by: Staci Stallings
One of the dangers of writing outside the box, not following the formula, and going where God leads is that you get into situations that make you really question the wisdom of doing any of that.
You see, as an indie writer, I love the freedom of being able to write the stories the way God gives them to me. They don’t have to be a set number of words or pages or follow a strict pattern. The hero and heroine might meet in the first chapter or the sixth, and no one is at the bottleneck saying, “You can’t do it this way.”
That’s great when you’re writing because… freedom!
It’s when you hit the Sea of Publication that things become a whole lot more dicey.
Because it’s one thing to like or even love a story. It’s a whole other thing to put it out there and know that other people are not going to like your story because it so doesn’t fit the formula.
It’s like the other day, I got a review on a book of mine that I just love. The reviewer clearly did not feel the same way. The review said they could summarize the whole book in eight points, and then they did so. Hey, I could do it in three…
They meet.
They have issues.
They fall in love.
Why is that such a challenge? I mean, come on. Of course there is a plotline structure to a story. Why is that news?
Then I got another review on a different book that said it was “too descriptive on sex scenes.” Uhm, there are no “sex scenes” in the book. They kiss, yes, like they love each other, but that’s it.
So, it’s in this environment of overly-picky and rather vocal reviewers that I’m sending my latest effort, “The Taste of Tears” out from the safe shore of my computer, knowing…. Oh, knowing it does not follow the formula. Knowing some readers are going to want to throw things at the end. Knowing already what could be coming my way in terms of reviews.
It’s crazy because this book is why I write—to try to break through the things holding people back from their greatest victories. And yet, this book is also why I hate actually publishing stories that God said were a good idea to write.
I have to admit, there are times I feel like David. Do you think he ever once thought, “What am I doing? What was God thinking telling me THIS was a good idea?”
I don’t know if David felt that way. I know I sure do.
I guess we’ll consider this one a little peek behind the curtain of what it’s actually like to be an indie writer that could never have put these stories out this way through a traditional publisher. No way would this story have made it through in this form. But it is with fear and trembling, I send my heart’s work away from the shore, out into the tumultuous sea of readers who may or may not be very kind to it. I guess as they say, Ready or not, here we go!
Preorder Staci’s Newest Release
The Taste of Tears
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Release Date: Friday, September 28, 2018
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A stay-at-home mom with a husband, three kids and a writing addiction on the side, Staci Stallings has numerous titles for readers to choose from. Not content to stay in one genre and write it to death, Staci’s stories run the gamut from young adult to adult, from motivational and inspirational to full-out Christian and back again. Every title is a new adventure! That’s what keeps Staci writing and you reading. Although she lives in Amarillo, Texas and her main career right now is her family, Staci touches the lives of people across the globe with her various Internet and writing endeavors.
Hi Staci, love the cover and title of you book. Thanks for the insights into what it’s like to send out something close to your heart. I like that you are willing to write outside the formula- makes it less predictable!
Blessings:)
Hi Staci and Happy Monday! We finally are experiencing fall like temperatures in SW Michigan. Apples and pumpkins are being harvested. Fall activities are in full swing. Thanks for sharing your out of the box writing journey and following your heart and God’s leading. Your gut wrenching story Flight 259 is forever imbedded in my mind. Preordered The Taste of Tears. Best wishes and happy writing.
Not only are you a talented writer, but you are very brave to write “out of the box”! I admit that I want a HEA, but I also like to be made to think and feel inside the story.
Hmm….sounds interesting. I pray you have success with your book and that you accept with grace any who are less than kind in their reviews.
I love this cover. I do believe that David felt this way, I mean, he was as human as the rest of us. He sure had his problems just like the rest of us. But we can learn from him and let him push us a little closer to God. This is a great post. Keep up the good work
As a fellow writer who is also trying to follow God, even when it doesn’t seem logical, I so appreciate what you shared today. Thanks.
Knowing others are experiencing similar situations helps tremendously.
Blessings on your book!
Well, I love it when author surprises me with a story. And belive me, the ones who always have something negative to say, shouldn’t matter at all. After all – they’re unhappy with themselves.
I don’t understand how reviewers can give bad reviews. I’ve read books I didn’t like, that I hated, that I burned. But I didn’t review them because someone else might like them. I only review books I like. If I don’t have anything good to say, I don’t say anything at all.
I’ve really liked everything of yours I’ve read so far, and I’ve got this new one pre-ordered.
I’m like Shannon above, if I don’t like a book, I just don’t review it :-)
I SO hear you, Staci. I was just thinking about this issue this morning as I got out of bed because of a couple of less than stellar reviews I’ve received on my best-performing book. Writing what God calls me to write means not writing within the boundaries of other people’s boxes, and that nets me some… well… let’s say INTERESTING results. I’m reminded constantly that reading is SO subjective, and there are definitely readers who don’t like when a writer doesn’t follow a formula or otherwise writes outside their comfort zone or expectations. And they can be quite vocal about it in their reviews.
I’ve had criticism over the fact I had too many characters (not even POV, just background), too many POVs (more than 2, according to the reviewer), and one of my suspense novels ended without someone close to the hero/heroine betraying them at the end (like suspense novels “should” apparently). Oh, and then there’s my favorite – no one can fall in love quickly, because “nobody falls in love that fast”. Despite the fact my hubby and I, and a whole BUNCH of couples I know, had whirlwind romances. One couple I knew had the ultimate in whirlwind romances. He asked her to marry him the day after they met. He just KNEW she was the one, and she shared that feeling. They were married 70 years and loved each other deeply right to their deaths. It was wonderful to watch.
It doesn’t get me down though. In fact, I tend to find it more amusing than off-putting, since I always go back to a pair of critical reviews a friend received on a book she’d written (and I’d read) – one reader stated that the book was too preachy and shoved God in the reader’s face; the other stated that she couldn’t find God anywhere in the book and it lacked a faith element.
Reading is far more subjective than many people realize, I think. Recently, I was reminded of that even with regards to sentence structure, word usage, hyphenation, and spelling. For instance, some folks, editors included, don’t seem to realize there’s more than one spelling for some words. Whether folks realize it or not, dialect is a very real thing, even here in the US. Words aren’t necessarily used the same way from region to region. Many don’t seem to know that. Creates some amusing misunderstandings when it happens face-to-face (I live where winter visitors from other regions abound, so I get to see it personally).
Anyway, I’m constantly reminded of an old adage – You can’t please everyone. Those who enjoy stories that are outside-the-box will enjoy stories like yours and mine. Those who don’t, well, there are a LOT of authors who write inside the box and suit those readers. There are writers for everyone, even if no single writer suits for every reader. I certainly know that as a reader myself. :)
Hi, Wemble, That’s me…. less predictable! I’m starting to think I should tattoo that to my forehead!
Have an awesome day!
Hi, Renate, Yep, I hear you. Wore my first sweater of the season today. It’s been so hot and dry here in Texas that just the hint of fall is a blessing!
And yep, on the out of the box thing too. Somehow this neat-and-tidy little 5 book series just morphed this morning into a 6 book series. I have to go back and figure out how to rework Book 4 into its own book so the last part of it can be Book 5…. Yikes. Sometimes, I wonder where that box is and if I can just go hide in it!
Happy reading!
Hi, Dee, Yeah. I’m with you, I would love for every story to be that way too. My biggest problem is when they DON’T fit into that box, or at least they don’t right now even if they will eventually. :)
Have a blessed day!
Boy, I hear you on all counts, Dawn. I’ve read reviews before and thought, “Great… please don’t read any more of mine. Go find one of the other million writers out there that you might actually like.” The crazy thing is that some reviewers will say they loved it because it wasn’t predictable and the very next person will complain about how predictable it was.
I honestly don’t write to be predictable or not. I write to get the story God is giving me out of my head and onto some form of more permanent ways to keep them. That I share them with other people is a bonus to them because when I first started, I was not planning to publish anything. These were my stories to keep for myself. Then someone caught wind that I was writing, asked to read it, and before I knew it…. I had readers. Then I had too many readers to just go down to Kinkos and print off a few copies.
Now I have a lot of readers who are fans, who get my next book, look for my books, etc. Many of them love these stories as much as I do.
It’s just with this particular series (and a couple of other books prior to this one), I’m not exactly following convention. So, I guess we’ll see how it goes. Just hoping the reviews don’t make me want to curl up and go back to “these stories are only for me and no one else gets to read them”…. HAHHAHA! Although I look brave, most of the time I’m just hiding the shaking I’m doing in my boots!
Margaret,
I’m so the same way. If I don’t like something, okay, I don’t like it. I’m not one that has to go and tell everyone how horrible it is. I do get the feeling sometimes with some reviewers that their entire goal in life is to tell as many people as they can how horrible things are. I’m not sure if they do it to warn others or to make others know how superior they are to everyone else. So I pray for them and move on, but sometimes, that’s a whole lot easier than it sounds!
God bless!
Shannon,
Me either. I have a bunch of books that I’ve read that were not my ideal book. Okay, whatever. One reason I don’t read a lot of fiction is because my internal editor and my internal director get together and conspire to tell me all the ways I could’ve made this book better. So I watch movies instead because most of the time, the two of them will shut up long enough for me to enjoy the story. But I don’t go on and trash stuff even if I don’t like it because just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean someone else won’t.
God bless you and have a great day!
Thanks so much, Sherri. I shall do my best to just pray for those who cast stones (even as I try not to duck, cover, and run!).
Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!
I think THAT’S my go-to…. when things get crazy and I’m tempted to quit, I go to God and He keeps assuring me that there is purpose even in the things that make no sense. So I press onward!
So glad you stopped by! Have an awesome day!
Thanks, Jackie,
It’s so funny because I have a good friend who reads things as I write them and who is there with me every step. The other day, I sent her a message, “Okay, here we are again… What was I thinking putting THIS book out? You know people are going to hate it…” HAHAHA! We pretty much go through this same conversation about once every three months. Oh, it’s so HARD to put little pieces of your heart out there for people to read, and judge.
Best of luck on your writing! God be with you!
It’s funny because it’s kind of like getting called out on the playground. If they told me that, it would hurt, but it’s like they’re yelling it to the world so everyone will agree with them. Tough to do when you know it’s coming.
And I love readers who love surprises. That’s one reason not writing formula is so fun.
Happy reading!
Some readers do make that temptation rather strong, don’t they? LOL Keep on keeping on, and know God’s on your side though. That’s the best we can manage some days. At least, that’s how it seems to me sometimes.
I try not to admit it, but yeah, they do! ;)
I’m sorry about those reviews, especially when the reviewer doesn’t even sound like he/she read your book! But keep writing and doing what you feel called to do!
May a God continue to lead in what you write and how you write. Blessings
Beautiful <3
Thanks for your kind words. God bless you!
Thank you so much! God bless you!
Thank you!!!