learning, and will never stop.