Comments on: Over and Over

By: Wylie

Wylie — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:45:55 +0000

Agree with much of what was said above…

and that’s why, when you find that amazing book that somehow puts a fresh spin on things, the reading experience is just magical. I live for those books!!

By: Shelley Munro

Shelley Munro — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 08:23:04 +0000

Thanks, Fedora. I must admit I love writing, and I think I’ve found the perfect job!

By: Shelley Munro

Shelley Munro — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 08:21:53 +0000

Amy W – you know what happens to stalkers? They get teased.

Ashley – I think a writer’s voice remains the same no matter how different the stories, so that’s the unifying thing. I definitely tend to run to the same theme, and I think this theme often comes from a persons background or upbringing. At least it does with me.

By: Shelley Munro

Shelley Munro — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 08:16:45 +0000

Lindsey – ah, I remember reading Barbara Cartland books with her virgin heroines who stuttered a lot. They were very similar.

Julia – yes, keeping our writing fresh is what we all aim for. I like to think changing times and keeping up with trends helps us keep our writing fresh and original.

By: Fedora

Fedora — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 05:34:56 +0000

Hmm… I’m not sure–I do think that with some authors, that might be more of an issue, for whatever reasons (editing, creative block, ??) their work may start seeming oddly familiar in more than the “I just LOVE their voice” kind of way. On the whole though, I think that each author has stories to tell, and sometimes they’ll seem a bit more like variations on a theme and other times, they’ll have something totally different. If I tend to like a writer’s voice, I can read even a recycled plot and enjoy it.

Uh, I think I just said a whole lot of nothing… congrats on 30 books, Shelley! Wow!

By: Ashley Ladd

Ashley Ladd — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 01:56:48 +0000

I’ve noticed a theme that are in a few of my books, but not nearly all. I tend to use disguises and I’m not sure why. Maybe there’s something hiding in my psyche.

Actually, I’m more concerned that I write stories that are too different from one another, just the opposite problem.

By: Amy W.

Amy W. — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:08:02 +0000

Yeah, but you being almost done is still a long way off from me getting to read it… you big tease!

By: Sandra Cox

Sandra Cox — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 20:28:32 +0000

That’s a valid question. I think every author tries for originality in each new work, but sometimes former ideas creep in.

By: julia

julia — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:34:48 +0000

All writers will have similar themes come up in their work. Every artist does this, no matter what the medium. But retelling each story makes the theme fresh. As long as the writer is trying to remain fresh. I suppose there are some writers who don’t even realize that they’re repeating themselves.

By: Lindsey Ekland

Lindsey Ekland — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 11:00:16 +0000

If you remember Barbara Cartland she only had one story but rewrote it over one hundred times. I stopped reading after 10 or 11 books because every plot was identical. Though her career spanned decades I can only think some people liked the familiarity and new readers would pick up the most recent book.

I agree most romance novels all have the same basic plot but what keeps it interesting is where the story starts and stops. Yes some stories are derivitive but it has always amazed me how much variety is achieved when starting with a man and a woman or a man and a man.