Dear Writers: Enough with Dissing Needlework

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog

Okay, if you haven’t seen the trailer for the new Netflix series Enola Holmes, it’s worth watching. And the show looks great! Except for one thing. Go ahead and watch it. I’ll wait. You’ll know it when you see it.

Yeah. Enola is Not Like Other Girls. And how did the writers decide to show that? She doesn’t know how to embroider! That’s right. Just like another “action-oriented” and “interesting” female character who is Not Like Other Girls. *cough*Arya*cough

Could we dispense with this incredibly tired cliché already? It’s as if writers are going “what is something old timey females did that’s really stupid and boring?” In other words, this device isn’t revealing the disdain of the character for traditionally female arts – it’s coming from the writers’ contempt for them.

I’m going to throw out there that, in both of my examples, the writers are male, which makes the assumption even more annoying – and even misogynistic. Yes, I’m sure there’s an image floating out there of old timey females sitting around in some parlor, primly doing needlework and gossiping like hens clucking. How dull! What ninnies they must be! Surely any sensible, action-oriented and interesting female worth her salt will repudiate such nonsense!

This attitude completely ignores the fact that many powerful people enjoy needlework and fiber arts of all kinds because they are both relaxing and allow the mind to focus on other activities. Listening to music or to someone reading aloud while doing needlework is immensely soothing. Handwork like this is meditative and allows for creative inspiration. Embroidery and similar arts are exacting crafts requiring concentration, dexterity, and the meticulous application of practice and talent. All those people complaining about smartphones ruining in-person socialization ought to appreciate that conversation is a worthwhile pursuit. It’s only when men dismiss women’s conversation as being worthless that it gets reduced to the level of gossip. It’s only contempt for arts that have been considered women’s work that makes it de rigeur for a heroine who’s Not Like Other Girls to shun needlework.

Let’s all roll our eyes at that.

And this photo? It’s a king-size wedding ring quilt I made for a friend’s wedding. I love quilting – but I had to give it up because it used too much of the same creative energy that writing does. I’m thinking about learning to knit, instead.

The Best Title That Never Was

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog

Our topic at the SFF Seven this week concerns the reality of having to change names. We’re asking the crew if they’ve ever had to change the name(s) of a character or place in a book after we’d drafted it? Who is the character who will forever go by their “unpublished” name in our minds?

For me, it wasn’t a character. But I will tell you about the title I wish I hadn’t changed. 

Writing Sprints and Author Jokes

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog

Lately I’ve been sprinting with buddy Darynda Jones every day. We hop on a Zoom meeting and do three one-hour writing sprints, with 20-20 minute breaks in between. Well, that’s what I do – she keeps going because she’s under deadline and going for 5-7K per day. Doing this together started as a way to help her with accountability, but I’ve been really benefiting from it, too. Knowing I have to “meet “with her at 9am and again after break, keeps me on schedule also.

Plus it’s really fun to share what we accomplished and ask each other questions. We try to keep the chatting to a minimum, so we stay on track with the work, but sometimes it’s pretty amusing

She posted this conversation to Facebook and it made me laugh. She’s, of course, very funny and good at polishing a joke – so she makes me sound good – but this was a funny conversation. Thought I’d share it here. 🙂

Transcript, if you can’t read the image:

CONVERSATION WHILE SPRINTING THIS MORNING

ME: I lost a scene.

JEFFE: A what?

ME: An entire scene. I lost it.

JEFFE: Where did you see it last?

ME: Right here in my document.

JEFFE: Did you leave it in the bathroom?

ME: I don’t think so.

JEFFE: Did you take it off to wash dishes?

ME: I’m on deadline. I haven’t washed dishes in weeks.

JEFFE: I don’t know what to tell you. You’re just going to have to retrace your steps.

ME: *whimpers*