[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fxG7xyWq8UaznSS_vU-40sEAPemH_ejmgj9oeZk0iAzA":3,"$fF0Y8Er4T8b8XTeafbPT2cBo_5V2N0-tQMemEN-Hrv0Y":16},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},13925,"Lynn Abbey","L",43,null,"lynn-abbey",[12],{"tag_id":13,"tag_name":14,"tag_count":15},60,"writing",5,{"quotes":17,"pagination":83},[18,26,33,40,47,53,59,65,71,77],{"id":19,"quote_text":20,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":23,"source":24,"quote_tag":25,"commentary":9},3804208,"I'm always trolling for trivia.",7,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":27,"quote_text":28,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":22,"author":30,"source":31,"quote_tag":32,"commentary":9},3240011,"I’m dense when it comes to discouragement.",6,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":34,"quote_text":35,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":22,"author":36,"source":37,"quote_tag":38,"commentary":39},3240006,"I’m not constrained by being a genre writer. Any story I can imagine, I can cast as a fantasy novel and probably get it published.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nLynn Abbey, a renowned author of fantasy and horror, penned this quote in the context of the 1970s and 1980s pulp fiction era. During this time, the fantasy genre was expanding rapidly, and Abbey, a pioneer of the field, was navigating the challenges of breaking into and succeeding within it. Her statement reflects the flexibility and adaptability she developed as a writer during this period.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe counter-intuitive truth lies in the fact that Abbey's comment highlights the tension between creative freedom and the constraints of genre conventions. By acknowledging that she can \"cast\" any story as a fantasy novel, Abbey is, in effect, subverting the idea that genre writing is restrictive. Instead, she reveals that genre can be a liberating force, allowing her to explore a wide range of ideas and themes within a specific framework.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply Abbey's mindset, consider how you can reframe your creative projects within a genre or style that feels restrictive to you. Instead of seeing genre as a constraint, view it as a tool that can help you focus your ideas and tap into a specific audience's expectations. By embracing the conventions of a genre, you can gain the freedom to explore complex themes and ideas within a familiar framework.",{"id":41,"quote_text":42,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":22,"author":43,"source":44,"quote_tag":45,"commentary":46},3239987,"I do have a small collection of traditional SF ideas which I’ve never been able to sell. I’m known as a fantasy writer and neither my agent nor my editors want to risk my brand by jumping genre.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nLynn Abbey, a renowned fantasy author, shared this quote in a context where she was reflecting on her career and the expectations surrounding her genre. As a writer known for her fantasy works, Abbey was highlighting the challenges she faced in exploring other genres, such as science fiction, due to the constraints of her established brand. This quote captures a moment in her career where she was navigating the complexities of creative identity and market expectations.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe hidden insight in this quote lies in the tension between artistic expression and commercial viability. Abbey is revealing the pressure she faces from her industry professionals to stick to what they perceive as her \"brand,\" rather than allowing her to explore her true creative interests. This paradox highlights the often-overlooked aspect of artistic identity being shaped by external factors, such as market demand and audience expectations, rather than solely by personal passion or vision.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, consider the ways in which external pressures may be limiting your creative expression. Be aware of how your professional network, industry norms, or even your own reputation may be influencing the types of projects you feel comfortable pursuing. By acknowledging and challenging these external factors, you can create space to explore new ideas and genres, even if they deviate from your established brand.",{"id":48,"quote_text":49,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":22,"author":50,"source":51,"quote_tag":52,"commentary":9},3239976,"The money can be decent, but I really don’t recommend the work-for-hire route as an entry into publishing. Too many things can go wrong.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":54,"quote_text":55,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":22,"author":56,"source":57,"quote_tag":58,"commentary":9},3239963,"If you write, one of the questions you’re always trying to answer is, Where do you get your ideas? And, if you write, you know how pointless a question this is and how difficult it is to answer.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":60,"quote_text":61,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":22,"author":62,"source":63,"quote_tag":64,"commentary":9},3239957,"I’m one of those writers who, when writing, believes she’s god-and that she hasn’t bestowed free will on any of her characters. In that sense there are no surprises in any of my books.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":66,"quote_text":67,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":22,"author":68,"source":69,"quote_tag":70,"commentary":9},3239950,"When I’m not writing or tweaking my computer, I do embroidery. When I’m not plunging into the past, tweaking, or embroidering, I’m reading books about history, computers, or embroidery.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":72,"quote_text":73,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":22,"author":74,"source":75,"quote_tag":76,"commentary":9},3239940,"Once you’ve invested hundreds of hours in creating a coherent universe, your story’s grown to around a half-million words and can’t be written as anything less than a trilogy.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":78,"quote_text":79,"author_id":5,"source_id":29,"has_image":22,"author":80,"source":81,"quote_tag":82,"commentary":9},3239932,"It’s possible to become so comfortable with one’s style and structure that one ceases to grow.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"currentPage":84,"totalPages":15,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":85},1,10]