Comments on: It’s not always about the writing http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/ Internationally Bestselling Author Tess Gerritsen Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:23:42 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: childofthewilderness http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-3055 childofthewilderness Mon, 03 Sep 2007 10:46:35 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-3055 oh man your donkeys are SOOOO adorable. looking at them just about deprives me of whatever intellectual comment i was about to make > oh man your donkeys are SOOOO adorable.
looking at them just about deprives me of whatever intellectual comment i was about to make >

]]> By: Tatiana http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-2968 Tatiana Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:15:21 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-2968 I love that they are called Spock and Scotty. :D I love that they are called Spock and Scotty. :D

]]> By: spyscribbler http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-2947 spyscribbler Tue, 28 Aug 2007 01:52:36 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-2947 Those donkeys are just the cutest! I'm definitely on the donkey side. Every step I take is WAY overanalyzed, fretted over, worried about, calculated. Must work on that, LOL. Those donkeys are just the cutest!

I’m definitely on the donkey side. Every step I take is WAY overanalyzed, fretted over, worried about, calculated. Must work on that, LOL.

]]> By: Jude Hardin http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-2946 Jude Hardin Tue, 28 Aug 2007 00:49:03 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-2946 If I had a solid fan base in one genre, I think I might use a pseudonym to publish The Big Risk. Does that make sense? If I had a solid fan base in one genre, I think I might use a pseudonym to publish The Big Risk. Does that make sense?

]]> By: Tess http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-2945 Tess Mon, 27 Aug 2007 23:27:56 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-2945 BernardL, you've distilled the whole dilemma down to its essence -- risk vs. reward all depends on HOW MUCH you're risking. And I totally agree. I think if a writer is just starting out and trying to establish himself, he's better off establishing a secure brand first. Only then is it safe to branch off into new stuff. The adventurous writer sometimes has to curb himself and wait a bit to try something new. And thanks for all the nice compliments about Spock and Scotty. Yeah, they ARE cute. That's why they get away with so much! BernardL, you’ve distilled the whole dilemma down to its essence — risk vs. reward all depends on HOW MUCH you’re risking. And I totally agree.

I think if a writer is just starting out and trying to establish himself, he’s better off establishing a secure brand first. Only then is it safe to branch off into new stuff.

The adventurous writer sometimes has to curb himself and wait a bit to try something new.

And thanks for all the nice compliments about Spock and Scotty. Yeah, they ARE cute. That’s why they get away with so much!

]]> By: Craig http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-2944 Craig Mon, 27 Aug 2007 22:44:23 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-2944 Tess, I will tell you when you're whining. That way you won't have to worry about it. Don't hold your breath waiting, though. Tess, I will tell you when you’re whining. That way you won’t have to worry about it. Don’t hold your breath waiting, though.

]]> By: JMH http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-2943 JMH Mon, 27 Aug 2007 22:22:58 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-2943 Tess, you're approaching this from a writer's POV, naturally. From the READER's POV, it takes time to find an author they like. They have to go through disappointments and duds to find an author who writes on their wave length. Once they find that author, they want to read everying, having a sense that they're going to get when they like. When the writer shifts gears, the reader suddenly doesn't get what is expected. That tends to bring disappointment, at the least. Prhased differently, when a writer shifts gears, that will usually translate into needing a new reader base. During the transition, the existing reader base will become annoyed. The "new" reader base may never appear because they have already heard that the writer is not the kind they are looking for. Thus, shifting gears is tough, both in terms of fan base development and short term economics. If it's done as a long term investment(e.g. the new emphasis will continue for the period of time necessary to get the word out and get a new fan base established), it can make sense. Tess, you’re approaching this from a writer’s POV, naturally. From the READER’s POV, it takes time to find an author they like. They have to go through disappointments and duds to find an author who writes on their wave length. Once they find that author, they want to read everying, having a sense that they’re going to get when they like.

When the writer shifts gears, the reader suddenly doesn’t get what is expected. That tends to bring disappointment, at the least.

Prhased differently, when a writer shifts gears, that will usually translate into needing a new reader base. During the transition, the existing reader base will become annoyed. The “new” reader base may never appear because they have already heard that the writer is not the kind they are looking for.

Thus, shifting gears is tough, both in terms of fan base development and short term economics. If it’s done as a long term investment(e.g. the new emphasis will continue for the period of time necessary to get the word out and get a new fan base established), it can make sense.

]]> By: struggler http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-2940 struggler Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:09:37 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-2940 Tess, would you mind if I told you what a cute (ahem) DONKEY you've got? ;) Tess, would you mind if I told you what a cute (ahem) DONKEY you’ve got?

;)

]]> By: NewMexicanAnn http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-2939 NewMexicanAnn Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:07:12 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-2939 I never thought I'd like donkeys, but Spock and Scotty are CUTE! Kinda wish I were there to cuddle them now, as a matter of fact. Forgive me for saying this, please, but it just popped into my goofy mind: The only thing they're missing are multicolored serapes on their backs and a cigarette coming out of their butts (ala those tacky cigarette holders). I never thought I’d like donkeys, but Spock and Scotty are CUTE! Kinda wish I were there to cuddle them now, as a matter of fact.

Forgive me for saying this, please, but it just popped into my goofy mind: The only thing they’re missing are multicolored serapes on their backs and a cigarette coming out of their butts (ala those tacky cigarette holders).

]]> By: drosdelnoch http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/its-not-always-about-the-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-2938 drosdelnoch Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:03:36 +0000 http://tessgerritsen.com/blog/2007/08/27/its-not-always-about-the-writing/#comment-2938 OK, I hope this makes sense but not meaning to sound awful but a publisher knows what will sell, should they not like what the author turns in, then they wont accept it as the submission. The fact that as an author you decided that you wanted to write a book that was different to anything else that youve done before not only shows bravery but also demonstrates that as an author youre not a one trick pony that sticks to the safe paddling waters that others dabble in. IE the old "If its not broken don't fix it" attitude. Basically what I always feel is the best thing is to ignore critics, after all, as we say in the UK, todays critism is tomorrows chip paper. So treat it as such, the fact that youre an approachable author who cares about thier fans says a lot. You listen to what we'd like but temper it with what you want to write, your excitement when youre writing fills the fans with just as much joy reading it. Its one of those things. It seems however that as a writer you just cant win, on one hand you have some saying "Oh god not another x book, when will they write something new." or its a case "Oh god, why cant I have another x book I love those." As a reader I love it when an author tackles something new it shows a spirit, and if someone refuses to read another book because one wasnt to thier taste, they were only a fair weather fan in the first place. What I suggest Tess is write what you want, listen to fans and ignore the critics, after all most people forget what the critics said only remembering that the book was mentioned. Try not to let them get to you and have fun with your writing. And stick with the donkeys, dig your heels in, if you felt you gave it your best then what the hells wrong. I also think that you'll feel better after having met the fans to get thier feedback, thats what matters more. OK, I hope this makes sense but not meaning to sound awful but a publisher knows what will sell, should they not like what the author turns in, then they wont accept it as the submission.

The fact that as an author you decided that you wanted to write a book that was different to anything else that youve done before not only shows bravery but also demonstrates that as an author youre not a one trick pony that sticks to the safe paddling waters that others dabble in. IE the old “If its not broken don’t fix it” attitude.

Basically what I always feel is the best thing is to ignore critics, after all, as we say in the UK, todays critism is tomorrows chip paper. So treat it as such, the fact that youre an approachable author who cares about thier fans says a lot. You listen to what we’d like but temper it with what you want to write, your excitement when youre writing fills the fans with just as much joy reading it. Its one of those things.

It seems however that as a writer you just cant win, on one hand you have some saying “Oh god not another x book, when will they write something new.” or its a case “Oh god, why cant I have another x book I love those.”

As a reader I love it when an author tackles something new it shows a spirit, and if someone refuses to read another book because one wasnt to thier taste, they were only a fair weather fan in the first place.

What I suggest Tess is write what you want, listen to fans and ignore the critics, after all most people forget what the critics said only remembering that the book was mentioned. Try not to let them get to you and have fun with your writing. And stick with the donkeys, dig your heels in, if you felt you gave it your best then what the hells wrong. I also think that you’ll feel better after having met the fans to get thier feedback, thats what matters more.

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