So Heyer managed to get me interested in a period I would otherwise never have touched. Thackeray didn't do that for me, Austen didn't do that for me, Byron didn't do that for me. But Heyer did. She triggered my interest with her writing to the point where I wanted to go do my own research on that period.

I call that effective period writing.

True, but it's effective for you. My childhood library had a ton of Heyer, and I read most of it, but it's not what spurred me to my own research and writing. Though of course I realize the subgenre wouldn't exist, at least not in its current size and form, without her, just like fantasy as we know it wouldn't exist without Tolkien, regardless of whether an individual fantasy fan/writer happens to enjoy his style/tropes or not.

And I like Heyer better in her military stories than in the "standard" Regencies.

And I like Heyer better in her military stories than in the "standard" Regencies.

Well, that's effective writing for you, then, surely? Because if you're consciously avoiding The Spanish Bride, then you know she could affect what you write, and you wouldn't be worried about it if she was an ineffective writer.

Actually, thinking about it? My favourite Heyers aren't the Regencies at all; they're the earlier ones. The Black Moth, These Old Shades, Devil's Cub, The Talisman Ring, Faro's Daughter, Beauvallet. I like her best when she's writing the earlier stuff.

That's why I call her writing on An Infamous Army effective. I didn't give a flaming crap for the period and she yanked me. So for me, whether her research was effective or not is irrelevant. I go by the effect she had. And another effect? I have a bookcase of nothing but Heyer, and she's the only Regency writer I have on my shelves at all.

I feel like I'm accidentally casting myself as Heyer-hater, when that's not what I am at all. I like her writing. I even like it a lot. It's just that my reaction to her stories is: "These are interesting. These are good fun." But that's all. She doesn't grab me by the throat and sweep me off my feet. So I get puzzled by the adulation. And when I feel like people are telling me I must study Heyer, must write like Heyer, etc., I get prickly, because doing that would mean stepping back from the kind of storytelling that does grab me.

And when I feel like people are telling me I must study Heyer, must write like Heyer, etc., I get prickly, because doing that would mean stepping back from the kind of storytelling that does grab me.

blink

Someone told you had to write like Heyer? the FUCK? That's nuts.

Read her stuff, yes, definitely. I write ghost stories, I read Shirley Jackson. She's the gold standard of that genre. Luckily for me, I adore her and everything she's every written. I write mysteries, unusual cozies, and I have a custom bookcase with nothing but mystery novels, from Aird to Yorke. The gold standard is probably Christie, and I love her, but she isn't my gold standard.

But Heyer is the gold standard for a particular genre. So yeah, if I was writing in that period, I'd read her. I don't think you (or I, or any other period writer: this is the universal You I'm talking about) gain anything by consciously deciding to avoid the leading seller in the field. There's a reason she's in that position.

But write like her? Why on earth? Only an idiot would tell you to do that, and besides, why bother? As Robin pointed out, Heyer has her own very distinctive voice. Your voice is, and should be, your own.

Sometimes I think I do ride too many coattails, what I don't just take, wholly that is. Not the same ones, obviously. But I asked a lot of questions and have been reading a lot of books myself. But because I'm new at it, everything does feel like fic of those who came before me.

erika, that feeling is inevitable, especially with first novels. Any honest writer is going to look at the finished product and think, uh-oh, what did I steal and who did I steal it from...?

We all do it. Don't worry - when it gets to the editor's desk, she'll let you know.

Well, I'm not consciously trying to avoid her, by any means. (Well, except insofar as my "avoid Rifle fiction until I'm done writing it" rule keeps me away from one of my favorites among her books.) I've read a good chunk of her output, and I have 2-3 of her books on my TBR shelf right this minute. t shrugs I think I can acknowledge her importance to the genre while simultaneously acknowledging that I connect more strongly with Austen or even Patrick O'Brian. And that insofar as I dare to name myself in the same breath as the great ones, my natural style/voice comes much closer to theirs than to Heyer's.

(didn't need to say it twice)

I mean, I really respect those people. If there's a homage to somebody, I don't think that is so awful.(My character's fake name is "Marlo Phillips" after all.) What I don't want is people reading along like "Another Grafton wannabe. Boring."

Wow. March just handed me more good news...

Dear Ms. Taylor:
We would like to use your submission, "Letters from the Past," as a "Snapshots" feature in a future issue of English Journal. More details will follow in the coming weeks, including the official acceptance materials, but I wanted to inform you of this decision now. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely, Theresa Kay

Thank you SO MUCH. You all helped me so much when I was editing this piece.