It has come to the point where I have to give consideration to who and what I am as an author. It is not an easy thing, nor is it fun.
There are certain questions I must ask myself.
Am I going to stick to a main genre?
Right now I am known for a few things. One of those is producing TG books. This helps and it hurts both at the same time. It helps, because I have an audience who wants what I produce and is willing to stick with me. It hurts, because it eliminates surprises. In Wrestling Against Myself everyone knew what Courtney's secret was and I think that hurt the book some. I could see people on this site, because it's to be expected. But people who have read my earlier works also knew. Do I want to be known as an author of TG books? The answer to that is no. I have other novels inside of me that are not TG and have nothing to do with TG that deserve to be written. So I cannot define myself as being solely in the genre of TG works.
The other thing I am known for, is producing things with a Christian message. It is in there. From the very first story, The Wishing Blanket, to the last, there is a running theme of Christianity. I will allow myself to be defined by the Christian message but I do not want to be considered an author of Christian works. There is a reason for this, Focus on the Family. I had decided a long, long time ago that I would not be a stumbling block to other Christians and since being TG is such a hot button issue, I find it hard to label myself as a Christian author.
But the question is still before me... what am I trying to accomplish?
I do want to be a voice. A very specific voice to a very specific group. I am transgender, but being transgender does not define who I am. I view being transgender the same way I view being dyslexic and being left-handed and being 6 foot tall. I am a woman who was born inside of a body that appears male. But, I have come to the conclusion, I am still a woman. Because of a condition I was born with, I was robbed of certain rites of passages and experience but it doesn't change who or what I am. I want to be a voice for those who feel the same way as I do. Does wearing a dress make me a woman? No. Does wearing make-up? No. Does having a beard? No. Can I wear a ratty pair of shorts and a t-shirt and still be a woman? Of course.
I do not write transgender books. I write mainstream books that have tg main characters and sometimes revolve around their plight as being trans. I stay away from the trappings of fetishism (please note that I use this word not in a derogatory fashion). I steer clear of the deviancy that oft times appear in works concerning TG characters (Rampant sex, promiscuous behavior, an unnatural fascination with clothing, makeup, and hair). My desire is to show being TG in a positive light that the general masses can understand and approve of. I am still trying to define myself as a professional as I decide where to go from here (which is a heck of a lot better where I was).
Here are my options.
1) Another story similar to Wrestling Against Myself. By that, i mean a story about transgender subjects but not told from the POV of the trans character. My idea is a book called Unreachable, a story about a middle school teacher who discovers that an orphaned student is trans.
2) Write the fourth book of God Bless the Child. I have a rough idea of what I want. It would be more in tone with book two of the series and would surround more Shawn Sweet than it would Jenny.
3) Write a Christian Apologetic book called Being Transgender and At the Alter. This is a book in three parts. One, arguing that being TG is not a sin and disceting the scriptures people use to say it is. Two, the churches response to TG practitioners and Three, how should a Christian Transsexual behave.
4) Write a short story to cleanse my pallet (most likely to happen) called Just Friends.
5) Leave the TG genre all together and write my baseball novel called Fallen Angel about a rookie third baseman who has a brain tumor.
6) Give up writing once and for all and try my hand at Suduko.
Comments
I'd love to see option 3
any but option 6 sound interesting to me.
ignoring the other points (for the moment)
I would like to say that "Wrestling Against Myself" was very worth while and a unique and valuable point of view, the fact that most everyone knew what the issue was before the narrator of the story did, did not detract from it at all. In fact the reader not knowing might have confused some. We get to watch his reaction from sort of one step back.
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As for the rest, I don think there is a reason to leave the TG genre entirely, you can write in more then one genre, so take a break if you need too. Unless you personally do not want to deal with that at all, which is a whole other can of worms, and you need to ask your self why, and if that is good for you or not. The same goes for giving up writing completely, many will miss your stories, however, but the real question is "Is it right for you".
Now about a "Christian Apologetic book" I wonder who the audience for that would be. Seems to me you would be; a) preaching to the choir as they say(those who already believe), b) speaking to those who will refuse to hear you anyway, "is it still worth while?", Maybe.
I hope you stick with writing however, maybe explore more then one option.
I have enjoyed all your works so far here,
~Hypatia >i< ..::
In everything seek ballance.
Follow your muse,'s where they wander. My impressions from what you spoke of is that you want to be a writter no limits on what you write about. I hope to be writing for this board for some time. But I may not be here as much as I am now when my skills improves. I reserve the need to branch out into other writing styles mainly in fiction. I am working on an extremely ambitious project revolving around two towns of my creations Blessings and Redemption. I will be posting short stories that will flesh out the surounding back storyline here. These stories will have TS TG characters because the world has people like us here. But my main story line doesn't revolve around everyone being a part of our comunity.
Write your base ball story and your TS TG material as the muses move you ballance your endevers out. You are a writter who is who you are. Use that to bring depth to any work you do.
Love and Huggles
Michele
With those with open eyes the world reads like a book
Why Define Yourself?
Creative writing should be, well, creative. In order to be creative you need to let your mind take you where it will. Your writing will follow. I do not simple write books with TG characters. Most of my other efforts are 'Very' different but, for me just as enjoyable. Even when dealing with works involving TGs there is a vast difference. Rachel and the nature of her story is so very different than Hanna's in 'The Other Side of the Wire,' which in turn is not at all like Lady Katherine Trent from 'The World Turned Upside Down.'
To 'Define' yourself, to intentionally limit your range of characters and stories is akin to breaking several fingers on the hands you type with. It is unnecessary and make writing so much more difficult.
When deciding what to write, follow your heart, not the advice or recommendations of others.
Nancy Cole
"You may be what you resolve to be."
T.J. Jackson
My two cents...
4 then 5 then 3.
Bailey Summers
Katie, if you ask me,
you can write anything that you choose. If your readers truly like your books/novels, they will read anything that you write.
May Your Light Forever Shine
Write everything!
Why limit yourself to one genre or another just because? Assuming you physically can, do them all!
One way to compartment your writing so that people don't get the wrong idea, or perhaps make inaccurate assumptions, is to write each genre using a different name.
For example, see Ian Banks vs Ian M. Banks. Same guy, one name is 'mainstream' fiction while the other is Sci-Fi.
Penny
What is your goal.
What do you want to accomplish abd whom do you want to write for.
If the goal is to make money, and sell as many books as possible, then the baseball book is the best choice. If it is to try and reach the Christian community and help change their perception of the TG world, then go that route.
Rami
RAMI