If It's A Good Story... by Liz Flaherty #WordWranglers

Nan had a duh moment and didn't get her post done today (ask her why--it's entertaining) so we switched days. She'll be here Friday! - Liz

I've taken a few heavy hits in the rejection department lately. It's...yeah, depressing. With each one, I take another step toward closing the door on my book-writing career. No, let's say I'll leave the door ajar, because as many of us know, stopping writing and stopping breathing are about the same. But it's important in the heading-into-winter stage of my life that I do what makes me happy and doesn't harm anyone else. Writing books isn't making me happy these days.

Which isn't even what I'm writing about, but one of those rejections did give me my subject. It also listed starting in the wrong place...hmmm. But the big thing the rejection note mentioned, that I've heard talked about all the years of my career, is backstory. Nan ended up almost totally removing the first few chapters of Once More from the Top because of the backstory it contained. She bled for years, I think, even though it was a very good book even without those pieces of her heart in it.

But here's the thing. I like backstory. I don't mean just mine, although of course I'm very fond of it because I lived every minute of it as I wrote it. I like it in books that I read. I want to know where the protagonists' scars come from. In detail. I want to know how they felt that day, what the weather was like, and if they had a box of tissues handy or had to sob into a paper towel like the rest of us. What were they wearing? Did they burn it or do they still wear it because it's a reminder of how they kept on going after the backstory that changed their life. Who else was there?

I guess I am a recalcitrant reader. Although I'm not a fan of head-hopping, I can usually keep up and--if it's a good story--it doesn't take me out of it. I like having lots of characters in stories because I think they make things more interesting. I like writing voices to be distinct instead of "classic," which means (to me) that if you're 70 years old and you write like you're 30, you're stuffing 40 years of your writing experience into the closet with your bell-bottoms and the dress you wore to the prom.

But what I said there, if it's a good story, that's what makes all the difference, isn't it? Except that a good story isn't enough. And sometimes that's a shame.

My goodness, I do go on, don't I? Thanks for listening to me complain. Now, to get back to something happy, head on down to Last Chance Beach. It's Summer's End and there are 14 of those good stories I was talking about just waiting for you.

And, while you're shopping, Jar of Dreams, a favorite from my backlist, is 99 cents right now.