One of the reasons I love writing SciFi is because I can write ANYTHING! I think that readers who haven't engaged with the genre realize the rich diversity of stories that are available. For example, "Arc of The Hellion" is a heist and con story! Yes it happens in space, but at its heart it's not about science-y stuff or difficult to understand. And "The Lost Temple of Phoketh" is an action/adventure story paralleling Indiana Jones or The Mummy! If you haven't been reading SciFi, give it a chance. There's a reason that Science Fiction dominates the box office! So why aren't more people reading it? (Insert confused emoji here.)
I didn't see writing as a career when I was a kid. I just did it because I couldn't NOT do it. And - so far - nothing's changed! Only difference is that now I share my work with others so they can enjoy it as well!
It's not difficult. Women are people, too (duh!), and if a writer truly empathizes with their characters as they write them - no matter WHAT their gender - they will have their own thoughts and ideas that just pour out as they develop. I've had a lot of women comment that they love my strong female characters, but underneath it all, I guess I just see strong characters.
Honestly, I struggled a lot with process while I was developing my first book. Finishing the draft and going through the entire process once, including getting a cover and having it edited, deciding where and how I was going to publish, demystified the process. Going into my subsequent books, I could envision and predict what was going to come next, so it took a lot of the anxiety out of producing a polished finished product. Anyone can do this. You just have to do it. I don't mean to sound flippant, but it's just a matter of having a willingness to push ahead even when it appears that the project will never get done. If you don't give up, it WILL get done - it's not a matter of IF it'll get finished, it becomes a matter of WHEN it will get finished.
Don't be afraid of what others might think. Do what you feel passionate about without apology or reservation. That's what will make your work exceptional.
Deeply grateful. I am blessed, and I recognize that fact. Thank you to everyone who's reached out to me! And I'm also appreciative of everyone who quietly appreciates my work without reaching out. Thank you.
