I have many hats—one a cloche with a fan of feathers for when I write mystery (don’t you think it makes me look mysterious?), a sunbonnet for western fiction, a fedora for nonfiction, a gimme cap for young-adult works, and, of course, a toque for cookbooks and other food writing. I used to have a mortarboard for my career in academic publishing, but I’ve turned that in.
Some people ask me how I can wear so many hats, but the answer, to me, is simple. It’s all writing in one form or another, and I am a writer. I cannot do math and probably couldn’t pass high school algebra. But I can work problems out in words—it’s what I do best and what gives me satisfaction. I like to take an idea or subject and figure out how to put it into words so that other people will read about it.
When I wrote historical fiction about women and young girls of the American West, I had to imagine myself in the nineteenth century West, though I doubt Libby Custer or Jessie Benton Frémont ever wore a sunbonnet. Still I had to know what they did wear—like weights in the hem of their skirts to keep them from blowing in the wind. And I had to think about what it would be like for Libby to ride across the plains on a reckless horse, or for Lucille Mulhall, the first Wild West cowgirl, to rope several horses, or for Etta Place to take part in a bank robbery and the hard ride of a getaway. It was a wild and exciting ride for a bookish girl like me who never was comfortable on a horse.
Young adult nonfiction was probably the greatest challenge to working out problems in words. I wrote for several companies that published for school libraries. The company would assign me a topic, and I’d research and write, usually about 5,000 words. I have written books on everything from vaccines and surgery to passenger ships, various state histories, biographies of several presidents. Probably the hardest one I ever did was on international women’s right.
Wearing a toque was no problem. I actually have one that I’ve worn to several book signings, but food writing comes easily to me because I love to cook and to eat new food. I did have to learn the mechanics—the proper presentation of a recipe, for instance. And copyright regulations (ingredients of a recipe cannot be copyrighted but directions can).
Mystery has been the hardest hat to keep on my head—that cloche wanted to slip off. I wrote my first mystery, if you want to call it that, almost 50 years ago. It was a knock-off of Nancy Drew that I wrote in the car while my then-husband drove us across country. It was, quite frankly, awful. Around 2000 I wrote a mystery I thought was pretty good and gave it to an agent—naïf that I was I didn’t realize that it mattered that cozies were not her field. I may go back and revisit that one someday.
I am forever grateful to Susan Wittig Albert for telling me to join Sisters in Crime. Then I joined the Guppies and Agent Quest and soon learned what an insider’s game looking for an agent was and how many people submitted countless queries without success. I was, I discovered, not only a newbie but a small guppie in a very large pond. I read listservs, I read blogs, I took online courses, and I learned so much it’s hard to hold it all in my brain. And members of Sisters in Crime and all its sub-groups are incredibly supportive of newbies.
My goal was to publish a mystery, and after seven or so rewrites and six years, Skeleton in a Dead Space launched from Turquoise Morning Press on August 29. I really like that cloche with a feather and intend to wear it for quite a while.
Thanks so much for guest blogging today, Judy! And for giving me some encouragement about trying new genres!
Judy Alter of Fort Worth, Texas, is the author of about sixty books for children and adults. Her main interest has been the experiences of women in the American West, and she’s written six adult novels with that theme and seven young-adult novels, as well as countless children’s books, mostly done for libraries on the American West and a variety of other subjects.
Judy is also the author of a memoir/cookbook, a collection of short stories, young-adult biographies of figures from Texas history, and two books studying the work of Texas author Elmer Kelton. Recently retired after 30 years with Texas Christian University Press, 20 of them as director, she is now devoting her attention to writing mysteries and, still and forever, writing about Texas. You can find Judy at her blog and website.
You’ve inspired me. I’ve always wanted to try writing sci-fi but I wasn’t sure I was up to it. I think I’ll give it a go. :)
Elizabeth – Thanks for hosting Judy.
Judy – I really like your metaphor of wearing different hats. I think we’re energized when we try new things, and you’ve reminded me of just how important that is. Thanks :-).
Judy, thanks so much for your post today! I love that you’re interested in different areas and ideas and can so easily write different genres! You’re very inspiring to me. :)
I need to check out Guppies, Judy. I’m a Sister but I don’t think I’m using it to its fullest potential. Thanks!
I may one day try fantasy, but I’m comfortable with science fiction at the moment. Now where did I put my space helmet…?
Congratulations, Judy! I like authors who take up challenges and write different things. I figure that will make their writing more interesting.
Fire and Cross
Thanks to Elizabeth for inviting me to talk about my collection of hats. LOL! I feel ike such a newbie that I never thought I could inspire anyone else. But thank you all. As I said, it’s all working problems out in words–and that’s what I have fun doing.
I’m thinking of a time travel, if it doesn’t become passe before I get it done!
My original writing goal was to write a mystery, but my daughters told me it was a romance–a genre I’d never even read.
Now that I’ve published 6 romantic suspense novels, and a bunch of contemporary romance short stories, I do have one straight mystery short story in an anthology.
And another completed mystery novel that’s still looking for a home.
But I think that’s about as far as I can stretch.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
The Guppies are a great group, Tess. They’ll welcome you with flapping fins and all sorts of craziness, but they are so supportive and full of information.
All I want to write (except for a hymn now and then) is crime fiction, but I like this reminder that I don´t have to stay in the cosy mystery box. I also love police procedurals and psychological thrillers, and I hope I will go on writing the stories I want to read.
And I always enjoy hearing that other writers have written stories in the past that are less than brilliant. My mother loved my very first trial, but no one else did – and with good reason :D
Wow! This was a very inspiring post! I wear a few hats myself and love reading about others who do so. OK – now I have to go get my mob-cap on, that’s what I wear when I’m revising, so I don’t twirl my hair right off my head.
I’ve done two very different genres so far and am now tackling a third. Not sure where I’ll go next.
Wearing so many hats is difficult so I’m really impressed you do it! Thank you for this wonderful post.
Thanks to all for the comments. I think no matter how many hats you wear in the writing game, you do have to stay in your comfort zone–just keep pushing the circle of that zone farther and farther. LOL Dorte, I have lots of manuscripts that never saw the light of day and shouldn’t. Most are now in my archive at Southwest Writers Collection–well beyond my reach. Some went directly to the trash.
Loved your post today, Judy! I agree with you about being a writer and writing in several genres.
I once served on a panel with another author (who was signed with a major NY publisher) who told the audience they COULD NOT write in more than one genre. AT ALL. NOT ACCEPTABLE.
When it came time for me to speak, I told them I have written in four genres, all to great success. I think the difference is no one ever told me I COULDN’T do it.
And if you’re a writer, you write. Period.