Okay, I admit it. My first try at writing was horrible. I know this, because after writing four more manuscripts I went back and re-read the first one. Awful, awful, awful…thank goodness I didn’t have the cahonas to send that one off or enter it in a contest. (I’m still editing that one.) I want to let you in on a little secret. When I first started writing, I thought I wanted to write R rated books. You know the kind I’m talking about. Where people cuss, fuss, and…other things.
Eventually, I had to stop and ask myself, who do I want to write for? Do I want to write for younger women who are looking for romance novels with hot, steamy, love scenes? Well folks, I tried my hand at writing a few scenes...really hot ones. It made me realize that, although I can write them, I don't want to. Frankly, just the thought of people reading a scene like that and knowing that I wrote it is embarrassing to me. I'm not a prude, and believe me, I'm no saint…I’ve read plenty of books like that over the years; but I am a Catholic, although I’m a lazy one. As a Catholic, I have a confession to make. I use my 84 year old mother as a thermometer for my writing. There, I’ve said it. If my mom, who's had eight children, and doesn't have a shy bone in her body, can't pass my manuscripts around to her friends in the garden club and Ladies' Alter Society without making excuses for my style of writing, then it's too hot. I don't care if my mom lives to be 110 and I'm a spry 77 years old, I still wouldn't want to disappoint her.
So, I’ve chosen my audience. I'm shooting for the middle age women, or men, who won't mind reading a book with only the occasional s.o.b., damn, or hell instead of the eff word. Someone who won't be disappointed when the hero and heroine don't rip each others' clothes off and make mad, passionate love on their first date. Oh, there’ll be sparks between them, don’t you worry. They may want to do those things, but I won't allow it...Not as long as mama's watching. ;-)
Happy Writing,
Lori
Lori Leger has only been writing seriously for two years. In that time she's completed five full length novels in the Women's Fictional Romance genre. She works full time in the Design section of the Department of Transportation and Development as an Engineer Technician 4 in Lake Charles. Lori is currently unpublished but hopes to rectify that situation in the near future.
Lori, I know what you mean. I eventually decided I was going to get just so explicit and no further. As time goes by, I find I need fewer and fewer technical details. :)
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