Hello all! Welcome back to this blog.
I’m a huge fan of J.R. Ward’s writing. There. I’ve said it, again and again.
I’m a fan. And not because of the steamy scenes. Even though I like those. They were kind of a slap in the face back in the day.
I’m an enthusiast of her so distinctive writer’s voice. She’s a badass writer. The work shows it and the fans know it.
I have been an admirer for more than a decade, since her “Dark Lover” first came out. I have induced others to read her work, and it didn’t disappoint. I know men that read Ward’s work. And I find her writing-craft-personality very masculine.
And now?! In this moment of my life?
Now, I’m a huge fan of J.R.Ward’s as a person-writer… to the extent of what I can perceive about her (which I may say it is not much on the personal side, but enough in the writer’s one).
I did not pay much attention to her online presence over the years. I don’t remember her to be that present there.
I usually don’t go down the rabbit hole for most writer’s that I know. Too much time to waste in that. If I’m am intrigued by something, or I admire their work and want to know more about them, I’ll go investigate their website or blog, or buy some kind of Memoir or Letters written.
The rest? The YouTube and social media stuff? I figure that, it’s just stuff to occupy idly the time I have. So I try to avoid that.
Quaint detail about J.R. Ward: her looks kind of surprised me.
It was not what I was expecting. And, at first, I couldn’t wrap my head around how a vanilla-like-lady could write so many cuss words, hard-core relations and witty remarks. The lesson’s on me.
Her works had been a constant in my life, since I first bought the first book.
I collect the Portuguese editions every time-o-money I can. Also, I buy the English originals every time a book truly speaks to me.
Because I am all in for an original.
The Black Dagger Brotherhood had been a constant, but also the Jessica Bird’s books and The Fallen Angels. I have still The Bourbon Kings saga to pick up… and now there’s a new pet project of Ward’s, in a more Dark Academia theme, which I’m putting in my tbr.
Then Ward got herself a YouTube channel. It has two videos, and two shorts, in a bit of insight into herself and her life.
The simplicity, and fun in them got me wandering if I had been missing something online about her work and her author’s mindset and routines. Did I ever…
It has been a while since I searched for anything online about this author so this came as a surprise: There are basically two types of content about J.R.Ward on YouTube: fan made videos about books and characters AND J.R.Ward’s interviews and public events.
First, were the usual stuff being filtered through magnifying glass search. The fan videos are fun. And that’s it.
The second type of content out in the virtual world consists of interviews and public events. And…
She sure can draw a crowd in. Entertain it too.
In these, we get to know a bit about the writer behind the successful writing. Commercial success, as she puts it. But I figure it’s a Writing success with no bullshit about it.
I have been listening attentively to her answers. She’s big on giving insight to her listeners. And not just about her routines and creative process.
No. If we listen carefully, we find an inspiring kind of justifiable obsession with writing. A true, not emphasized by wanting to sell books on the craft business side of things, genuine life experience on devoting herself to writing.
Writers Write and that’s it, isn’t it? And she puts it as it is.
All the career stuff, and public relations stuff, and fame stuff is an expensive accessory that entangles an author in a too-self-important trip… instead of writing.
All they have to do, their first and foremost activity, is Writing.
All we have to do for our Writing is Write.
And own our shit frankly.
She has a big kind of speech in this video that culminates in:
So drop your emotions at the door, pull in your big girl pants, and if wanna do that, than you fucking own that shit. – J.R.Ward in Unabridged: J.R. Ward @LFPL @LFPL_Foundation @JRWard1
It’s a good, inspiring piece of knowledge. Of Writer’s professional knowledge.
Maybe we should all own out shit. Just saying… I know we suffer more when we don’t.
In all that Insta wisdom’ness look for Mel Robbins full post (find it here…)
All things we avoid become breaking point harder.
Let’s not avoid writing… or own our weird shit. There’s no easy way to go about it. Just
Own your wants and dreams. Own your shit, not your bullshit.
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Bye and Keep writing! ✍🏼