Apr 1, 2009 | Writing |
I'm working on Book 3 and I could tell something was missing. As much as I loved the characters, and the situation I'd gotten them into (oh it is delicious, but I cannot tell you!), there was some niggling little thing bugging me. Something wasn't right.
Fortunately, my editor saw it too. And after a conversation with her yesterday, I now have new direction. What I was missing, apparently, was some deeper angst. In a short category novel, those backgrounds are key. What happened to these people in the past to make them who they are now? What about their pasts prevents them from being together or from seeing they are right for each other? What must they help each other to realize before they can live happily ever after?
It seems straightforward enough, but it rarely is. My characters are real to me, and until I know what their problems truly are, it's impossible to just make a bunch of stuff up that doesn't fit. Seriously. I guess that sounds silly, but it's true.
My editor hit on something perfect that fit the hero so well I wondered how I hadn't realized it about him before. Combine that with some other things I learned about him, and with the heroine's background, and we've got one dark book. But I'm up for the challenge! I'm looking forward to the revisions to the first three chapters, and what will happen as I move forward from there. I'm excited about it again, and not worried that something is missing. It's a great feeling.
And, once again, there's a deadline staring me in the face. So time to get busy!
How do you know when you have all your elements in place? Do character backgrounds take you a while to learn? Or do you know everything right away?
Mar 30, 2009 | Writing |
I'll be wrestling the characters of the newest book this week, so may not be around too much. I've got them in a pickle, but the trouble is they are still hiding information from me so I don't quite know what they're going to do. This situation cannot continue. I, as the writer, MUST know what's what. Until I do, they aren't getting out of the difficult place I've stuck them in. I'm pretty sure I'm going to win, though not sure how long it'll take….
Mar 23, 2009 | Celebrations, General, Travel, Writing
Don't forget to comment on the one year anniversary post below for a chance to win a prize!
Okay, so I can't believe it's Monday already. Probably because I blogged on Saturday (see post immediately beneath this one for link). And I have nothing new to talk about! I'm still so excited about my fab cover, and yes I will be putting it in the sidebar very soon and on my website.
I could just stare at it all day! I love my Alejandro. So sexy. Ahem, where was I? Oh yes, nothing to talk about. The weekend raced by. Hubby and I went out to do errands on Saturday, then went to my parents' house for dinner yesterday. Suddenly, it's Monday. Hubby is back at work and I'm staring at the WIP. Characters are stuck in a house together, alone, and sparks are flying. I suppose I should really be listening in and typing, come to think of it.
One of my friends went to Costa Rica to finish her book before deadline. I'm wishing I could do that. Instead, I'll have to pretend. *sigh* Time to whip out the tropical poster and play island music, I guess…..
If you could go anywhere to finish your book, where would it be? Or where have you gone that was good for the muse? (When I lived in Hawaii, I didn't write nearly as much as I should have — found the beaches and lifestyle distracting, in fact. LOL!)
Mar 20, 2009 | Celebrations, Contests, Writing |
Today is the one year anniversary of the call that I'd won the Harlequin Presents Instant Seduction contest. Much has changed in the past year! Come on one over to I Heart Presents and see what I have to say about the journey. 🙂 (And get the inside scoop on the genesis of my second book.)
Leave me a comment here and I'll put you in for a drawing. Not sure what I'm giving away yet, but I promise it will be good! Perhaps I will let the winner choose…. $10 gift card to bookstore of choice? Scrumptious bath set? A trio of brand new Harlequin Presents? What would you like? (No, not a winning lottery ticket!) 😉
You have until Monday at midnight CDT to enter. 🙂
Breaking News: my RED-HOT cover is up over at IHP!!!! In celebration, I'll pick TWO winners instead of one. 🙂
Mar 16, 2009 | Conference, Rants, Submissions, Writing |
A recent incident shocked me enough to realize that I need to remind any aspiring authors reading this to make SURE you vet the information you're getting before launching into a plan of action for conferences and/or submissions. Sometimes we accept the advice of well-meaning but misinformed people without knowing they are misinformed. It always pays to check for yourself.
While you'd think it wouldn't need to be said, here are some things you do NOT want to do:
1. Do NOT stalk editors and/or agents. Planning your time so you can “bump” into someone, and then refusing to go away, is not the correct course of action. Of course you need to be prepared, because there will be those elevator meetings sometimes, but don't haunt the restroom door in the hopes of running into someone. Or the buffet line.
2. Do NOT misspell names on your query. Names are kind of unforgivable since you should be able to check and double check the correct spelling — especially if you've gotten a business card from the individual. I once got a letter from a utility company that referred to me as Mrs. Barris. Jarring. And if you want to compare yourself to another author, use caution — don't say J.R. Rawling when you mean J.K. Rowling.
(Seriously, this should be obvious, but you'd be surprised.)
3. Do NOT take as gospel every word said by the woman sitting next to you at your RWA chapter meeting — even if she does seem to know a lot. If you're a PRO member, download those PRO booklets and read, read, read. Then ask questions of published authors (or experienced PROs) you TRUST to give you good advice. Check and double check, because if someone tells you to stand outside the restroom door or linger in the buffet line looking for a publishing professional, it's probably not the best advice.
(I did once listen to something someone told me when I was very green, even though my gut told me otherwise. The result was a rejection, of course. This was a long time ago, and believe me I learned.)
4. Do NOT send the same query for the same book to the same agent who just rejected it. Rework the query or submit somewhere else. Wish I could find the link, but I read a post last week about someone who kept submitting a query for an adult novel (not that kind of adult!) to a children's book agent. She finally got frustrated and wrote back telling him to stop because she didn't represent that type of book, which she had politely tried to tell him over the last several months. His reply? That she was an agent and therefore he would keep querying her because it was his job to query agents about his book. Talk about clueless! And, oh yeah, agents know each other. You can bet his name is now making a viral loop through Agentland as we speak. And not in a positive way.
5. Do NOT think you know it all. I've met these people and it's frustrating as heck. I know I don't know everything, but I'm pretty sure this stuff I just said is true. But you be sure and double check it before listening to me, you hear?
What kind of crazy advice have you ever gotten? Good advice? What sort of horrible hi-jinks have you seen at conferences? We've all heard the manuscript under the door story, but have you ever seen its equivalent? Thankfully, I haven't, but I know at least one person who I think would do it. Sadly, some people don't listen.
Mar 12, 2009 | Writing |
I can't think of a single thing to post today. I've not been doing much, just reading for friends, thinking about where my story is going, cleaning out the refrigerator, grocery shopping — you know, mundane stuff. I think I need to be going 90 miles a minute to have any focus, you know? Isn't that weird?
But I think it's true. I always do my best work under the metaphorical gun. Give me pressure, and I'm off to the races. Tell me I have all the time in the world, and I'm lollygagging along on a pleasure cruise. I need deadlines and structure to succeed. I think many of us do.
So, yeah, I have some tasks that need done, but I also need to set myself a deadline while I wait for my editor to tell me if my latest proposal would be better served as firestarter. Best to work forward steadily and maybe get more accomplished than all this thumb twiddling is doing.
But, good news, my chapter meeting is the weekend! That always motivates me.
What motivates you? Do you need pressure? Or do you accomplish just as much when you have a lot of leisure time?
