Missionary position…

Earlier this month, Joanna Penn wrote a blog post on the need for a writer to have a solid mission statement. I gave this some hard thought and have answered the questions she posed.

Question 1: What do you do?

The easy answer is to say I’m a writer. Or perhaps that I’m an entertainer.

The more detailed answer is that I try to convey the thoughts and actions of people that I would like to know, set in a credible timeframe that is of interest to me.

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Simply? I am a storyteller – that’s my mission!

Question 2: Who do you do it for?

I do it for people who love the medieval era. Who want to read about ordinary people within a world dominated by kings, factions and the church.

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Who want to read about love.

I don’t care if my readers are 18 or 80, I want them to feel entertained, educated and safe as they read my novels.

Question 3: Why are you different?

Tough, tough question.

I might be different to the mainstream hist.fict/hist.romance writer because I write cinemagraphically. I want my readers to use every one of their senses as they read. If I achieve that, I’m happy. What I don’t want is to overload them with fact that they can read in any non-fiction title on the Middle Ages. If they experience what my characters experience through their senses, then they will appreciate the medieval lifestyle far more than if just dumped upon with fact from a great height.

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One of my delights as an individual, is living in the moment when I experience something. I ask myself what sense is being appealed to – is it touch, smell, sight, sound –  and I note the feeling. I also draw on as many emotive experiences of my own as I can and relay those to the reader through the characters. THAT is what will make them believe in the story and to believe in my characters.

Question 4: Where are you going?

Another tough question. Does it seem patronizing to say I am happy with where I am?

I have readers. How could I not be happy? And the books review well, another great thing in my life as a writer.

But looking at the question more deeply, I would have to say that I’m leaving the fantasy worlds I’ve written about in the past behind me, despite that I’ve won awards with them. I’m only interested in writing historical fiction/historical romance within the 1100’s-1500’s. It chimes repeatedly – calling me like a medieval church bell. I’ve almost finished a three book saga based in the twelfth century and have ideas for two more books – one in the twelfth century, one in the fifteenth century. The inimitable Juliet Marillier talked once about writing novel spin-offs using a minor character that one likes and spinning a tale about that (now major) character.

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I ADORE that idea because I love my minor characters – what incredible lives they lead! I want them to spring from the page…

But my main interest above and beyond, is to write quality stories that my readers feel is time and money well-invested. That then makes me feel I’m achieving my goal of wanting to be a storyteller.

Question 5: How are you going to get there? You have a plan, right?

Do I?

Honestly no. I write because I love writing the way some love drawing, gardening or writing poetry. Why does one need a ‘plan to get there’?

If I have any plan at all, it is to make sure that I always have the services of my brilliant cover designer, my wonderful editor, my best-est beta readers and my swift formatter. And that my publisher will keep publishing me as long as I have stories to tell.

And that’s it!

Phew!

Does it work as a mission statement do you think?