Ryan Field: RWA, Tolerance and Diversity, Revision to Rules?

Ryan Field: RWA, Tolerance and Diversity, Revision to Rules?

Very nice post by Ryan Field on the clarification in RWA policy

Romance Writers of America has come out - on the side of non-discrimination

Back on February 3rd, I (and several others) blogged about the brouhaha that began when a small Romance Writers of America chapter in Oklahoma (RWI) didn't want to allow same-sex romance books into its writing competition. A tidal wave of response was generated to that chapter's decision and the contest was pulled. RWA said they'd take it up at their March meeting.

Well, they have... and it's good news. Yesterday, they announced the following:

4. The Board approved adding anti-discrimination language to the Policies and Procedures Manual as follows: Membership shall not be denied to adults because of race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual preference, disability, or political affiliation.

5. The Board urges our chapters to make every effort to ensure that their contests and other services are inclusive. While RWA chapters are affiliated as individual corporations, and RWA Staff and Board are not involved in overseeing chapter contests and other programs, both Staff and Board are available to support and advise chapters on best practices.

This is good news for all RWA members. The board is taking a stand against discrimination. They are to be congratulated for acting and making their positions known. One of our Rainbow Romance Writers members has suggested a best-practices document for chapters to provide framework for the content of contests. I hope they consider this brilliant idea. It's the logical next step.

So, good on ya RWA!

You can't be gay and get married; but you can be straight and get divorced

Photo by Dave Schumaker

One of the members in our Rainbow Romance Writers chapter found this incredible blog post, from Jill Malone. She's celebrating love and marriage in her ongoing series entitled The Marriage Project - even though in most of our states, she can't legally marry.

Jill showcases an essay by Marguerite Quantaine. What jumped out at me from the post is this quote:

"But this time, the Jeffersonian paradox challenges whether we, as a nation, believe the worst heterosexual is still better than the best homosexual.

Because all the worst heterosexuals in America can marry.

But even the best homosexuals cannot."

How can we as Americans stand by while fellow citizens are denied equal protection under the law? This has everything to do with religion and nothing to do with the rule of law. That is, as long as you believe the naysayers who tell us that gay marriage is an abomination, a sin, against the laws of man. It should have everything to do with the law and nothing to do with religion. Either each of us can walk into the county clerk's office and purchase a license or we can't. Isn't it that simple?

Photo by forwardstl

How is it some of us define right and wrong by whom we love, rather than by what we do and who we are? When do we begin to accept that that perhaps what we've grown up with, what our parents and grandparents -- and society, frankly -- taught us just may not be the truth?

When people are free to love and express it, to cherish each other and commit to each other, isn't our society strengthened by each and every special moment of that love? How is it wrong to embrace our differences yet celebrate what makes us the same? We're human beings, with rights from God that man -- that government -- cannot take away.

Why do some people believe in these divine rights, except when they apply to all?

Damon Suede nails it about why YOU should join Rainbow Romance Writers

My friend Damon is over at Chicks & Dicks today, espousing a whole heck of a lot of wisdom about the ghetto/niche that LGBT romance exists in today, and what we're doing about it at Rainbow Romance Writers. 


Since joining last summer - well actually, since I volunteered in January and am now very active in the chapter - I have learned an incredible amount about the industry I've entered. Yes, we have followings, readers who absolutely love LGBT romance. But we need to widen our nets, broaden our focus and damn it, shoot for the stars. Did I leave out a single cliché there? Not sure. Nevertheless, it's time to step us as writers (and readers) of LGBT romance and make our voices heard. 


How to do that? Join RRW. Now. Right now. We are so energized about moving our members - and our industry - forward, it's simply amazing what's happening. We'll be an exciting presence at these cons in 2012: 

1. Rainbow Book Fair in New York, March
2. LoneStar LesFic Festival in Austin, March
3. Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention in Chicago, April
4. RWA Nationals in Anaheim, August
5. GayRomLit in Albuquerque, October

We've formed three distinct committees that are targeting Events, Research and Outreach. These volunteers have already made significant strides, producing a kick-ass brochure to reach potential members, setting up an impactful presence at the cons listed above, and investigating what publishers are buying, what readers are reading, and how to bring OUR books to both groups. We've established a relationship with GLAAD, and we're working on networking with national and regional LGBT groups and charities, to connect with those who share our intention to promote the ROMANCE in LGBT romance. 

RRW was formed to: 

• to promote excellence in LGBT romance writing
• to help members succeed as artists and professionals
• to advocate passionately for our rapidly expanding market online and at events both LGBT and romance-related
• to provide a dynamic resource for our members, the media, and the publishing industry

We're fast proving that professionalism will succeed. It's in the best interests of every writer of LGBT romance to join us, to add the weight of your work and efforts to ours. The publishing industry is undergoing significant upheaval. Anyone with an eReader can tell you that. The big six are moving into ebooks, and it's anybody's guess how that's going to impact the smaller epublishers. Those of you writing with small presses, you need us - and we need you. 

I'll leave you with one last cliché: a rising tide lifts all boats. Get onboard with RRW - today. 

http://www.rainbowromancewriters.com/

Fantasy ficlet from guest blogger Nancy Griffis

Enjoy!

Bound

Mist lingered in the bog, but it always did. Marcus knew the pathways better than anyone; he'd grown up playing on the moors and cutting through the bog since childhood. No matter how many times his mother had warned him that he would get sucked into the eternal sands or sirened away by a will o'the wisp, he'd gone back time and again.

“Are you sure you know where we're going?”  

The somewhat nervous words prompted a quickly hidden smile. Marcus looked back at the young nobleman and said with all seriousness, “I do, m'lord. You're safe as can be with me.”

Young though he was, just beyond his twentieth year if Marcus guessed rightly, the golden-haired man who trailed him was broadly built with the strength of a fighter. He also had eyes the color of a stormy sky. Marcus had always thrilled to eyes like that, but everyone he knew had the same green-brown as himself. It was the nobility, of course; even the color of their eyes was unusual and refined and Lord Liam Stoneson of Cliff Keep was no exception. There'd been more than a few late-night fantasies about his traveling companion since his hire, the ten years between them certainly not enough to discurage such thoughts.

GUEST BLOGGER NANCY GRIFFIS

Outlines are your friend!

Almost all of the writers I know refuse to use outlines. They love to think something up and then just hit the keyboard. I confess, I used to be exactly same when when I was strictly a novelist – back in the dark ages. And then a funny thing happened... I shifted my focus to television and film writing and suddenly, structure was happening all over the place! I suddenly had a lot more to deal with than just beginning/middle/end. What was a novelist to do?  

An interesting thing happened on the way to becoming a screenwriter... I learned to outline. If you read a lot of books on screenwriting, they'll almost all tell you to outline. Not just outline, but also to use something called a “beat sheet” which tells the writer exactly what was supposed to happen at the inciting incident, every act and every turning point.

And then an even more interesting thing happened... the writing flowed a hell of a lot faster than it ever had no matter what I was writing, novel, tv spec, or feature film. There's a reason why buildings have blueprints and webpages have coding protocols: everything needs a starting point and details make up the greater whole of whatever you're putting together.

“But doesn't this stifle your creativity?!”

“Isn't it like writing the novel twice?”

I hear that a lot but the opposite is true for me. I don't just outline plot, but characters, too. Now before you draw back in horror at that little revelation, let me tell you a secret: if you know where you're going and who your traveling companions are, the trip goes by very quickly. And just because you outline doesn't mean that new ideas don't spring up and you can't pursue them. Happens to me all the time. The outline lets me see problems ahead of writing out the entirety of my 95k word opus and knowing your characters' background down down through childhood lets you dig in deep to their psyche.

Here's a sample:

Chapter 1 – After getting fired and dumped on the same day, Mary gets beamed up to an alien ship. J'Nir, the captain, says that he needs her help to stop a coup on his home planet; she's actually the heir to the throne.

Chapter 2 – J'Nir's ex-wife is also the ship's second in command and makes trouble for Mary as she tries to settle in for the long journey back to their planet.

Chapter 3 – An unknown assassin tries to kill Mary but she fights him off and escapes to safety.

So, not a lot of detail, but enough to let me know what I think the chapters will be about, where the novel/screenplay itself is going, and to see where problems might come up. Or, if I forget all about a character (and that happened on two embarrassing occasions), the outline reminds me about them before I get so far down the line that I have to rewrite major portions of the work.

I know this isn't likely to convince someone who's determined not to use an outline, but this is me saying that they are not evil. You should try it sometime. As someone who's survived the 3-Day Novel contest three times and produced two completed novels (I was sick as a dog on the second weekend and didn't finish) in the course of Labor Day weekend, I can safely say that outlines are a huge time saver in the end.

Happy writing, no matter what method you use! 

You can find Nancy at her blog or on Facebook. Stop by and give her a shout-out. 

Grilled by Griffis

Today I'm over at Nancy Griffis' blog. She's very kindly hosting me, as well as popping some questions.

Come on over!

Rainbow Romance Writers - I'm amazed

Good grief, I am hip-deep in volunteer activities with Rainbow Romance Writers - it's both exhilarating and exhausting. But we're cranking out a new brochure for this special interest chapter of Romance Writers of America, and gearing up for all kinds of incredible events and happenings.

I'm working with some amazing people, great authors of LGBT romance. Visit the RRW website today, consider becoming a member and taking advantage of all the resources available to aspiring and published authors.

You're not going to meet a nicer bunch of people - guaranteed.