Some Genres are Easier to Write

I chose my genre, so I have nothing to complain about, but "themes" in women's fiction are sometimes murky. I'm not a reader of the most popular genres, but I do know that their themes are clear ~ in romance, the couple needs to get together in the end; in fantasy, the hero needs to defeat the enemy. The theme of "finding yourself" only appeals to a select number of readers.

I thought about this recently when streaming my favorite TV dramas. I can't claim to know how other viewers ingest these shows, but I listen to the dialogue more for what a character doesn't say than for what he does. James Gandolfini was a master at this. Especially when he was meeting with his psychiatrist, it was evident when Tony was being truthful and when he was being evasive. More than just his words, his expressions gave him away. Was he looking her straight in the eye, or were his eyes wandering? Did his muscles tense or did he position himself to appear smaller? The way I perceive dialogue in shows like these is undoubtedly why my stories contain so much "talking". Action is not the main driver of my plots. Apparently this is a problem for some readers. 

I never begin a story with a defined plot anyway. Just like in real life, one can't predict what will happen. I can't even imagine coming up with, "My character's name is _____ and she will encounter _____." Who knows what she'll encounter? I'm not writing a quest for a magic sword or something. All I know is, some things will happen and she'll need to deal with those things. The "plot" is, she'll find her own way of dealing, and she'll likely learn some truths about herself along the way. Quite the page turner! (says no one.)

My style is never going to change, and that realization is freeing. My current novel will likely be my last, so I'm writing it according to my tastes. "Some things happen"; in this case, a lot of things, and I like that. I'm not even done throwing roadblocks in my main character's path. It's like a TV series, in that everything doesn't get wrapped up in one season. I'm not so dumb as to forego dramatic plot twists ~ it has them. It's not a travelogue, after all, but it is a journey. Not a quest; a journey. And yes, in the end, she'll learn some truths about herself.

My theme? I suppose it's "What you think you want, you really don't." Not very action packed, I guess. I don't care. I'm firm on this ~ this novel will be for me. I refuse to nag myself over, "Will a reader like this part?" If I like it, it stays.

When (if?) I ever finish this one, I don't know if I'll write again. If I do, I won't base my decision on the success or lack of success my published works have achieved. Success means "me" liking what I write.