Excuse me while I purge my entire novel...

Something really embarrassing and disappointing happened to me.  Let me first set some background information.  As many of you know, I enjoy writing fiction, particularly novels.  I'm not the best at it, but I like it and it's a "skill" (or something) that I hope to hone throughout my life.  As many of you may also know, I am not a fan of the Brontes.  I have yet to read anything (and I mean anything, poems included) that any of those sisters wrote that I find to be more than either trash or drivel. A few of you may also know that the thing that is hardest for me to write is romance.  I can never get romance right, for whatever reason.

So, the other day, I was working on my novel with one of my writers' groups.  I know, I have writers' groups with people that I don't even know.  However, they really help me with my writing.  One of the people in my group, in a good-intentioned way said, "I really like this romantic subplot.  It kind of reminds me of Wuthering Heights.  And I say that in a good way." 

I know that they said, "In a good way," because they didn't want me to think that they were accusing my work of being cliche, but that they thought it had that same feel.  Here's the thing.  I didn't feel complimented.  And I also felt confused.  Because I don't know where they got that impression.  In fact, I went and read summaries of Wuthering Heights again, because I didn't know where they got that impression.  All the same, I feel as though my beautiful baby has been tainted.  It has nothing to do with those three sisters, thank you very much! 

Comments

Amy R said…
Oh, to be like a Bronte . . .
September 8, 2013 at 4:24 AM
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