New Covers for Sorcerous Moons!

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog

Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is “Tick-Tock trends—have you tried any reading or writing trends?”

I’m leaving in the misspelling, just so you get how clueless we are. ~ Shakes cane at kids on lawn ~

Regarding TikTok – lol! – a social media property that originated in China, no, I don’t follow or attempt the trends. I sometimes feel like I should. I do have a TikTok account – https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffe_kennedy – and I even have over a thousand followers there, even though I almost never post anything. The followers are due to very kind and generous fellow authors who do the Tiks and Toks better than I do. (Shout out to Vela Roth and Lisette Marshall!)

So, I know that I really should post to TikTok, and I sometimes think about it, and even occasionally do it. But I also remind myself of advice I’ve been giving since the beginning of social media, which is that you “should” do only the kind you enjoy doing. Social media is social and if you’re hating it and faking being social and happy and fun, it shows.

Therefore, instead of discussing reader trends or writing trends or TikTok dances, I’m going to share these beautiful new covers for my complete, six-book Sorcerous Moons series!!! The spine design with all six together is so gorgeous even Taylor is gasping in admiration! The print editions can be ordered via my website store or the usual retailers.

 

First Cup of Coffee – March 22, 2024

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog, Podcast

Some schooling today on business, things authors should really know, and arcania on how traditional publishing decides how to handle releases. Also, the “new” genre term Romantasy and why I think it came to be coined.

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First Cup of Coffee – March 4, 2024

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog, Podcast

How writing a novel is like building a road brick by brick, and how some days you’re nose in the mortar and other days you lift your head to look. Also thoughts on revision, the 3-Act structure, story logic, and knowing whether you have brain juice or not.



Trope-tastic – Love ‘Em and Loathe ‘Em

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog


This week at the SFF Seven. we’re asking each other which tropes you love to write and which do you loathe?

The tropes I love are pretty easy to identify for anyone who’s read more than one of my books. My favorites are:

  • Enemies to Lovers
  • Marriage of Convenience/Political Marriage/Marriage of State
  • Forced Proximity
  • He Falls First
  • Learning to Use magic/special abilities/wrestling own power

 

As for the tropes I loathe? Loathe is a strong word. I’m not sure I loathe any tropes. Ones I’m less fond of are:

  • Second chance (I just don’t believe that whatever broke them up the first time won’t break them up again)
  • Bully Romance (no no no – toxicity and abuse isn’t romantic to me)
  • Fated Mates (hard to make this one work)
  • Faux Medieval Fantasy Worlds (Enough already – and besides medieval times were never like that)
  • Chosen One (yawn)

 

The ones I truly dislike are the damaging ones, like:

  • Woman in the Refrigerator (women are people, not plot devices)
  • Clumsy Heroine (it’s not endearing to me)
  • Racist Cliches (enough said)
  • Bury Your Gays (see Woman in the Refrigerator)
  • Having Kids as the Solution to Happiness (Spoiler: having kids is *hard* – they don’t solve your problems or give your life the meaning it lacked)

First Cup of Coffee – March 1, 2024

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog, Podcast

On busy brain work, how I’m not yet done with the book, nice words from my editor on gatekeeping and letting people in, even nicer words from Maria Vale on NEVER THE ROSES, and the loneliness of caregiving



First Cup of Coffee – February 26, 2024

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog, News, Podcast

Sharing the OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL super exciting news today on NEVER THE ROSES, the book I sold to Tor. I’m explaining the Publisher’s Marketplace lingo, how foreign sales work, and why creatives can’t be thick-skinned.



First Cup of Coffee – February 23, 2024

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog, Podcast

Some big news on the official title of the book that was Oneira and a release date! Also, a thing I bought because of Taylor Swift that has Changed My Life, and more on coping as a creative when people hate you/your work.



First Cup of Coffee – February 19, 2024

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog, Podcast

My Friday Freakout and how even experienced authors have emotional crises about their books, along with insight on shaken baby syndrome in books, how interruptions cause issues, and Longshot: an underrated movie.



Overthinking Your Writing? Be Like Jackson

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog

Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is: How do you stop overthinking your writing? The accompanying photo is of Jackson, who makes a practice of overthinking absolutely nothing. I’m tempted to say “Be like Jackson” and end the blog post here.

But, seriously, the key to not overthinking your writing is … stop overthinking.

I know that’s not helpful, but it is an important skill to acquire. Conversely, it’s important to purge yourself of the idea that thinking is necessary for writing. As an intuitive writer, I do everything I can to maximize intuition and minimize conscious thought. The more I think, the slower I write. I know this about myself, but there’s a pervasive idea out there that writing comes from thinking.

This gem was going around Twitter/X the last couple of days:

We won’t dive into how much of a dipshit this guy is, including a misguided impression that writers are somehow not into opportunities that allow us to pay the bills. What’s key here is that he believes you have to have an outline before writing, that you have to THINK it out. Spoiler: you do not. I am living proof of it and a total advocate for being that opportunist. Let the story come to you.

Something to keep in mind is that overthinking is a form of perfectionism, which can be paralyzing. Therefore, any techniques for killing perfectionist tendencies will help here. Basically let go of expectations and the need to make the story perfect as you’re writing.

Relax. Let it flow.

Be like Jackson.