With summer almost here in New Zealand hubby decided it was time to get Bella’s swimming pool out for those warmer days when she needs a swim to cool down. She had a ball tonight chasing the bubbles while he was filling it with the hose. I was cooking dinner and turned around to find puppy Bella sitting on the mat outside the kitchen, water dripping off her onto the carpet. Cue one screechy cook! I shouted and waggled my finger. Hubby has also put new sand in Bella’s sandpit so that should keep her busy and out of mischief for a few days.
This year I’ve been in a bit of a writing funk. It’s true that my jaunts overseas didn’t help much, interupting my flow. This week it finally feels as if I’m back in my groove. I’m working on something new and added 2100 words today.
I have a release date for Christmas is Coming. Look for my new contemporary on 9 December from Ellora’s Cave.
Last week on the Marketing for Romance Writers Yahoo list we had a special guest telling us about author signatures and critiquing the signatures of a few brave volunteers. I volunteered my signature. This is the one I’ve been using recently:
Some writers include details of their recent releases, their blog, Twitter and Facebook links in their signatures. My personal preference is to keep things brief. There’s nothing worse than scrolling through heaps of signature when I’m trying to read my email. I’d be interested to hear how you do your email signatures and what your preferences are – long or short?
One good suggestion was to use WiseStamp to do email signatures. I thought this looked promising, and I intend to explore it more this weekend. It’s on my to-do list!
How is your writing going? What is your preference for email signatures? Do you change your email signatures on a regular basis?
Christmas. It’s almost here, whether we want it to arrive or not. Already advertising on the TV, radio and in shops is assaulting my eyes and ears. I don’t care what anyone says. November is too early for Christmas carols about snow and dashing places. Bah humbug! I’m not feeling the Christmas spirit in the slightest.
On the home front, hubby and I are talking holidays. Yes, I know we’ve just returned from jaunts to China and Australia, but if we’ve got to buckle down and work we need something to look forward to—an incentive. After much discussion and Internet research, we came across a cruise that we rather liked the sound of. It starts in Barcelona and goes around the Mediterranean visiting stops such as Rome, Venice, Mykonos, Istanbul, Casablanca and the Azores before finishing at Fort Lauderdale. Hubby and I took about two seconds to think before we both said, “Sign me up!” So, we’re booked, and we only have to wait about 11 months.
While hubby was at the travel agents, she showed him the specials that had arrived that day. Suddenly we were taking a short break at the beginning of December. This time we’re staying at home in New Zealand, but we’re flying to Wellington and catching a cruise ship back up to Auckland. It’s amazing how quickly one can get organized given the motivation.
On the writing front, I’m waiting for my first glimpse of the cover for Cat Burglar in Training. Cat Burglar is the revised version of The Shadow and is due out at Carina Press on Feb 20 2012.
I completed a super secret writing project and turned that in last week. My story will be out in February, and I’ll give you more details as soon as I’m given the go ahead.
This week, I’ve completed edits for my Ellora’s Cave release, Christmas is Coming. It will be out in December (exact date to be confirmed). This story takes place in the same small town where my Talking Dog series and Fancy Free take place. I bet you didn’t know the country town of Sloan was such a hot-bed of activity. If you’d like to get a head start and in the mood for Christmas is Coming you might like to check out the aforementioned books.
In the next few weeks I’ll be taking part in a couple of blog hops. Watch for details because there are some good prizes up for grabs. I’ll be giving away books—both e-format and print. I don’t know about you, but I can never have enough books on my to-read pile.
While I think about it, author Alice Audrey hosts Win a Book at her blog. It’s a chance to win a book, perhaps by a new-to-you author. If you’re an author hosting a book giveaway complete the form on Alice’s Win a Book page, and she’ll add your giveaway details.
And finally, if you’d like to win a copy of Peeping Tom, book two of my Middlemarch Mates series, today is the last day of my Goodreads give away. Don’t delay or you’ll miss out on the chance to enter.
I’ll leave you with a question: If you had 24 hours alone how would you spend it?
My answer: Right at this moment, I’d spend a good portion of that time sleeping. Life has been a bit of a whirlwind for the last few weeks. I’d also go for a long walk with Bella, catch up on some reading for pleasure and get stuck into some writing. It’s so good to work on something new for a change. There would also be a nice meal and a glass of wine in those hours somewhere. Probably a cup of coffee or two as well. What about you?
I’m visiting Savvy Authors today and talking about heroines. Here’s the link to my post, which contains suggestions for writing a good heroine.
I intend to try and catch up on some writing this weekend, and I’ll be watching the quarter-finals of the rugby World Cup on both Saturday and Sunday. The All Blacks are playing Argentina.
Technology and things on the web are constantly changing. Evolving. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the pace of the changes. For writers, the changes mean trying new ways to get the word out about their books and different means of connecting with readers.
Blogging:
I’ve always blogged. It’s fun writing a post and it allows me to write something different from my current work in progress. Some bloggers use their blog post as a way to start the day and ease into writing. Mostly, I don’t post about the business of writing since there are others who do a great job of this already. I’m more likely to mention something random about an interest or hobby, an interesting fact I’ve seen or read in the media, or something relating to the background of one of my books. I also host a lot of other writers and visitors.
MySpace/Facebook/Twitter:
I used to MySpace. It was fun, but some of the pages were unwieldy and graphic heavy. My computer didn’t like the graphics. Hated them, actually! After many screen jams, I decided to move on to Facebook. I like Facebook too, although a few things bug me. The constant changes on the part of Facebook are frustrating. The need to check on security and check/uncheck various settings because of updates and improvements is something that irks many users.
When it came to Twitter, I took baby steps, fiercely resisting the lure for some time. Once I embraced Twitter, it didn’t take me long to release the short messages make for easy interaction with people who live in far flung parts of the world.
Google+:
Now there’s the new kid on the block, Google+. A friend sent an invitation to join, and I signed up last week, curious about what Google+ offers that’s so different from Facebook and Twitter. In Google+ you connect with other people and assign each person to a circle (a little like Twitter’s lists). Each circle is particular to the user so no one knows what circle you’ve assigned them.
There’s a video feature where you can hook up with friends and another section called Sparks where you can follow your interests e.g. sports, crafts, recipes etc. I like this feature a lot.
Here’s the link to Google+ where you will find basic info and can watch videos showing how things work.
Do you blog? Facebook? Twitter? MySpace? Google+? Let me know what you enjoy and make sure you leave your links so I can connect with you. Which ones are your favorites? Also, if you’d like an invite to Google+ let me know in the comments.
Today I watched one of my favorite programs. It’s called Escape to the Country, and during the show a couple who dream of relocating to the country are shown three properties. During today’s show, one of the properties had an amazing office. It was separate from the house and had incredible views. At the end of the day, all you’d need to do is turn off the lights and return to the house. Just think of the benefits. The next day you’d find your research books exactly where you left them. Children and puppies wouldn’t manage to create chaos with your nicely ordered piles of paper.
Ah, bliss.
I’m lucky enough to have an office, although a lot of the time I sit in my La-Z-boy and type away on my laptop. This isn’t always ideal because the puppy loves to sit on my La-Z-boy too. She thinks possession is nine-tenths of the law, and if I get up it’s almost a sure thing that there will be a defiant puppy sitting on it when I return.
Today I started to think about my ideal office. This is what I decided I needed in my office:
1. A view
2. A large desk
3. A comfortable chair
4. Walls lined with bookcases for my reference books
5. A handy restroom
6. A puppy-free zone (she keeps stealing paper from my trash bin)
7. No phone
8. A large white board so I can plot
9. A pleasing ambience with candles/music/pretty colors on the walls
10. A well-behaved computer/printer
11. Somewhere to make a cup of tea or coffee
12. A “Do Not Disturb” sign and perhaps a lock on the door
Some of the examples she cited include:
tapes/compact discs/downloads/
dial-up Internet
telephones/cell phones/home lines/party lines
VCR/tapes/
I know from experience when I received the rights back for Playing To Win, I had to update due to changes in technology in DNA tests and the computerization of birth records. It was tricky to incorporate the advances and still make the plot work.
(I interrupt this post with a sales message–Playing to Win is currently available on sale at a deep discount at Amazon and All Romance ebooks. Go. Buy!)
My mother died at a young age, and I often think of the changes in technology since her death. In the almost thirty years since there have been changes in the way we use credit and debit cards instead of cash, computers, phone, television, the Internet and home entertainment. Heck, some of the changes such as fax are rarely used now, already supplanted by email.
It’s true. We might think we’re writing contemporary novels but, in a handful of years, many of the items we give our characters to use in a book or some of the research methods will be out of date because of the rapid changes in our technology.
I don’t use product specific brand names in my books because I think they help date a book. Technology isn’t as easy to avoid because our characters need to communicate, even if it’s only to ring for take out. They need to entertain themselves, so maybe it’s easier to write historicals after all!
While our novels might go out of date rapidly, changes in technology have made the actual writing of our books much easier. The thought of handwriting or typing a novel using a manual typewriter makes me shudder. I much prefer my computer with its spellcheck and ease of use. Research is also a breeze with many resources available online or just an email away.
As for reading, changes in technology are giving us more options. We can read physical books or ebooks. We can listen to books and interactive stories have also arrived. It’s an exciting time in the world of books.
I adore new technology and have a love of gadgets. I have an iPod, an e-reader, computer etc and enjoy learning how to work new technology. I’m always interested in the new inventions that hit the market. The only thing I don’t enjoy is toting around all the different chargers, and if the power goes out…well, suffice to say you’ll probably hear me from your place. Technology has certainly made us more dependant on electricity.
These days technology allows us to conduct business from anywhere. We can live in different countries and communicate with each other for business purposes. For example, one of my publishers often holds virtual meetings I can attend in the comfort of my lounge.
On the news the other night, there was an item about a new thing called a coffice. The words comes from a combination of coffee plus office. Coffice.
It seems many business owners are running their businesses from coffee shops, conducting appointments and meeting with clients in their favorite coffee shop rather than at the traditional office.
There are loads of advantages to a coffice.
1. It’s cheaper than renting an office.
2. The coffee is good and always hot.
3. The milk doesn’t usually run out.
4. You never have to do the dishes or clean up after everyone else.
5. Many cafes offer free wi-fi these days for people to keep up with their email or surf the Internet.
I’ve written in coffee shops for years, and I have my favorite coffee shops in various towns. There’s even a pub where I sometimes spend a few hours writing. It’s perfect in winter because they have a huge open fire. I find it easy to concentrate on my writing even with the background noise and find I finish my target number of words in a much shorter time than if I stay at home.
Who knew I was ahead of the times? I’d actually mentioned to my husband not long ago that there were always heaps of business meetings at my favorite McDonald’s McCafe. I’ve eavesdropped on interviews and listened to a man organizing temp workers. Some of the local charities also hold their meetings there.
Recently someone told me the hero in my story wasn’t heroic and didn’t behave like a hero. He was unsympathetic. Instead of panicking or becoming defensive, I took another look at my hero and, to my horror, found the criticism was justified. While I still liked my character, I definitely needed to do something to make him more likeable to readers.
Most of us want to read about characters that have the qualities we see in our friends and family—the same qualities we like to think we possess. We want to connect with characters and be able to relate to them.
So how do we do this?
In his book, Writing the Breakout Novel, Donald Maass says we should start showing the reader that our character has heroic qualities right from the first page of our book. Even if our character is an average person, in an ordinary job, we need to demonstrate a special quality in them. At the start of a book, it will most likely be something small. They might help an elderly woman cross the road or rescue the next-door neighbor’s cat from a tree, but it will make us, the reader, sit up and pay attention. This is a character we would like as a friend, and we want to follow them through the course of the book, during the ups and downs, to the happy ending.
In my case, I looked at my character’s interactions with other characters. My hero snapped and snarled quite a bit, so I softened his language and the way he interacted with the other characters. I added some extra scenes, which I hope show my hero in a favorable light. I also looked at the inner conflict and checked I’d done everything I needed to in this area.
Fixing unsympathetic characters isn’t easy, and I hope I’ve managed to get the job done. I’m awaiting the verdict at present.
Do you have any hints for changing unsympathetic characters to ones that readers will love? And do you agree with Donald Maass—that we should see the hero/heroine doing something heroic almost as soon as we meet them in the story?
Writer’s block happens when a writer can’t write. The ideas won’t come and nothing seems to work when the writer tries to get rid of the block. They just can’t seem to write. Writer’s block can go on for days, months or years.
Procrastination is where the writer puts off writing and does everything in their power to escape adding words to their story. Even the housework looks attractive compared to the idea of sitting their butt on a chair and putting hand to keyboard. The reasons can be many and varied, but the end result is the same—the writing doesn’t happen.
Personally, I don’t believe in writer’s block. I might come to a stop in my writing and not be sure what to write next, but that’s because I’m a pantser. Usually all this means is I need to deepen my character conflict, or I need to go for a walk and think about my plot.
I think it’s important to look at the reasons behind the lack of writing. Is it because you’re physically or mentally tired and need to take a break? Have you made a wrong turn in your writing and your instincts are shouting at you to take another direction, but you’re ignoring them? Be honest with yourself about the lack of writing progress because only then will you be able to move forward.
Procrastination, now that’s another story. Today I needed to work on some edits. I’m dragging my feet a little on these edits. Every half an hour or so, I checked my email. I decided I needed a cup of tea, and the puppy needed a cuddle. Oh, and then it was time for lunch. And so my day continued.
It’s obvious I needed some strategies to get writing again. Here are some you can use.
1. Do timed writing sessions.
Set your oven timer or egg timer for half an hour. Sit down and write until the timer goes off. Repeat throughout the day until your target number of words is completed.
2. Do timed writing sessions with other writers.
Call a friend and do a time writing session at the same time as them. If you belong to a group like Savvy Authors or Romance Divas pop into their chat rooms and do some sprint writing with other writers.
3. Give yourself a deadline/target.
Then sit down and write. Kick your deadline’s butt. I try to write 2000 words most days. If I’m having a tough time keeping my butt in my seat, I’ll break down my target words into 500 word blocks.
4. Earn a treat.
Make a deal with yourself. If you sit down and write the required number of words within a specified time, you’ll receive a treat. The treat can be something like watching a movie or taking time out to read a book.
5. Try working on a new scene that comes later in the book.
Sometimes we need a change of pace to get the words flowing.
6. Just do it.
Sometimes, we need to grit it out and force ourselves to write. The output mightn’t be the greatest, but remember that at least we’re putting words to paper. We can always fix them later during the polishing stage.
Do you believe in writer’s block? Are you guilty of procrastinating when it comes to your writing? How do you get past the procrastination to actually write?
There’s the initial spark of an idea and the fanning of this idea into a book. This is the stage where the writer thinks “what if” and the characters, setting and plot start to gel. For some writers plotting out a story is the next step or, if you’re like me, you might firm up your conflicts and take a figurative leap into your story. Yes, I’m one of those pantsers or fly-into-the-mist type of writers. Research also slots into the process during this stage.
Next comes the hard part. The writer spends hour upon hour, sitting in front of the computer writing. This stage can take weeks or months, sometimes years. It’s also the stage where writers procrastinate and some fall by the wayside. No one ever said writing is easy.
Once the first draft is complete, it’s best if a writer can let the manuscript sit for a while. Let it season while the writer gains a bit of distance. The next stage is polishing. We edit for content and clarity, check for typos and those nasty little words that creep in where they shouldn’t. We add stronger verbs and nouns and delete some of the adverbs and adjectives. This stage might take a while. The writer might decide to rewrite sections, add or delete. Often the writer will reread and rewrite their manuscript several times. They might send their work out to critique partners and repeat the process of rewriting yet again.
The product of all this polishing and rewriting is a manuscript ready to submit to either agents or publishers. We write a synopsis (some writers have a synopsis at a much earlier stage), a query letter and start the submission process.
Let’s assume we’ve done a good job and our chosen publisher loves our manuscript. We receive a contract offer. Let’s also assume the contract is agreeable. We negotiate contract points and sign on the dotted line.
We receive edits and, once again, go through the process of sifting through our work for grammar, punctuation, content and clarity. We edit to house style and sometimes we mutter about our editors—in the nicest possible way, of course! We receive copy edits, which usually relate to the nuts and bolts stuff. Next come blurbs and cover sheets. We get to see our cover.
During this entire process, we should have been thinking about promo. Yes, it’s time to wind up the promo machine into top gear and put all our plans to help readers notice/buy our books into motion. Our release day arrives and, hopefully, everyone involved in the process has done a good job. Our book sells well.
Back to the beginning, and the process starts over again.
Like any job, there are parts of the process we enjoy and parts that aren’t as much fun but are a necessary evil.
For me, the best part of the process is the actual writing. I love the freedom of sitting down and letting my imagination and my characters free rein. As I mentioned above, I’m not a plotter. I sit down knowing a little about my characters, setting and conflict, and I learn the rest as I go. Somehow, everything works out in the end because I’ve learned to trust my instincts.
I also enjoy the polishing stage. This is where I get to delete words and check for continuity and clarity. I add layers of color and setting plus beef up the emotion in my characters.
Promo is a little harder for me and I confess that I’m happier sitting down to write rather than spreading the word about my new book.
What is your favorite part of the writing process? Least favorite part? Have I missed any steps that you consider necessary? And for those of you who are readers rather than writers—what books have you read recently that you’d recommend to other readers? (I always love to add to my reading list!)
, Donald Maass says we should start showing the reader that our character has heroic qualities right from the first page of our book. Even if our character is an average person, in an ordinary job, we need to demonstrate a special quality in them. At the start of a book, it will most likely be something small. They might help an elderly woman cross the road or rescue the next-door neighbor’s cat from a tree, but it will make us, the reader, sit up and pay attention. This is a character we would like as a friend, and we want to follow them through the course of the book, during the ups and downs, to the happy ending.
