Obsidian kiss was the first novel I ever finished. Sure, I'd written a novella that was published back in 2003, but this was the first full-length piece I finished. It shows. It's not a bad story, but it's not a great novel either. It has potential. There were so many things I was trying to figure out as a writer.
I was busy trying to take every piece of writing advice I could find. It was not the smartest choice I could have made. The thing about writing advice is everyone has some, and most of the people who are giving it out don't have much by the way of even anecdotal evidence on why this rule should be followed or that one ignored.
I'm not saying there isn't useful writing advice out there, only that a lot of what I came across was not helpful to me. Most of it was designed to help you sound a certain way. The problem with that, I don't want to sound like anyone but me.
Write simple concise sentences, don't use uncommon words or phrasing. The problem with that is that almost any sentence can be taken down to the barest of bones, and it will sound exactly like someone else. What makes an author unique is the words, phrasing, rhythm of their prose.
As a writer, I want to have a unique voice. One that is recognizable, so that you could blind test a few paragraphs and now who wrote it. I'm not going to go out of my way to use words that will require explanation, but I am not going to avoid words because they aren't common.
This is an issue I see only in certain genres. I write what I want, how I want, and if that means I won't find a traditional publisher, then it's okay with me. Publication isn't what I'm desperate for. The stories not taking up space in my mind is really the point of the exercise. I just figured that if I was going to write them anyway I might as well see what I can do with it.
It's like the jewelry I make. I don't know that I ever want to own my own store, or sell on Etsy or anywhere else, but if I am going to create it, I'm going to learn to do it as best I can so that what I make is sale worthy.
~Fae