Thank you for all the blog prompts. I wanted to answer this one sent to us by an aspiring author:
Since I started writing, I hate everything I read. Reading used to be an escape. It makes me feel like I’ve lost a part of myself.
I think I’ve talked about it before, but coincidentally, Grace Draven and I chatted about this very issue this morning, so I thought I would go over it one more time, while it’s still fresh.
There is no one way to become a writer. There are as many roads to publication as there are authors. But for a lot of people, the evolution of writing follows the general pattern outlined below.
Voracious Reader Stage
We begin as readers. We devour books in a high volume. When I went to the library as a child, I would come out with bags of books, the maximum I could check out. When I took my children to a bookstore, we approached the counter with stacks of novels and manga. Books are inhaled.
People don’t often acknowledge it, but reading is a creative experience. The reader imagines, feels, speculates. All of this is a creative endeavor. It enriches our inner world. The majority of people stop here.
Selective Reader Stage
At this stage, we figure out the specific genre or the type of story that we like and we actively look for it. Because we’ve now read a lot of stories, there is some impatience when the story is too familiar or doesn’t handle certain things well.
‘I Can Do Better’ Stage
The frustration with not finding the exact story we want to read mounts. We’ve found some near misses, where the story comes close to what we want to read, but they still fall short of the mark. It occurs to us that we can just write our own story and make it exactly the way we want it to be.
This is the first writer stage. At this point the work produced is often derivative. We are rehashing what we’ve read and trying to improve on it.
‘I Hate Everything’ Stage
We’ve made our first clumsy attempts at a narrative and showed it to people, and we have some constructive feedback. The feedback hurts. We begin to actively focus on improving our writing, because pain is an excellent teacher and we are trying to avoid it. This is the point where we learn things like “show, don’t tell” and “passive voice” and so on.
Writers are hypercritical of themselves. We also tend to obsess. At this stage, once we see some technical flaw, we focus on it like a laser. We literally cannot unsee it.
For a lot of people, this is the stage where we experience repeated rejections if we are submitting our work to traditional publishers or primarily negative reviews and low sales if self-publishing.
It’s very easy for all of this frustration to turn inward and create a volatile mix of being insecure about your work and at the same time angry about not finding an audience. We are still in the critical/improving our writing stage, so when we look at other published works, especially bestsellers, we mostly see flaws.
You’ve all probably seen reviews that rage about how this dreck could possibly be published when the reviewer’s work is so much better. There is no reviewer more vicious than a writer at this stage.
This is a normal step in writer development. Most commercially or critically successful authors move out of this stage, but some stay here for the duration of their career. It is a very stressful place to be.
Finding What Works Stage
This is the stage where our perspective on the narrative changes. Instead of focusing on what is wrong in the current bestseller, we focus instead on what is right.
This makes logical sense. If a book reached bestseller status or achieved critical acclaim, then its pros outweigh its cons. It is serving something to the readers that is working for them. We need to figure out what it is and apply it to our own writing. Yes, this other novel has flaws. But what is it that this book does right? How can we make it our own?
A writer in this stage finds a balance. We now know what magic we are trying to bottle, we apply it to our writing, and a lot of times, it works. Suddenly we have readers who are asking for more. This is a period of professional growth. Sometimes it can be explosive, sometimes slow, but for the majority of writers who reach this stage, it is lifelong.
We can now read and enjoy fiction again. We develop some confidence in our own craft and give ourselves permission to be proud of the things we wrote because we achieved whatever it was we set out to do with the story. By focusing on the most important elements, we can give ourselves and others some grace regarding small things like overuse of a particular word or funky dialogue tags that previously would have derailed our enjoyment.
If you are stuck in the hatred stage, it is normal. You can get out of it by figuring out what you like about books, finding novels that explore that, and making a conscious decision to focus on how they pull it off.
Hang in there. This too shall pass.
Example:
If I like the subordinate/boss romance trope, I’m going to read a bunch of stories with that trope. I can spend my time picking apart clumsy sentences or ridiculous plot devices, but what I really need to focus on is the power dynamics and the emotion of the relationship. That’s what makes the trope work.
So what are the things that these types of books have in common? Well, the subordinate must be underappreciated. Or perhaps they are appreciated as a professional but are invisible as a person.
Something then causes that subordinate to leave. (This is the change in status quo and this is where we would start our story.)
Perhaps someone else comes in and is held up as their replacement. Or the subordinate has been quietly in love with their boss, but now a clear romantic interest appears on the boss’ horizon, and the subordinate gives up. They feel like they are stuck and staying is torture.
The subordinate attempts to separate and exit the boss’ orbit.
The boss suddenly realizes that there is a gaping hole in their life. It gives them a new perspective, so they pursue the subordinate, at first in a professional and then in the emotional sense.
Why does this construct work? Because there is an inherent injustice here. A lot of us feel underappreciated. To make this plotline successful, we must use that and convince the reader to sympathize with the subordinate. At some point, the readers need to pound their couch armrest with their fist and yell, “That jerk! It’s not fair!”
We then derive pleasure as readers from watching this emotional injustice being corrected. The boss cannot live without this person. They realize they are a jerk. They must atone. Bring on the grovel.
A lot of pack romances use this trope: he is the alpha, she is his sort-of-mate for political reasons, oh but wait, he is bringing in a different woman who is much more badass and the previous political relationship is set aside. But now she will get emotional revenge by leaving so he can struggle.
Your challenge, should you accept it, is to list books that use this storyline in the comments and let us know why you liked them. Please be kind. We are looking to move away from criticism here toward things that bring you enjoyment as you read.
Editor Point of View: Rossana Sasso, Developmental Editor
“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
Jodi Picoult
Ilona took us on the lover’s journey between an author and their storytelling craft. First comes the passionate stage. Desire and obsession sweep us up, and we ignore everything but their flutter. Then come the growing pains of settling down, when the lover moves in and things aren’t always rosy. They disrupt our routine. We hate how smelly their favourite snack is. We get fixated on winning every squabble and dig our heels in over where the coffee mugs should live. Eventually, mature love arrives and we learn to be a team. Respect, trust, and collaboration help us fall into a mutual rhythm. Every day together is a little better than everything that came before.
I see the editor’s role as the relationship therapist in this equation. As long as the author and the story still have something to say to each other, it will all work out.
Perfection isn’t the goal, or what makes the journey worthwhile. Writers play their fictional worlds into existence. It’s a ludic urge, a heartbeat that will be preserved at the core of the story and convince the reader to keep reading. Passion and inspiration join together with an idea and shape the narrative organically.
Trying to write in widgets, or by a process of reverse-engineering an artificial arrangement impervious to criticism, will usually lead to writer’s block and burnout—a slog to the finish line and many weeks spent on my editorial couch. Stakes won’t feel high enough, calls to action will be repeatedly refused and underwritten, genre promises broken by darlings that refuse to die, and readers’ expectations shrivelled, unmet and unclarified. And I’ll be able to tell when my couple is just moving furniture around, rather than addressing the structural issues.
The lessons and friction of the I Hate Everything stage are bitter, but they’re necessary and proof that you’re levelling up. Just as a happy marriage isn’t achieved by mechanically ticking a list of bullet points every day, storytelling isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being true to yourself.
The magic isn’t gone. You’re just learning how the spell is cast.
what a great blog post, thank you so much!!
Your post is very thoughtful.
+1
wow, really great! this structure, arch – is what works in good-great scripts for theater.
sorry, not “is” meant “in.”
not enough coffee!
Fixed 🙂
I remember reading the book, “Jaws.” It was really awful, so in my pea brain, I rewrote the parts I didn’t like, because the concept was great. When I saw the movie, all the nasty parts were eliminated. The scientist didn’t have an affair with the cop’s wife, etc etc.
I’ve done this all my life. If I don’t like something in a book, that is otherwise well written, I skip over it and change the parts I didn’t like.
I do this too. I call it my mental editor and it makes reading a pleasure instead of a struggle.
Same. I fix sentence structure and grammar as I’m reading too.
Oh heck yes!
It seemed to me that the subordinate/boss trope disappeared around the time we all had to go through sexual harassment training at work. Or perhaps I should say it evolved to a independent contractor type who is feisty and quirky and drives the boss/client crazy. But your werewolf analogy made me look at it a different way. Mercy Thompson is probably my favorite character of that sort (Patricia Briggs author). Those stories work for me because the Boss is honorable, strong and protective, and the FMC usually doesn’t need anything from him but the honor. Thanks for the homework, I am not writing yet, still in avid reader stage, but intrigued with the idea and the chance to look more closely at why I love certain stories. I am currently rereading Penric and Desdemona stories since there is a new one coming out this month. There, I would say the trope (if it is one) is good hearted but not naive main character who uses magic or otherworldly abilities to right wrongs.
I think the key relationship/character development arc in the Penric & Desdemona stories though — as the name of the series implies — is the sorceror/demon one. The good-hearted and fair-minded main character has never received any traditional religious training about handling his newly acquired internal demon and therefore doesn’t realise that a “proper” sorceror treats his demon like a mindless slave. He instinctively rejects this notion and for the first time in a lifetime of centuries, the demon finds itself treated like a person. It responds and the two become friends, partners and eventually virtual spouses.
Yes, this!!!
I have to say, “Jaws” is one of the few books where I felt the movie was WAY better. It wasn’t just poorly written, the people in it are horrible. They were, ahem, land sharks, if you will. What I didn’t like about the movie is Quint. I love the late great Robert Shaw, but I didn’t like the direction he took with Quint.
Very informative! It is always interesting to see how the process progresses. I once read a book by Mercedes Lackey where the main character lectured a high school class on how a writer works and of course, it is hard work. Nothing is easy when you first start learning. You have it down to a fine art by now! Are you crocheting anything new? I discovered a soft baby yarn at Hobby Lobby from Yarn Bee. I have arthritis in my index finger and I can still crochet if I use it and a bamboo hook. I have been making baby hats for winter and doll clothes.
I loved that book by Mercedes Lackey.
Diana Tregarde! The second and third books, while awesome, were a real break from the first. Hmm…I need to go read them again (for the hundredth time).
Thank you. I’m working on that balance.
Sorry. Should have said I’m working on “getting” that balance.
One of my favorite boss/subordinate books is Rock Hard by Nalini Singh. It does start off with the unappreciative and exploitive boss, but a new boss comes in who recognizes the value of the subordinate and encourages her professional (and later personal) growth.
I especially enjoy the human enjoyment the new boss has as the subordinate gains confidence in her abilities and starts voicing her true feelings (she calls the boss a T-Rex in her mind, and eventually calls him that to his face – which makes him laugh).
One of my go to reads too! I especially like the chapter headers in the book to let the reader know what is going to happen in the chapter.
The boss/employee tropes is one of my least favorites, but you’re right, Rock Hard is an excellent example of it…and it is one that I reread every few years or so. I haven’t really found any others that I liked well enough for the title or author to stick with me, so if anyone has some recommendations for good ones, I would definitely be interested. It is such a difficult relationship to get right, the power imbalance can be problematic.
+1
I was thinking of this book as an example. T-Rex appreciates Charlie Mouse from the get go!
This is fantastic reading – thank you
I often say I am not creative but I have never considered the perspective that reading is a creative outlet. Loved reading this post!
Do we get tokens?? 🫤🤣
I crashed around the “I could do better stage” and I’m staying in my selective lane…
still got a little notebook were I sketch the story and characters!!
Great post! 💚
I can’t think of any pack/scorned lover examples so I’m no help there. But I’d love to read some!
I also would love IA to write another boss/subordinate story. Silver Shark is one of my favorite novellas ever.
It also appears — very very briefly — in Sweep of the Sword. Arland gives Maud a contract as a knight of House Krahr to give her standing in the House. She promptly resigns again – and whaps Arland on the head when he needs her to explain why….
Silver Shark is also one of my all time favourites. I would love to read more about Venturo and Claire and see more how they work together
I cannot express how much I love that you share all of this with us.
I think there is one point missing. Because it is WORK and often a grind, you also need a passion for writing. I have been told at various times that I write well or paint well, but I have no drive to do either one unless an idea occurs to me. So I will never be better than a dilettante at either.
My mom asked me something when I was 12 that applies universally and I still ask myself today in many situations. When I asked if I could have guitar lessons, she said, “It depends. Do you actually want to learn to play the guitar? Or do you just want to be able to play the guitar?” I didn’t get the lessons.
The problem with learning a new skill is that you have to be willing to be bad at it. Being bad at something is the first step to being good at it.
Nita, thank you! I will now turn your comment into a poster and place it in a nice frame on my office wall at work. I believe I need to be reminded of this on a regular basis and when I read it,it brought tears to my eyes. So well said.❤️
+1
Agreed, and it’s true in other fields too. My whole family thinks I should be a writer, because I’m good at it when I have something to say. That’s always nonfiction though, because I don’t have characters or stories in my head.
With fiction, I really have no desire to write for my own sake, and I’m done trying to write it because other people want me to. I’d much rather read stories by people who are compelled to get those stories out of their heads and into books.
As always, thanks for this insight into the process of growing the writers I want to read.
This is so interesting, but where is the “starts at least 2 novels a year and never finishes anything” stage?
Asking for a me. (I know I need to do the thing.)
There is a really great quote by Ira Glass talking about the gap between your skill and your taste. Very akin to your “I hate everything stage”!
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/309485-nobody-tells-this-to-people-who-are-beginners-i-wish
If you want another author’s take on this, I’ll weigh in, with the caveat that every writer’s process is different and there is no “one way” to write. That said, I can’t count all the stories I started and stopped before finally finishing a book. So, my first point is, this isn’t unusual. Your prior writings aren’t a waste, either. You’re still learning and growing with each abandoned story. Second, another commenter had a great point saying you have to accept being bad at something before you can be good at it. This is true. Trying to fix a story AS you write can kill your inspiration for writing it. Or, it can stymie your progress to a miserable crawl. (I can hear Ilona laugh as I write this because beginnings still take me FOREVER since I keep trying to fix them before continuing, and she keeps telling me, “Move on! You’ll fix it later!” She’s right, but…old habits die hard :))
Anyway, what finally unblocked my Never Finishing curse was giving myself permission to write “crap.” Once I stopped trying to make each chapter “good” as I wrote them, I could focus on the inspiration that led me to start that story to begin with. This is still how I get past my dreaded beginnings, by the way. So, with your next story, try allowing yourself to write what you might consider absolute drivel as long as it keeps you moving forward to the next chapter. Don’t edit until you type The End. If that doesn’t help, try changing up your process. Do you outline first? Then try pantsing it. Are you a pantser already? Then try outlining. Do you forced yourself to write every day? Then take breaks. Etc. Writing doesn’t have a One Size Fits All process, so you might just be using the wrong process for yourself. And don’t forget to celebrate the little victories. Did you get to 50 pages? Yay! Did you stop on your current story, but the next one is going smoother? Go you! Finally, don’t be discouraged that this isn’t easy. I’ve been a full-time writer for over fifteen years, and it still isn’t easy for me to finish a book. Best of luck to you!
I wrote a novel and I hated it so I shelved it and began writing a series. I haven’t had time to work on it but I haven’t been able to get the characters out of my head and when I reread it I absolutely adore what I’ve already written. I’m picky about what I read so I think I’ve gotten a great start. Once my growing season is done for the year I’m digging in and writing again. I know there’s potential there even if I never actually publish it.
you got this!
that last line is perfection. congrats. you did it! 🙂
Technically a webtoon, though I’m not sure if there was a novel first, but What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim is the most recent one following this trope I’ve read. I liked it because there is snark there, and she is herself super capable and smart, I like that.
Also movie wise, I still think Two Weeks Notice did it very well (sure, sure, dated now – but it still works).
Now that I’m thinking about it 🤔 I don’t often read books with workplace romance storylines so I can’t really recall any others…
(snar = snark 🙈)
Fixed 🙂
Thanks ModR 😊
I think this is also a tv series. Maybe on Netflix?
Also, yes! Netflix and Viki for me – and the subtitles on Viki are way better…
My 16 year old (who had wanted to become a lawyer) is now saying she’d love to do creative writing.
She’s never been a voracious reader,partly because she doesn’t like books that are tropey.
She’s off from school for a few days soon – I’m definitely going to suggest this exercise and she what she thinks.
Thank you! I will give you book titles in another message.
I think Lucy Score did a great job with the subordinate/boss relationship in By a Thread. If anyone enjoys contemporary romance and romantic comedies, she’s a good author to check out.
OMG, such a great blog post today (though they’re usually great)… thank you!
Also, I never thought of myself as creative, but I guess am since I “imagine, feel, and speculate” when I read!
Also, The Favor by Suzanne Wright was an enjoyable boss/subordinate story for me.
Though it’s not entirely within boss/subordinate troup (but there’s overlap on the Venn Diagram) I really enjoyed “Love Theoretically” by Ali Hazelwood.
Why I enjoyed it: I am not in academia, but in technical jobs there’s this underlying.. vulnerability. Even someone you don’t directly report to can have massive consequences to your success. There can be cross-departmental rivalries.
Elsie’s immediate negative reaction to Jack is completely understandable. Then the realization.. he can affect her hiring. The tug of war of emotions.. and the balance she has to accomplish.. mwah.. beautiful.
Honestly, you probably need to be some level of nerd to enjoy.
This is AWESOME. Thank you!
Donna Andrew’s “Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon” has a workplace romance. The reluctant heroine chooses the man she already loves, and her “boss” is realistically a co-worker, but the workplace itself is drawn in excruciating funny and true detail. I like HEAs that span a series.
Thank you,Mod R!!😃🥰
I love Natasha Anders “A Ruthless Proposition”. The boss is very annoying in the beginning.
Great post and got me to thinking about the mission mentioned above. 😁
A lot of books I read in the late 80s and 90s had that romantic trope. One author who comes to mind is Diana Palmer and her Jacobsville series. For those who don’t know about this series is that Jacobsville is a fictional small town in south Texas with ranches near by the town. Think of Victoria, TX region.
The men in the books are ranchers, doctors, work for a government agency, or police. The women may work on the ranch, in the doctor’s office, in the police department, or someone who knows someone. Some of the women left the town for school or work but come back to the small town for different reasons.
It is a really good series. I got out of reading them in the early 2010s her style of writing didn’t interest me anymore.
This was brilliant. As always. I sent it
to every fantasy writer I know. We shall keep going! On a side note- how do you leave your secure job? I feel like there is no time between the kids and work. I’m proud of myself when I actually cook. So I end up writing when Im on vacation or I have taken sick days etc. In start up land they tell us to focus on no more that one thing for atleast 4 hours in a day and to do those hours as a block. There is no time for that unless I cut back on sleep or work that actually pays the bills. How did you take the leap?
I recently read (ahem: devoured) the Cruel Shifterverse series from Jasmine Mas – I did not expect my level of emotional involvement AT ALL. People, I literally cried reading certain scenes where our FMC was (very unjustly) bullied because the MMCs didn’t have all the information (and were themselves damaged) and the grovels later were epic, which was the emotional payoff I was hurting for.
It doesn’t matter so much what you’re writing – the readers need to care about the people in the story, or nothing else matters.
Clarity: this isn’t a boss/subordinate story – I was thinking more about books with deep emotional payoff – sorry!
I appreciated that perspective. I always like when you answer writing questions.
To answer your question- to me a trope is like cut out cookies. Each trope has its own distinct shape. What makes each book unique is how you decorate that shape. It has its own “voice” in some manner. Whether it’s humor, trials to overcome, or world building.
I, personally, drop tropes when they get to generic. They don’t stand out from the crowd and because there’s no distinction I get bored. Or it’s SO unlikely that it’s unreasonable to happen (even in fiction)
Nice. I especially like the part about focusing on what is working, rather than what isn’t!
This post is a public service. It encapsulates my relationship with reading (and writing, which I have been told I should do but I haven’t felt the urge to do–I edit enough in my work). You are amazing and thoughtful.
Reader. Voracious reader.
Writer, not at all.
Happy to be in my nook, with books!!
📚📚📚
+1
Wow. I don’t believe that could be said better.
I always loved to read but didn’t have a lot of access. Our elementary school did not have a library. The individual teachers might have a shelf that they supplied. In junior high I was exposed to my first school library and started at A in fiction and worked my way through the whole thing. I didn’t have a specific genre at the time but just read everything. But it was there that I found Asimov, Heinlein and Andre Norton that started my love for science fiction and fantasy.
pack elements- San Andreas Shifters Gail Carriger
boss/subordinate vibes-
Seana Kelly Sam Quinn Chronicles
(subordinate learns her powers so they become equal, slow burn)
Sam Quinn +1
Interesting and still so glad I don’t write! Sorry, pretty much despise the subordinate/boss trope, so I’ve nothing to offer. I’ve read a few and I mostly want to shake sense into both parties. It’s too annoying for words, which always throws me out of the story.
This is so very interesting, and thank you for also bringing in the editor’s perspective too! As a recovering teacher librarian my reading range is fairly broad, but speculative fiction is my idea of paradise ::swoon::
Have you read Lion’s Blood, by Steven Barnes? Amazing
Splendid post! Recognized myself in many parts, and made me reflect. Great wisdom here.
Thank you ever so much!
Silver Shark is my one favourite of this idea type.
I generally don’t go for this dynamic in a book, and I had never looked at anyone at work that way.
Oops: meant I recognized myself in stages of being a reader and writer.
Not the book type.
Clearly, today is not my day to be loquacious!
“Silver Shark” is my favorite take on that relationship dynamic, but this probably isn’t a helpful issue.
Thank you for writing that there’s a stage after “crippling insecurity”, I really hope to someday reach it!
I am a Bibliovore. I consume books. I read something everyday. I started young and at 62 have no plans of stopping. The only serious writing I do is at work when we need to document something.
this is a beautiful blog post. I really enjoyed reading it and learnt a lot, even though I’m nowhere close to being a writer myself
Not my favorite of her works but Jennifer Crusie’s Fast Women is a good boss/subordinate (also Charlie All Night of hers although a little less obvious). Anything Jennifer Crusie though is amazing- probably one of the funniest authors out there.
More on the smutty side but also Suzanne Wright’s The Favor.
Love Fast Women
Not my favorite of her works but Jennifer Crusie’s Fast Women is a good boss/subordinate (also Charlie All Night of hers although a little less obvious). Anything Jennifer Crusie though is amazing- probably one of the funniest authors out there.
More on the smutty side but also Suzanne Wright’s The Favor.
Alpha/Pack: the new Ali Hazelwood The Mate although probably veers closer to Omegaverse. But her first in the series the Bride might also fit this trope.
“Inappropriate” by Vi Keeland is a boss/subordinate book I really enjoyed. It hooks you from the beginning because the FMC is fired unjustly, but then she goes and does something ill-advised that actually gets the attention of the “boss” character. It’s quite funny too.
Nice post!
The Wall of Winnipeg is a solid example of this trope. Not without its flaws but enjoyable enough for a few rereads 🙂
Wow, I love this post so much. It has so much to think about and some great examples. Thank you!
I’m not really a fan of the boss/subordinate romance trope. It just doesn’t do anything for me.
One story I did like that had the elements of jerk boss and underappreciated flunky was Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning. The story opens with the main character interviewing for a better job during her lunch break. The interview starts out well but goes sideways for reasons. At the end of the book we learn that the failure of the interview was crucial in order for the character to strike out and build a successful business on her own. I liked that the character (1) realized she was undervalued, (2) took some action, (3) experienced a setback, (4) wasn’t psychologically crippled by it, and (5) took some more action. Hard work and perseverance won the day.
Amazing blod post!
“The magic isn’t gone. You’re just learning how the spell is cast.”
Just like with music, learning writing has brought me so much joy and wonder as I appreciate other people’s skills.
I think that pulling apart another magician’s craft to see what’s behind their sleight of hand raises an exciting question as we write our own stories: What will my magic look like? (And why do I sound like a complete bellend and not someone cool)
+ 1
I find that diving in and writing a book, no matter the genre, increases my respect for those already on the path. I was more critical and frustrated as a reader before I ventured out as a writer. Now I see that there’s something I can learn about writing from almost any book.
Thank you so very much for these sage words about writing fiction! I am an academic who writes for my peers and also for the interested “lay” audience. This means I have had to learn how to “code switch,”in some sense, when I move from one audience to the other. I am approaching retirement, and would like to begin writing historical fiction set in the time and place of my academic specialization. What you have shared here will be immensely useful to me when I retire and try to settle into a third career after teaching high school for almost two decades and then undergraduates for two and a half more decades (with almost another decade spent in various full time graduate studies). Sharing your hard won wisdom with the BDH was a great kindness.
For the boss subordinates trope, I just finished Melanie Moreland’s My Favorite Boss. Not my favorite trope, however, I really enjoyed the comedic elements and the grovel was well done.
The alpha is more difficult to recommend. I have read a lot of these, but other than Patricia Briggs, I have a hard time picking anything worthwhile to pass along. It’s hard to recreate the Curran/Kate dynamic and even more difficult to find elsewhere.💚
After going through my bookshelves for an example of this trope, it looks like the only one I have is Anne Bishop’s Others series. The interactions between Meg and Simon are hilarious.
In Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire series, there are a few examples of boss/subordinate relationships, but the main one is more a mix of that element with slow burn and boy next door tropes.
I love Anne Bishop’s the Others series! So glad to see it mentioned here. 😁
Yes !! Meg and Simon are hilarious !!!
This is a wonderful read! Thank you. I feel validated that my being picky/specific about what satisfies me is just a natural progression. I’ve read a lot of boss/subordinate stories, but for the life of me, I can’t think of one to mention here.
I absolutely love behind the scene topics about the writing craft on this blog. I often find myself wondering about the creative process of my favorite authors while listening to their books. im amazed how the smallest details can be woven throughout the book or especially a whole series. I wonder about the process of tracking these details throughout and how the world building takes place. this is probably why we become obsessive fans, we appreciate the art and the logistics of an amazing literary universe!
please keep all these wonderful details coming.
I wrote 8 novels to get past the I can do better/angry stage—and a change in genre. That time wasn’t wasted, though, because I’m revising/publishing those old books.
One note—if you’re in the angry writer stage, please don’t write an author and tell them they’re bad. Write a review, make a post, whatever you feel like, but sending an author mean-spirited criticism and/or tagging them on a critical post is not cool.
First, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.
An “aspiring author” emailed me that my books were boring. While I was kind in my reply (not every book is for every reader, etc.), if that person ever publishes, I won’t boost their work. I’d never leave revenge reviews, but I’m not going to help them.
Second, do you have editorial skills?
“Boring” isn’t helpful. It’s just lashing out. I’d already published six books by that time, and writing is my retirement gig, so I brushed off the criticism. But if I’d only had one or two books out, or had less self confidence, it might have been devastating. My writing isn’t going to change the world, but it might better someone’s world for a few hours. Another writer’s words might change the world, if they keep writing.
Kindness matters.
A more positive example of what to do in the I Can Do Better stage:
I attended a scifi con talk by the late, great Olivia Butler. Back when she was unable to get published (hard to imagine!), she kept a small bookcase (shelf?) of books she considered mediocre to terrible.
Whenever she got a rejection letter, she’d go kick the bookshelf and remind herself that, “if this junk found a publisher, I can too!” And, of course, she eventually did.
Totally agree, Kindness always matters. I wish more people would base their reactions (to almost anything) with kindness as the default…
The book that comes immediately to mind is The Wall of Winnipeg and Me. Though the book was technically flawed, I couldn’t put it down. And that sucker was a freakin’ doorstop! I had never met characters like these before, and I loved their prickly, slow burn dynamic. I’ve reread it a couple of times since, and I buy everything the author publishes. I’ve watched the grammar improve over the years, but there are only a few titles that equal that first read in my affections. Furthermore, I’m clearly not alone, because her fanbase is extremely enthusiastic.
Oh yes! There is a lot of the boss/subordinate trope in Mariana Zapata’s work. “Under Locke” and “Kulti” are other examples. I love her books and also they drive me batty.
For the alpha type with a political mate–from the way it is phrased, it sounds like the alpha type is going to reject the political mate for a different option and then political mate is going to strike back and maybe they get back together? I’ve read a lot of books of alpha with a political mate option but he falls for someone else (sometimes it is also mixed with the boss/subordinate trope) and either the political mate is a scorned and vengeful creature or she is also secretly in love with someone else and is super happy to be off the hook. “Faeling” by S.E. Wendel is like this. “The Sea King” by C.L. Wilson.
There are a bunch more but now I’ve been reading so much Lit RPG I can barely remember my romance book plots.
I can’t think of a particular book or author off the top of my head other than ones that have already been mentioned here. I read way too many to keep track. For your assignment I can say for both boss/subordinate & Alpha/mate that I really enjoy where the heroin is hiding something (usually due to fear) that eventually lands her on top when discovered. Then the boss or alpha realizes his mistake and either has to grovel or suddenly becomes super protective and loving. I think its the comeuppance aspect. BTW thank you for 2 things. 1. Great blog/explanation, I’m stuck at the beginning of the “I can do better stage”. I can pinpoint where and how the story or writing went downhill. However, I have no confidence in my writing ability to do better. I give kudos to everyone who tries though! 2. I love the results of this challenge. I’m finding great book recommendations. I’ve found my home with the BDH, same/similar tastes.
Quick correction to auto correct. Heroine not heroin, as I’m sure you can all figure out LOL!
Thank you for this incredibly prescient articulation of the writing journey. I struggle a lot with perfectionism in my writing, and this is a very reassuring map of where I am, how I got here, and where I have yet to go.
Thanks for this post! I found it both extremely interesting and useful.
I have an unrelated question (mostly unrelated). I remember reading a post, I think by Ilona? about genre. There was a bit that went through different IA series that seem like they might be X genre but a really Y genre (like, I think?, Hidden Legacy looks like urban fantasy but is really just fantasy? << something like this.
I've tried looking for the post again but haven't been able to find it via the various search words that occurred to me.
Any help with finding this post again?
Hmmmm… Ilona has done several “covers as they pertain to different book genres” posts, which have now been archived, as the industry has moved on and cover trends changed.
Could it be this post? Not by Ilona, unfortunately https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/on-happy-ever-afters-and-beyond/
PS: Hidden Legacy is a romance series, published by a romance imprint 🙂
Hi Mod R — thanks so much for replying! Perhaps the post that I’ve been thinking of was archived and that’s why I can’t find it. Oh well.
The posting you linked about romance terminology is great!
The post I’m thinking of had a series of statements in this form: you might think Hidden Legacy is an urban romance, but it’s really fantasy (agreed that it’s romance also — no question about that!)
You might think that X series by is us Y, but it’s really Z. So a number of statements that follow this X, Y, Z form —
I’m resigned now to not being able to read it again. I should have saved it at the time b/c it struck me as so interesting!
In any case, thanks for your help!
Thank you for this! I have always believed reading to be a creative pastime. I have never moved on to writing. I have read so many books I think I would accidentally use others methods and writings.
Fantastic discussion—thank you!
I’ve read a few books by non-American authors lately where there is a ton of unabashed POV head hopping, telling instead of showing, and random lapses into omniscient narration, and I’m struggling with myself over my irritation and impulse to DNF. Am I so locked into the American rules of good writing that I’m missing out on enjoying a book that would presumably be considered quite well-written by its intended audience? Why can’t I get behind extending that kind of benefit of the doubt to books written by American authors that have the same “problems”? I think part of it is the professional deformation that comes with learning writing craft, but also maybe there’s a kind of readerly self-preservation at play. There’s SO MUCH fiction being published every day, and I can never read it all. I would need to live for like two hundred years to get through my TBR pile, even if I stopped adding to it today. Having my filters set at maximum nit-picking is a fast way to narrow down my potential reading list, although I’m sure it means missing out on some books I might enjoy if I were, like, a totally different, less obsessed/obsessive type of reader…
I think one of the best (and earliest) examples of this trope would be 228 year old Pride & Prejudice. Jayne Eyre needs a mention as well.
This made me laugh – never would have considered it, but so true of course!
Great post, thank you!
I haven’t read the book, but in the first Bridgit Jones Movie, the boss/underling romance scenario ends badly with Bridgit quitting, striking out in a new direction and, after a few blips (including a grovelling former boss), finding love and greater success. It’s so fun and rewarding to see her persevere with a kind of soft courage, in spite of being undervalued, and in the face of hilarious and occasionally cringe-y moments. She is relatable, and also has a fun and kind friend group, which is very appealing.
I think that’s one of the things that makes so many of the HA books comfort reads for me – the communities of friends and family that develop around the MC. I like to visit with them time and again.
I love writer blogs 🙂
Love this post. Voracious reader here, I proof read and give opinions, but I know my lane, LOL Boss/Subordinate – recent read would be KM Shea’s Pack of Dawn and Destiny series. From my favorites stack, Family Man by Jayne Ann Krentz fits the trope.
I feel like I need to start writing something 🙃 very insiteful👍🏻
Perhaps, Because of the advent of audio, where I can now “read ” 20 books every month, I am finding that there are a few very special authors who can pull off the most tired of tropes because of their fresh approach and ingenious twists along with their much needed wisdom.
Richard Dean Anderson said of the “Star Gate” tv series that from historical to space opera, at the core they are all the same – stories of the human interaction and problem solving when faced with difficult situations, and humor mixed in to relieve the tension. So regardless of the setting, the author needs to keep our interest with interesting, relatable characters, witty narrative and dialogue, and surprising twists and solutions, cementing it all with humor, wisdom and insight so that we can learn something new while we are being entertained.
If it’s boring, I am under no obligation to keep reading- so many books so little time.So, Ilona, you are on my very short list of authors who have me at,”Here is my new book”. I don’t care what it is, I’m going to read it.
I like cosy mysteries the best and so the above mentioned trope only works for me if there is a mystery for the two protagonists to solve. It’s especially fun if they aren’t especially fond of each other at the beginning, but come to appreciate each other’s talents. I would site the “Galactic Bonds series by Jennifer Estep.
Jayne Castle’s books, Amaryllis, Orchid and Zinnia all feature male leads with supernatural talents that require a ‘focus talent’ to use – the female lead. It is an interesting dynamic and I enjoy the relationship development as they build emotional trust. It is not boss and subordinate exactly, but a definite power imbalance. The best part is the argument about who is in charge, which is a kind of running theme.
I smiled and laughed my way through the post. Yep. Right on. I just got off the bus early. Never really thought I’ be a great writer. I’ve written columns for small newspapers. It was fun. I do sometimes make mental rewrites, But. I do not have the skills to make a “real” writer. So here I am, a compulsive obsessive reader; history, biography, science fiction old and new. I have been known to pitch a book across the room when I come across things like mongol hordes in the 14th century eating vanilla pudding. Research it, damnit! I have favorite authors and you head the list of living authors. I especially appreciate your extensive research. I’ve definitely added to my fund of odd bits of knowledge by reading your work. And greatly enjoyed checking some of the odd bits. You have been right on every time. Thank you for the fun of reading your books and the pleasure of finding out new things.
This was so interesting and helpful! Thank you! There’s a KJ Charles book I really love with the version of the boss/subordinate trope– “A Gentleman’s Position.” As I recall part of the journey was for the “boss” to realize and respect the pride that the subordinate took in his work, even though it was work the boss wouldn’t want to do himself. I found it so compelling.
The magic isn’t gone. You’re just learning how the spell is cast 🎯
Mariana Zapata: The Wall of Winnipeg and me.
It’s a bit of a Sports romance, too. Vanessa is the personal Assistant who quits /is done being a doormat. Aidan them begins to take notice. I like the well rounded charakters, who habe interests and Friends and actually like their work. They both grow.
I love that phrase – the magic isn’t gone. You are just learning to cast the spell .
Fabulous stuff ! My kids are going to get sick of hearing that , along with my many other sage words of wisdom they roll their eyes over .
Thanks for the encouragement for writers! Will send on to my discouraged aspiring author friends.
Food for thought.
Loved reading this particular blog /responses. I fall under the voracious reader, but unfit for creative writing, as I tend to rather pedantic style, shaped by a career of technical writing associated with documenting my engineering designs. I really appreciated seeing the suggestions and found one new writer from the suggestions. Long live HA and the BDH!
Thank you for explaining that. I had never thought about the process before and that really makes makes sense.
I love many of the book/authors mentioned already but I still reread Jane Eyre every couple years. I also adore the Ruth Wilson tv version.
I hate the subordinate/boss trope. The only great book with that trope is honestly Silver Shark.
It is the only book with this trope that I have read where the boss is a good person. Venturo got to where he is because he is excellent in his line of work and that is why he is the boss of his big company. Not because he is a ruthless shark (pun intended) who destroys his competition not caring that the destroys the livelihood of hundreds of people. He does not think he is better because he has money and treats his employes well. He is respectful and thoughtful and I love him!
This is missing in all the other books of this trope I have read, either is the boss a jerk simply because he can or he is an alpha a-hole who only operates by my way or the highway.
And then there is Claire who is such a good person, loyal, competent and selfless.
Its really just two people who are awesome and the action or suspense or drama or what you want to call it comes from outside their relationship mostly. In the other books of this trope I have read the drama comes mostly from within the relationship because the my way or the high way guy clashes with the headstrong, mouthy subordinate 🙄. So boring and predictable.
I can’t remember which books use these tropes, so no list.
However, I do not routinely enjoy these tropes. I guess this is because I feel that if the man/boss/alpha doesn’t appreciate the FMC then he isn’t worth her time and attention.
I prefer the trope modification where the boss/employee are trying to quell their attraction to the other because of the work relationship. So these are the ones I try to find. They always include some kind of solution to the employer/employee relationship bar.
I met my husband at work, but he was not my boss. We appreciated each other from the beginning and we still do. Because I was fortunate enough to experience a love that has improved over the past 33 years, I really, really appreciate stories about couples who learn fast to work together as a team.
Also neurospicy me just wants to look at the problem, analyze it, research it, plan the resolution and execute the plan, with my significant other on board. I don’t have to be the leader but I will be if necessary or if I want that for the particular problem.
I love to read about people who come up with a plan and support each other doing it. You may be thinking I probably don’t get much of this. You would be correct.
If I get too annoyed with book characters I either read non fiction for a while, return the book, or just don’t finish it.
I am now too old to finish a book I don’t like.
But I am a a BDH member when it comes to Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs and Anne Bishop. I have not yet figured out exactly what it is about these writers, but whatever it is, it is the same general thing. I love every book and re-read them.
Inexplicably I left Faith Hunter and Jim Butcher off my list of authors for whom I am part of their BDH!
This was very helpful. Thank You!
In a way, this all makes me a bit happy I’m not a prose writer. I have many story ideas that have died on the vine because after the first burst of the opening scene or the mapping out of characters, the well goes dry. My genre is poetry and I do have some things published. However, it is a hard nut to crack and putting together a book of verse, while still a goal before I shuffle off this mortal coil, not easy. One of my favorite poets I met in college. She is fantastic and weirdly enough every time I read a new book or even revisit the ones I have, I’m inspired and suddenly the poems pour out. Writing – to do it is both to love and hate it.
In regards to trope, I guess I prefer it when the main character knows their worth, and isn’t afraid to fight for their place at work or in a pack, so to speak, gaining respect from others as they go because they are good at what they do. Quiet longing from afar and woe is me whining starts to grate after a bit.
In terms of fantasy, I love Anne Bishop’s World of the Others series for this style of trope, as well as Robin McKinley’s novel, Sunshine ( it sort of fits it, but differently- baker who’s trudging through life and loves the sun gets snatched by vampires and shoved into a locked room, chained to a lone vampire who refuses to comply with the standard vampire society and whose hand is being forced). I really wish there was a sequel- really well done. Trope in a twisted reverse.
Romance-wise, Penny Reid has a few that fit. Neanderthal Seeks Human is a lot of fun. Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive third in series, Lead, fits the bill as well (very spicy but funny series).
Hope this helps with the question asked. Thanks for all the insights.
I LOOVVVEEE Robin McKinley’s “Sunshine” — one of my all-time favorite novels. Ever. I never get tired of rereading it. It’s really hard to explain why to my friends b/c all of the why I love it answers involve spoilers. So I always end up saying just: you should read this. You won’t regret it.
This one made me think. Just wondering- is anyone else a little disturbed that one of the main commonalities with this trope, regardless of it being romance or fantasy, is that the female character is taken for granted and viewed as an unnecessary commodity until she disappears? The fact that this trope is so widely enmeshed and accepted as the norm bothers me.
Granted, I would still keep reading them in future since we all feel unappreciated sometimes, and vindication is sweet. One of life’s ironies, I guess.
wow!! That deserves some sort of award-the metaphor of writer and story as relationship is beautiful! Love, love, love this!
I am a voracious reader, from a long line of voracious readers. I have never wanted to write, but at eight I cried buckets over Elsie Dinsmore(from my grandparents library -published in late 1800-a Pollyanna trope,) and Terhune’s dog books. I swooned over Barbara Cartland romances, Georgette Heyer, and Nora Robert’s in her Harlequin phase (lots of subordinate/boss tropes.) went onto Vonnegut, Solzhenitsyn, Graham Green, Ludlum, Clancy, Austin,Brontë, Lowell/Maxwell, Krentz/Quick, Briggs, Wen Spencer, Sagara West, Bujold. Not to mention required reading for a Comparative Lit major. What I’ve learned after 75 years is the tropes you can tolerate change, as does your preferred genre. ( God save me from ever having to read Elsie Dinsmore again!)
It’s the writing that matters. The style. The voice. If that doesn’t resonate with you, the trope won’t matter.It’s why we read and re-read IA until we know the books by heart. We simply like how they write.
+1
Helen Harper use this trope a lot, boss/subordinate or alpha/ subordinate. Some série are better than others, but it Always work . The main caracter are never perfect but always good person.
These are very helpful perspectives and analysis! Thank you for sharing!
there’s currently in my YouTube feed many stories about women in a subordinate role but more like waitresses, servents or abused rejected by family (usually werewolves here). One was a waitress who had been a scientist and realized that the formula he was about to cut a deal on was one she had created that had been stolen from her and it has a flaw. she risks her current situation to warn hum. surprisingly There was no romance between the 2 but she was put in charge of R&D.
Unfortunately most of these stories are cookie cutter AI crap with ENORMOUS plot holes. and a deadpan AI voice reading them. Ive occasionally taken a stab at writting but all i can come up with is a scene and no ending. but this? i think i could do better.