Thursday, June 7, 2012

Stretching

I've been writing solidly for the last 5 years. Mostly Regency romance. There's a certain knack for writing in Old British verbiage that I've found comforting to me. Perhaps it's my upbringing in New England. My ancestors span the 400 years since the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. Perhaps it's just that I love Jane Austen so much, I'm channeling. I don't know.

Whatever it is, it's kept me happy.

When I wrote REMEMBERING YOU, I had moved from New England down South. To say it was a change of pace is an understatement. I had left the beach I grew up on and ended up in the mountains, all closed in space, no blue/grey water anywhere. In the back of my property is 20 acres of a soybean field, which is nice. Every morning around 7am, the deer come and feed. But it's not the ocean.

Over the course of the last couple of years, I've been lucky enough to have some short literary fiction published in a few anthologies. I'll admit, I struggle with literary fiction. But I do like it. Short, sweet, and to the point. I like that I don't really have to think too much about plot and dialogue and all that. Somehow, I get an idea, write it down, tweak it (800 times - there's no sense lying that it's easy), and it's done.

Recently, I came across a memoir. I've actually read a few of them in the last few years, but didn't actually know it. They're different. It's a different cadence, a different genre, a different style. I had an experience a few weeks back that took me to a few memories I thought I'd safely tucked away. Well, in the course of thinking about them, I knew I needed to write them down, and it took the form of memoir. I gave it to my crit partner, and well, let's just say she wasn't impressed.

I suppose I wasn't really looking for glowing reviews. I don't know what I was looking for other than a way to express myself when it came to these events.

I'm a Taurus, plain and simple. I hate change. I hate anything that's out of my comfort zone.

But I do think that every once in a while, it's good to stretch our creative wings. Even if we don't end up with the desired results, at least we tried.

11 comments:

J.B. Chicoine said...

Okay, for the record, I thought it was a VERY good story! You simply need to flesh it out the way I know you know how. Even if you don't pursue it right away, it's a great outline for a bigger, in-depth story, and when you get around to telling it--in all it's lush detail--it will be AMAZING! ;)

Robynne Rand said...

I know you did. I just also know you know it can be so MUCH better. I know it can be so much better. It's just going to take time.

Karen Baldwin said...

Well, here you are. I'll be following you here now that Piedmont Grill is dark for the summer. I write poetry when I get a spark of creative flutter. I never show anyone though. All rather boring.

Karen Baldwin said...

Hmm? The 'follower' link isn't working for me. I'm sure it's my location. I can't even see MY followers now that I'm in Mexico and my blog comes up as .mx instead of .com. Hmm? I'll keep trying.

Rula Sinara said...

I love the water theme ;) and the picture at the top of the blog. Following you here too!

Robynne Rand said...

Em -- You might have to add me directly to your blogroll instead of just "following" through the link.

I used to dabble in poetry eons ago when I was a lot younger. I like to read it, but not very good at writing it.

Rula -- Thanks so much for sticking around. I'm an ocean girl at heart.

Liza said...

Well, you may be slowing things down, but here you are, adding something "new." Change IS hard, but it's good for the old brain muscle, and I'm glad to see you flexing yours! Now, I'll just have to decide which name I want to call you!

Francine Howarth said...

Hi,

Hee hee, a change is as good as rest they say. Not so when authors adopt differing nom de plumes. It can get a bit tricky: who am I?

Been there done that when writing erotica way back when: under a pseudonym with intials C.B. When penning womens' mainstream the initials were F.R.

I'm not going for differing author names this time around. It's F.H. for both contemporary and historical novels, whether self-pubbed or via US publisher. ;)

best
F

Robynne Rand said...

Liza -- For want of something to call me, you can call me Robynne Anne. I'll answer to it.

Francine -- I'm hoping for some stability with this schizophrenic lifestyle I've chosen. God forbid I ressurect that YA title I've had laying around forever. Hah. I could be person #3.

Anne R. Allen said...

I'm a big fan of stretching wings. If you're not doing new stuff, your muse will get bored. Or as Dylan says, "He who is not busy being born is busy dying."

I'm not a fan of multiple blogs, as you know, but since you've got a new persona here, I see why you needed a second one. Great idea to let the other one nap a while. Good luck with all the new wing-stretching!

Robynne Rand said...

Thanks Anne. Sometimes I've just got to stretch in a lot of directions to see which pair of jeans fit the best. You know.