In the quest for blogging inspiration, I've been going over my old posts from December last year to see what was happening in terms of writing back then and I came across a post about my chess player. At that stage I was in the process of rewriting him for SYTYCW, planning to submit the whole manuscript for feedback. I'd done a few stats for the ms:
*Number of times entire ms rewritten - 3
*Number of times beginning rewritten - 6
*Size of 'deleted scenes' folder - 227k
*Number of times hero/heroine conflict changed - 3
*Number of times I wanted to kill hero/heroine - 20
*Number of tantrums pulled while writing - 50
*Number of times I wanted to give up in disgust - 100
*Number of times I DID give up in disgust - 100
*Number of times cried while writing - 5
*Number of working versions of present ms - 8
*Number of titles decided on - 0
That was in December last year. After I'd finished that post and finished rewriting the story, I sent him off to SYTYCW, plus entered him into the Aussie Emerald competition.
He got precisely nowhere.
Didn't get ANY feedback at all from SYTYCW and because one judge in the Emerald absolutely loathed him, I didn't get anywhere with that either.
Here's some stats for my Talking Dirty book from around the same time:
*Number of times entire ms rewritten - 5 - 6
*Number of times beginning rewritten - 4
*Size of 'deleted scenes folder' - Rewrite folder 37k, Original folder, 20k
*Number of times hero/heroine conflict changed - 6
*Number of times I wanted to kill hero/heroine - 100
*Number of tantrums pulled while writing - too many to count
*Number of times I wanted to give up in disgust - too many to count
*Number of times I DID give up in disgust - too many to count
*Number of times cried while writing - too many to count
*Number of working versions of present ms -50 million
*Number of titles decided on - 3
Oh and I should add one more line.
*Number of times rejected - 3
As you can see, both of these books nearly did me in. For the chess player I berated myself daily for the fact that I'd decided on a chess playing hero who everyone CLEARLY hated. For Talking Dirty, I berated myself daily for the fact that I knew I had a good story there, yet I couldn't seem to find it.
BUT
I am a stubborn-ass b*tch sometimes. And I'd be damned if I let these stories - one of which got to the 2nd revision stage with M&B - languish.
So I started rewriting Talking Dirty for the 7th time and pitched it in a competition. It got a request for a full - which I wrote in a week (from chapter 3) - and then four months later, it sold to Entangled. It's going to be out sometime in 2013 (May tentatively).
And then with my chess player, I rewrote it for the 4th time and submitted it to my editor at Samhain and that sold too. Black Knight, White Queen, will be out in July 2013.
Why am I telling you this? Well, sometimes it's a good thing to give up on a story. Sometimes you don't have the experience at the time to be able to make it better. Or sometimes you're too close to it to see it objectively. I first wrote Talking Dirty back in 2008, but it wasn't until 2012 that I finally had the experience and knowledge to turn it into a book that sold. The chessplayer I started at the beginning of 2011 but didn't sell it until a year and a half later. Again, it wasn't the fact that my hero was a chessplayer that didn't work, it was the fact that I still hadn't got a handle on conflict or character.
But some stories you can't let go of. Nor should you. Some stories deserve to have their time in the sun. I don't know if this inspiration or not, but for those of you who have stories that you just can't let go of, keep going. Keep working on them. Keep learning your craft. And one day, a year and a half, or four years, or even ten years later, eventually someone's going to say yes.
And then you can shock everyone with your stats too. :-)
Monday, December 17, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Monday Morning Freak-Out
I'm having a bit of a freak-out at the moment. Nothing new for me I guess but a 'thing' has happened and it's left me feeling all weirded out.
I've had this idea for a series in my head for at least a year now and I always thought I'd write it as category length. However, since I've written my Dirty Virgin Hero, I've been wondering if I couldn't take it longer. The DVH was 63k and I have to say I enjoyed writing long, so I kind of thought this idea could maybe stretch to Single Title length. I've always had it in my head that I'd like to give ST a go but I've never had a really good enough idea that would make me want to write it. Until it occurred to me that this series idea could be an ST.
I've kind of been put off ST till now because over the various conferences I've been to, agents and publishers were saying that ST Contemporary was a hard sell and that readers wanted sweet, small-town stories. Which annoyed me cos I don't write sweet, small-town stories. So I steered clear of it, wrote what I wanted to write which was angsty urban contemporaries.
And then 50 Shades hit. And angsty urban alphas were suddenly in again. And the CPs were telling me to run the idea past the agent to see what she said. I kind of thought the agent would probably say no and I prevaricated a lot - mainly because I liked my idea and didn't want it to be rejected before I'd even got a chance to write a word. But in the end I sent her the idea and dammit, she liked it! And so now I have to write a series outline, a synopsis and a partial of the first book!
This is geat news - I'm thrilled about it honestly - but I'm also freaking out because I've never written an ST (we will not speak of my 320k opus) and the idea I have is complicated, dark and extremely angsty, and I'm really, really hoping I can pull it off. I'm going to be majorly writing out of my comfort zone and that's kind of scary.
But I guess challenging yourself is all part of growing as a writer isn't it?
Who else is writing out of their comfort zone at the moment? Anyone want to join me in the freak-out??
I've had this idea for a series in my head for at least a year now and I always thought I'd write it as category length. However, since I've written my Dirty Virgin Hero, I've been wondering if I couldn't take it longer. The DVH was 63k and I have to say I enjoyed writing long, so I kind of thought this idea could maybe stretch to Single Title length. I've always had it in my head that I'd like to give ST a go but I've never had a really good enough idea that would make me want to write it. Until it occurred to me that this series idea could be an ST.
I've kind of been put off ST till now because over the various conferences I've been to, agents and publishers were saying that ST Contemporary was a hard sell and that readers wanted sweet, small-town stories. Which annoyed me cos I don't write sweet, small-town stories. So I steered clear of it, wrote what I wanted to write which was angsty urban contemporaries.
And then 50 Shades hit. And angsty urban alphas were suddenly in again. And the CPs were telling me to run the idea past the agent to see what she said. I kind of thought the agent would probably say no and I prevaricated a lot - mainly because I liked my idea and didn't want it to be rejected before I'd even got a chance to write a word. But in the end I sent her the idea and dammit, she liked it! And so now I have to write a series outline, a synopsis and a partial of the first book!
This is geat news - I'm thrilled about it honestly - but I'm also freaking out because I've never written an ST (we will not speak of my 320k opus) and the idea I have is complicated, dark and extremely angsty, and I'm really, really hoping I can pull it off. I'm going to be majorly writing out of my comfort zone and that's kind of scary.
But I guess challenging yourself is all part of growing as a writer isn't it?
Who else is writing out of their comfort zone at the moment? Anyone want to join me in the freak-out??
Monday, December 3, 2012
Being a Speed Demon - My Last Minute Nano Project
You'll have to forgive me if I haven't been online much in the past week but that's because I've been writing. I decided to take on a last minute Nano project in the last two weeks of November and in order to meet the deadline, I had to write fast. Very, very fast.
I've always been a fast writer but as I've learned new skills my speed slowed down over the past year or so and I admit I got worried I'd lost my speediness forever. Which is really, really overdramatic of me but as most of you already know, it's not unheard of for Jackie A to be totally overdramatic.
Anyway, turns out I haven't lost it. A deadline can make me a speed demon.
I'm not going to tell you what my word count was in a week and a half cos actually, I'm a little bit embarrassed and Kiwi about it. But I HAD to do a small boast somewhere so I put it on FB if you're interested.
So how did I do it so fast? Here's a few tips.
1. I can type exceptionally fast. This is HUGE. Being a hunt and peck typist limits your speed. So if you don't know how to touch-type, now is the time to learn.
2. I spent at least a week thinking about the story before I wrote a word. Not the plot - I'm a pantser - but because my stories are totally character driven, I HAD to know the characters and their conflicts intimately, otherwise my story would collapse. I had already written 5k to start with and as beginnings take me the most time since that's when I'm finding my way into the characters, I already had a pretty good idea about the hero and heroine.
3. I didn't do anything else other than write. I'm lucky in that my day job is writing and my kids are at school so once they were out the door, that's what I did.
4. The times I wasn't writing (in the evenings) or when I had to stop to get the family food (instant meals you can do in 10 minutes) I thought about my story and what I was going to do next with it.
5. I stayed off Twitter (mostly) and the rest of the net. I kept my emails to a minimum.
6. I didn't reread what I'd written. I didn't fuss over my words. I just kept on writing.
7. When the words started to get hard, I would stop and go and do something else for ten minutes while I worked out what was wrong. I know my process and I know that when something is difficult to write it's usually because I'm not sure about something. Thinking about what I'm missing helps.
8. My husband was a godsend over the weekends, letting me write while he did kid-stuff to keep them out of my hair.
9. The times my husband wasn't there, television was. And takeout. I feel no guilt about this. None at all. :-)
10. Housework? You're kidding me right?
Now some people might think that fast writing equals crap writing. But that, quite frankly, is bullsh*t. I've written books waaaay slower and they've been just as big a heap of crap as ones I write really fast. ;-) Seriously though, just because you write fast does NOT mean you don't write quality. Sometimes the things I write faster are better because I'm not overthinking everything. Oh and you know Falling for Finn? I wrote that in 2.5 weeks and it sold. So there.
Anyway, those are some of the ways I managed to get it done. But really, I think the biggest part of getting it done so fast for me was having a deadline. I need them in order to push myself. Without them I'm a faffer.
So, does anyone else write fast? What are your tips?
I've always been a fast writer but as I've learned new skills my speed slowed down over the past year or so and I admit I got worried I'd lost my speediness forever. Which is really, really overdramatic of me but as most of you already know, it's not unheard of for Jackie A to be totally overdramatic.
Anyway, turns out I haven't lost it. A deadline can make me a speed demon.
I'm not going to tell you what my word count was in a week and a half cos actually, I'm a little bit embarrassed and Kiwi about it. But I HAD to do a small boast somewhere so I put it on FB if you're interested.
So how did I do it so fast? Here's a few tips.
1. I can type exceptionally fast. This is HUGE. Being a hunt and peck typist limits your speed. So if you don't know how to touch-type, now is the time to learn.
2. I spent at least a week thinking about the story before I wrote a word. Not the plot - I'm a pantser - but because my stories are totally character driven, I HAD to know the characters and their conflicts intimately, otherwise my story would collapse. I had already written 5k to start with and as beginnings take me the most time since that's when I'm finding my way into the characters, I already had a pretty good idea about the hero and heroine.
3. I didn't do anything else other than write. I'm lucky in that my day job is writing and my kids are at school so once they were out the door, that's what I did.
4. The times I wasn't writing (in the evenings) or when I had to stop to get the family food (instant meals you can do in 10 minutes) I thought about my story and what I was going to do next with it.
5. I stayed off Twitter (mostly) and the rest of the net. I kept my emails to a minimum.
6. I didn't reread what I'd written. I didn't fuss over my words. I just kept on writing.
7. When the words started to get hard, I would stop and go and do something else for ten minutes while I worked out what was wrong. I know my process and I know that when something is difficult to write it's usually because I'm not sure about something. Thinking about what I'm missing helps.
8. My husband was a godsend over the weekends, letting me write while he did kid-stuff to keep them out of my hair.
9. The times my husband wasn't there, television was. And takeout. I feel no guilt about this. None at all. :-)
10. Housework? You're kidding me right?
Now some people might think that fast writing equals crap writing. But that, quite frankly, is bullsh*t. I've written books waaaay slower and they've been just as big a heap of crap as ones I write really fast. ;-) Seriously though, just because you write fast does NOT mean you don't write quality. Sometimes the things I write faster are better because I'm not overthinking everything. Oh and you know Falling for Finn? I wrote that in 2.5 weeks and it sold. So there.
Anyway, those are some of the ways I managed to get it done. But really, I think the biggest part of getting it done so fast for me was having a deadline. I need them in order to push myself. Without them I'm a faffer.
So, does anyone else write fast? What are your tips?
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Falling For Finn Excerpt
Well, FINALLY, I'm on the Samhain website as 'coming soon'. On the last page but there I am!
So if you want to read an excerpt, go...
HERE!
So if you want to read an excerpt, go...
HERE!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Very First Author Interview Eva!
So...uh...I have my very first author interview with Sasha at Caribbean Accent. There's also a giveaway of Falling For Finn if you'd like to enter. So...um...yeah....go along and check it out.
*shuffles feet nervously*
I really need to get over this not wanting to toot my own horn thing.
*tries again* *with extra American-ness*
YA'LL!! I am being interviewed because I am so effing awesome!! And my amazing, effing incredible book is being offered as a giveaway and you can READ IT EARLY.
So go read. And enter. Otherwise I'll set Hoo on you. ;-)
*shuffles feet nervously*
I really need to get over this not wanting to toot my own horn thing.
*tries again* *with extra American-ness*
YA'LL!! I am being interviewed because I am so effing awesome!! And my amazing, effing incredible book is being offered as a giveaway and you can READ IT EARLY.
So go read. And enter. Otherwise I'll set Hoo on you. ;-)
Friday, November 23, 2012
More New Author Confessions
Being a writer is SUCH a funny/weird thing. Firstly you angst about your book when you send it to the publisher. Then after the joy of acceptance has worn off, there's the angst about the revisions. About the cover. Then the copy edits. And then once you've finished angsting about that and you have your ARC copies, there's the angst about people actually reading your work.
Obviously that people WILL read your book should come as no surprise. That's why we write, yes? So that other people can read it. But after years and years of no one but family members and/or crit partners reading your stories, the time comes when COMPLETE STRANGERS get the chance to cast their eye over your scratchings. And even though you think you've prepared yourself for this moment, it's actually bloody terrifying. Especially when you know that these strangers will also discuss your book with OTHER COMPLETE STRANGERS! People you don't know will be having discussions about your book and the characters you've created and they will have opinions about them! 'Scuse me while I go and be sick in the corner...
Yeah, I'm neurotic, can't you tell? Anyway what brought this on is the fact that Falling for Finn has been sent out for review and am feeling anxious about it. It's also now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes. And soon should be up on the Samhain website too. It's everywhere basically.
But that lovely period between acceptance and release date is drawing to a close. Those lovely months when only you and your editor know how brilliant (or otherwise) you are. Where you can tell yourself you have a masterpiece on your hands and can fantasise about what you're going to buy with the millions of dollars in royalties that you're going to get. Or write down your acceptance speech for when you win the Man Booker prize or get your Nobel medal. Yep, those days will be over soon and then everyone's going to see behind the curtain and you'll either be outed as a fraud or, worse, people will just shrug their shoulders and wonder what the fuss is about.
Of course there is the option that you'll be hailed as the next Nora but let's not mention that.
Right, so, despite the fact that I'm terrified of ya'll reading it, it would be remiss of me NOT to point out that iTunes has a first chapter sample of Finn that you can download. I'm not sure how to link to this (and it's not on the NZ iTunes bookshop - Grrrr!) but if you're in the US (not sure about UK) and you're keen to read the first chapter, then feel free.... :-)
Obviously that people WILL read your book should come as no surprise. That's why we write, yes? So that other people can read it. But after years and years of no one but family members and/or crit partners reading your stories, the time comes when COMPLETE STRANGERS get the chance to cast their eye over your scratchings. And even though you think you've prepared yourself for this moment, it's actually bloody terrifying. Especially when you know that these strangers will also discuss your book with OTHER COMPLETE STRANGERS! People you don't know will be having discussions about your book and the characters you've created and they will have opinions about them! 'Scuse me while I go and be sick in the corner...
 |
| Finn on the iTunes store!! |
But that lovely period between acceptance and release date is drawing to a close. Those lovely months when only you and your editor know how brilliant (or otherwise) you are. Where you can tell yourself you have a masterpiece on your hands and can fantasise about what you're going to buy with the millions of dollars in royalties that you're going to get. Or write down your acceptance speech for when you win the Man Booker prize or get your Nobel medal. Yep, those days will be over soon and then everyone's going to see behind the curtain and you'll either be outed as a fraud or, worse, people will just shrug their shoulders and wonder what the fuss is about.
Of course there is the option that you'll be hailed as the next Nora but let's not mention that.
Right, so, despite the fact that I'm terrified of ya'll reading it, it would be remiss of me NOT to point out that iTunes has a first chapter sample of Finn that you can download. I'm not sure how to link to this (and it's not on the NZ iTunes bookshop - Grrrr!) but if you're in the US (not sure about UK) and you're keen to read the first chapter, then feel free.... :-)
Monday, November 19, 2012
The Delicate Art of the Synopsis
I wanna talk about synopses. Well, not really, you understand, because synopses SUCK. But I wanna talk about them because I was complaining about them on Twitter and someone mentioned they'd looked at my blog and asked me if I'd done a post about them. And I realised it's been a year since I've done something about synopsis writing. So I thought I'd do an updated post after having sold and 'apparently' knowing what I'm doing.
Which is a total lie of course. I have a better idea about what I'm doing but I'm still learning.
That's the tedious reason behind this post. I know some people love writing synopses (yes, there are people who do. Strange, strange people) but I am not one of them. I kind of wish I was because it would make life easier.
Alrighty, I don't usually write a synopsis before starting the book because I'm a pantser. But I do after 3 chapters, depending on the editors. It's actually quite a good time to write one for me because after 3 chapters I've figured out my characters and have a general idea about the direction of the book. In fact, I often find it harder to write a synopsis once I've finished because I have a more difficult time working out what to include in the synopsis and what to leave out because EVERYTHING seems very important! Groan.
Anyhoo, I think the major thing I've learned is that different editors require different things from a synopsis. Some want a quick and dirty glance to see if you've got a story there. Some want to know more than that. This you won't know beforehand but the length they require is a giveaway. If you can't ask the editor straight out, follow the guidelines on the submission page. In some ways, a one page synopsis is EASIER because you simply can't put exterraneous detail in. You have to keep it short and very basic.
The tricky thing is always figuring out what to put in and what to leave out. For me, since I'm writing romance (obviously), that's what I concentrate on when I write the synopsis. How the romance starts. How it develops. How it nearly comes to grief. And how it ends. That's all. Because the romance is the backbone of the book. Not how the heroine gets from one place to another. Or the sassy conversation she has with her sassy best friend. Or how the hero has a fight or plays with his kid or whatever. Your main story happens when the hero and heroine interact with each other and that's the story your synopsis should follow (in my humble opinion naturally).
The way I do it is I basically write an emotional synopsis, concentrating only on the feelings of the hero and heroine. How they feel when they meet each other. What makes this feeling change. What makes it grow. What brings this feeling to crisis point. And what makes this feeling too strong to deny. The external plot comes into my synopsis only when it changes the feelings of the characters. The turning points of your story (in a romance) are the instances where the feelings of your characters change towards each other. Okay, so maybe I told a lie and the fight the hero has with someone IS important. Maybe the fight changes the feelings the heroine had toward him some way. Maybe it causes her to change her opinion of him (either good or bad). If it does, include it. If it doesn't, don't put it in. Don't put anything in that doesn't cause major change in the character's emotions in other words.
It sounds kind of easy now I've written it down but it's not. I always have to write a very long synopsis (3 pages single spaced - long for me) first before I can distill it down. Somehow once you've got it down you can see what's needed and what isn't. And of course there's nothing like a synopsis for making you realise your conflict is missing something (but we won't go there).
What I try and make sure I have in each synopsis is this:
1. Hero/heroine - one paragraph each on who they are, plot set up and conflict.
2. How they meet. Their attraction and why they're attaracted.
3. A few more paragraphs on how their attraction builds and the the first time they kiss/make love
4. Why their feelings for each other deepen.
5. Why their deepening feelings are bad and what they do in response (black moment).
6. What makes them decide to change and embrace love (HEA)
Now, this is just what I do so it's not a 'this is the way you MUST do it' guide. I've done it this way with two books and two different editors, and one editor sent me back the synopsis with screes of questions. The other bought the book off the partial and synopsis. So, y'know...it's a delicate art depending on the editor and the publisher.
What really helps though, when it comes to the synopsis, is knowing your characters well. And knowing your conflict, and how the character and the conflict connect. For me the easiest synopses to write have been the books where I know those things very well.
So...uh....there you go. Synopses. Anyone got any other tips??
Which is a total lie of course. I have a better idea about what I'm doing but I'm still learning.
That's the tedious reason behind this post. I know some people love writing synopses (yes, there are people who do. Strange, strange people) but I am not one of them. I kind of wish I was because it would make life easier.
Alrighty, I don't usually write a synopsis before starting the book because I'm a pantser. But I do after 3 chapters, depending on the editors. It's actually quite a good time to write one for me because after 3 chapters I've figured out my characters and have a general idea about the direction of the book. In fact, I often find it harder to write a synopsis once I've finished because I have a more difficult time working out what to include in the synopsis and what to leave out because EVERYTHING seems very important! Groan.
Anyhoo, I think the major thing I've learned is that different editors require different things from a synopsis. Some want a quick and dirty glance to see if you've got a story there. Some want to know more than that. This you won't know beforehand but the length they require is a giveaway. If you can't ask the editor straight out, follow the guidelines on the submission page. In some ways, a one page synopsis is EASIER because you simply can't put exterraneous detail in. You have to keep it short and very basic.
The tricky thing is always figuring out what to put in and what to leave out. For me, since I'm writing romance (obviously), that's what I concentrate on when I write the synopsis. How the romance starts. How it develops. How it nearly comes to grief. And how it ends. That's all. Because the romance is the backbone of the book. Not how the heroine gets from one place to another. Or the sassy conversation she has with her sassy best friend. Or how the hero has a fight or plays with his kid or whatever. Your main story happens when the hero and heroine interact with each other and that's the story your synopsis should follow (in my humble opinion naturally).
The way I do it is I basically write an emotional synopsis, concentrating only on the feelings of the hero and heroine. How they feel when they meet each other. What makes this feeling change. What makes it grow. What brings this feeling to crisis point. And what makes this feeling too strong to deny. The external plot comes into my synopsis only when it changes the feelings of the characters. The turning points of your story (in a romance) are the instances where the feelings of your characters change towards each other. Okay, so maybe I told a lie and the fight the hero has with someone IS important. Maybe the fight changes the feelings the heroine had toward him some way. Maybe it causes her to change her opinion of him (either good or bad). If it does, include it. If it doesn't, don't put it in. Don't put anything in that doesn't cause major change in the character's emotions in other words.
It sounds kind of easy now I've written it down but it's not. I always have to write a very long synopsis (3 pages single spaced - long for me) first before I can distill it down. Somehow once you've got it down you can see what's needed and what isn't. And of course there's nothing like a synopsis for making you realise your conflict is missing something (but we won't go there).
What I try and make sure I have in each synopsis is this:
1. Hero/heroine - one paragraph each on who they are, plot set up and conflict.
2. How they meet. Their attraction and why they're attaracted.
3. A few more paragraphs on how their attraction builds and the the first time they kiss/make love
4. Why their feelings for each other deepen.
5. Why their deepening feelings are bad and what they do in response (black moment).
6. What makes them decide to change and embrace love (HEA)
Now, this is just what I do so it's not a 'this is the way you MUST do it' guide. I've done it this way with two books and two different editors, and one editor sent me back the synopsis with screes of questions. The other bought the book off the partial and synopsis. So, y'know...it's a delicate art depending on the editor and the publisher.
What really helps though, when it comes to the synopsis, is knowing your characters well. And knowing your conflict, and how the character and the conflict connect. For me the easiest synopses to write have been the books where I know those things very well.
So...uh....there you go. Synopses. Anyone got any other tips??
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Breaking World Shattering News - Jackie is On Amazon
Ridiculous noobishness happening here but.....
I AM ON AMAZON!!!!
Here is the link.
Falling for Finn Jackie's bestest debut book evah and better than at least 1% of books on Amazon....
Yes, I am squeeing and being utterly ridiculous but you can only enjoy these things for the first time once so I am taking the liberty of fully embracing the moment.
*embraces moment*
Ahem.
At some point I will also be on the 'coming soon' part of the Samhain website but not yet.
Anyway, bubbles all round I say what?
I AM ON AMAZON!!!!
Here is the link.
Falling for Finn Jackie's bestest debut book evah and better than at least 1% of books on Amazon....
Yes, I am squeeing and being utterly ridiculous but you can only enjoy these things for the first time once so I am taking the liberty of fully embracing the moment.
*embraces moment*
Ahem.
At some point I will also be on the 'coming soon' part of the Samhain website but not yet.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Difficulties With Passions
Okay, I confess. Some days the rainbows and unicorns and shiny baubles of finally getting a publisher who wants to publish your book aren't enough. They scare away your doubt crows right enough but the bloody things keep coming back.
So what you sold six books this year? That doesn't mean readers will buy ANY of them.
You're just one of thousands trying to get people to buy your book. You'll never get noticed.
You only write boring contemporary romance and not even erotic contemporary romance at that. No one's interested in that kind of thing.
Your characters are too left field. People won't identify with them.
Write much hotter otherwise you'll miss the 50 Shades boat.
Write something else otherwise you'll miss the 50 Shades boat.
You're missing the 50 Shades....Oh, too late. It's gone. Sucker.
These are just some of the wonderful crows that have been pecking me of late. Now I did know that everything suddenly wasn't going to get magically better upon having something accepted (I DID! It's true!). Or that I'd never have crises of confidence again. Or that things would get a hell of a lot easier. I DID know that. It's just that, well, all the above doubts didn't really become real until your release date looms closer and you realise that following your passion and making it your profession has some unforseen difficulties. Like the stakes becoming a LOT higher and the possibility of failure that much more frightening.
Because I don't write to make a little bit of pin money to fuel my habit for antique doilies. Or because dashing off a couple of romances into between G&Ts is a good way of passing the time. Or because I can't find a real job and have to do something.
No. I write because I have to. Because I can't stop. Because after years of being a good-ish librarian, I want to be a GREAT writer. (okay, so not great as in Tolstoy/Hemingway great. Great as in 'woohoo, that was a damn good read' great. Got it? Good).
Oh yeah and I'd like to make a living from it. If that's not too much to ask.
And this is the difficulty with passions because if it doesn't come to pass, then you've got so much more to lose.
Anyway, given my personality type and my ability to worry about/over-analyse everything, I've decided that being a writer is very probably the worst thing for me to be doing. But what else can I do? It's the only thing I've ever wanted to be.
I guess the only thing to do, when the doubt crows circle, whether published or unpublished, is to keep writing more stories. Try not to let the doubts and fears and worries paralyse you. Keep looking forward, not back. *tells self*
What do you guys do with the doubts? Chocolate? Retail therapy? Alcohol???
So what you sold six books this year? That doesn't mean readers will buy ANY of them.
You're just one of thousands trying to get people to buy your book. You'll never get noticed.
You only write boring contemporary romance and not even erotic contemporary romance at that. No one's interested in that kind of thing.
Your characters are too left field. People won't identify with them.
Write much hotter otherwise you'll miss the 50 Shades boat.
Write something else otherwise you'll miss the 50 Shades boat.
You're missing the 50 Shades....Oh, too late. It's gone. Sucker.
These are just some of the wonderful crows that have been pecking me of late. Now I did know that everything suddenly wasn't going to get magically better upon having something accepted (I DID! It's true!). Or that I'd never have crises of confidence again. Or that things would get a hell of a lot easier. I DID know that. It's just that, well, all the above doubts didn't really become real until your release date looms closer and you realise that following your passion and making it your profession has some unforseen difficulties. Like the stakes becoming a LOT higher and the possibility of failure that much more frightening.
Because I don't write to make a little bit of pin money to fuel my habit for antique doilies. Or because dashing off a couple of romances into between G&Ts is a good way of passing the time. Or because I can't find a real job and have to do something.
No. I write because I have to. Because I can't stop. Because after years of being a good-ish librarian, I want to be a GREAT writer. (okay, so not great as in Tolstoy/Hemingway great. Great as in 'woohoo, that was a damn good read' great. Got it? Good).
Oh yeah and I'd like to make a living from it. If that's not too much to ask.
And this is the difficulty with passions because if it doesn't come to pass, then you've got so much more to lose.
Anyway, given my personality type and my ability to worry about/over-analyse everything, I've decided that being a writer is very probably the worst thing for me to be doing. But what else can I do? It's the only thing I've ever wanted to be.
I guess the only thing to do, when the doubt crows circle, whether published or unpublished, is to keep writing more stories. Try not to let the doubts and fears and worries paralyse you. Keep looking forward, not back. *tells self*
What do you guys do with the doubts? Chocolate? Retail therapy? Alcohol???
Monday, November 5, 2012
It's My Process Man!
I'm not doing Nano this year - at least not officially - despite starting a brand new story as of yesterday. And since Nano tends to make people think about their process a lot more and since Maisey did an awesome post about writing process and being fast, I thought I'd totally copy her and do one about my process. Mainly because it's kind of been the opposite of Maisey's experience (and also because I was scraping around for a topic to blog about).
I've always been a fast writer but I didn't realise quite how fast until I started writing to get published. Before, I would go on writing binges and write for days on end, then stop and not write for months, so the last story I wrote before I actually committed to writing romance took about a year. Then again it did end up being 320k so there's that. ;-)
But when I started writing for publication, I found that if I wrote every day, I could do a 50k story in a month. Or even 2 weeks if I planned it well enough. Which I found very pleasing. However the fatal flaw in the works was that because I didn't know much about character or conflict, or plot, or anything really, that 50k wasn't a very good 50k. So I used to end up having to rewrite over and over. This, I thought, was my process. That what I do is write my way into my books, I write fast to get it all down, and rewriting fifty million times was just part of it.
Since then, I've found that actually it's not and that my process has changed. Now, I know I haven't been published very long but one thing I've noticed is that subsequent to publication, I feel like I write slower (unlike Maisey who's got faster). This is kind of frustrating but I know that I'm writing slower because I'm thinking much more about character and conflict and pacing that I ever used to. Not in a conscious, second-guessing way. More in an analytical way as I complete each scene. It IS frustrating, but the up side is that I don't have to do multiple drafts anymore. My Dirty Virgin Hero book - which I felt took ages and ages for me to write - I'll probably do a bit of editing with but nothing like the full on rewrites I used to have to do in the past. It's pretty much done in first draft form.
The other thing I do now that I never used to do before and probably saves me from lots of rewriting is that I actually spend a lot of time thinking about the characters before I start. Yeah, I know, I should have done that years ago but I was always too impatient to start writing. These days I actually CAN'T actually get very far into the story until I have a feel for the character because I've learned what happens to a story when I don't (pants happens in other words). I do have to tell myself it's okay to spend time thinking and not writing, but never underestimate the power of a good think while you're doing the laundry or walking or having a shower (showers are especially awesome!). It's helped by the fact that I now know what I have to figure out about each character, which 'why' questions I have to ask. And that I also have to go with my gut on some things and not second-guess, and that sometimes I have to let go the vision I had about a certain charater and let them be the way they want to be.
I hope this process will get faster the more I write and the more I learn, because it feels slow to me at the moment. Though some books are slower than others because some characters are harder to pin down and conflicts more complicated. What's for certain is that your process isn't set in stone and you can change it. This may happen naturally or it might be something you consciously do.
It just depends on how you want to write and how comfortable you feel about doing it.
So how does everyone else do it? (and I mean that not suggestively hehe, though feel free to share...).
I've always been a fast writer but I didn't realise quite how fast until I started writing to get published. Before, I would go on writing binges and write for days on end, then stop and not write for months, so the last story I wrote before I actually committed to writing romance took about a year. Then again it did end up being 320k so there's that. ;-)
But when I started writing for publication, I found that if I wrote every day, I could do a 50k story in a month. Or even 2 weeks if I planned it well enough. Which I found very pleasing. However the fatal flaw in the works was that because I didn't know much about character or conflict, or plot, or anything really, that 50k wasn't a very good 50k. So I used to end up having to rewrite over and over. This, I thought, was my process. That what I do is write my way into my books, I write fast to get it all down, and rewriting fifty million times was just part of it.
Since then, I've found that actually it's not and that my process has changed. Now, I know I haven't been published very long but one thing I've noticed is that subsequent to publication, I feel like I write slower (unlike Maisey who's got faster). This is kind of frustrating but I know that I'm writing slower because I'm thinking much more about character and conflict and pacing that I ever used to. Not in a conscious, second-guessing way. More in an analytical way as I complete each scene. It IS frustrating, but the up side is that I don't have to do multiple drafts anymore. My Dirty Virgin Hero book - which I felt took ages and ages for me to write - I'll probably do a bit of editing with but nothing like the full on rewrites I used to have to do in the past. It's pretty much done in first draft form.
The other thing I do now that I never used to do before and probably saves me from lots of rewriting is that I actually spend a lot of time thinking about the characters before I start. Yeah, I know, I should have done that years ago but I was always too impatient to start writing. These days I actually CAN'T actually get very far into the story until I have a feel for the character because I've learned what happens to a story when I don't (pants happens in other words). I do have to tell myself it's okay to spend time thinking and not writing, but never underestimate the power of a good think while you're doing the laundry or walking or having a shower (showers are especially awesome!). It's helped by the fact that I now know what I have to figure out about each character, which 'why' questions I have to ask. And that I also have to go with my gut on some things and not second-guess, and that sometimes I have to let go the vision I had about a certain charater and let them be the way they want to be.
I hope this process will get faster the more I write and the more I learn, because it feels slow to me at the moment. Though some books are slower than others because some characters are harder to pin down and conflicts more complicated. What's for certain is that your process isn't set in stone and you can change it. This may happen naturally or it might be something you consciously do.
It just depends on how you want to write and how comfortable you feel about doing it.
So how does everyone else do it? (and I mean that not suggestively hehe, though feel free to share...).
Friday, November 2, 2012
Post-Book Hangover - The Reality of Having a Deadline
Have finished my Dirty Virgin Hero for Samhain - yay! Honestly, I loved the guy but he was one hell of a complicated hero to write. He had ISSUES man. Serious issues. And it was one of those stories where I had to stop and think through every one of his reactions and responses because maaaaaan, he so many complex things going on with him.
It was kind of one of those books where you go 'this is idea is cool and angsty. Sweet. I'll write it'. And then you realise what you've taken on. And you think 'crap'. Then you want to back out but you can't because hey, you're published now and you have a contract and a deadline and you can't email your editor saying 'you know that book of mine you bought? Well, I've decided it's too complicated and I can't write the rest of it. Sorry.' Not when the title is in the Coming Soon part of your debut book (see that promo that I just kind of whipped in there?? hehe). No, this is where the rubber hits the road and the warm, happy glow of being newly published becames the cold, damp embrace of reality.
You can't just fling up your hands and say 'eff it. I don't wanna write this crappy idea. It's way too hard,' and go and play Halo 4 instead.
You can't put it away and go on with the other two really neat story ideas that have popped up in your head and you REALLY want to write more.
You can't get your friends to write it for you.
You can't put it away and go back to it when you feel like it.
What you have to do is sit down and write that mofo yourself. Because you are a PROFESSIONAL now and writing is no longer your hobby, or even just your passion, it's your job and if you don't do it there will be consequences.
Eeep.
Now I have to write my next book which is for Entangled and the third in the Talking Dirty series I sold to them earlier this year. It's not due till May but I am going to do it now because I DO have another couple of ideas I'm more excited about but neither of them have deadlines. Somehow I'm going to have to put them aside and muster up some enthusiasm for the story I have to write now - which is proving somewhat difficult. After the angst-fest of my last book, you'd think I'd be raring to get into something lighter and flirtier but no. There's something quite daunting about starting a new story, especially one you're kind of meh about writing.
Anyone got any tips on how to get excited about a story you HAVE to write?
BTW, if you're bored with me wibbling on, check out the Samhain video below. It's much sexier than listening to me rant. :-) (oh and apologies for the dodgy formatting).
It was kind of one of those books where you go 'this is idea is cool and angsty. Sweet. I'll write it'. And then you realise what you've taken on. And you think 'crap'. Then you want to back out but you can't because hey, you're published now and you have a contract and a deadline and you can't email your editor saying 'you know that book of mine you bought? Well, I've decided it's too complicated and I can't write the rest of it. Sorry.' Not when the title is in the Coming Soon part of your debut book (see that promo that I just kind of whipped in there?? hehe). No, this is where the rubber hits the road and the warm, happy glow of being newly published becames the cold, damp embrace of reality.
You can't just fling up your hands and say 'eff it. I don't wanna write this crappy idea. It's way too hard,' and go and play Halo 4 instead.
You can't put it away and go on with the other two really neat story ideas that have popped up in your head and you REALLY want to write more.
You can't get your friends to write it for you.
You can't put it away and go back to it when you feel like it.
What you have to do is sit down and write that mofo yourself. Because you are a PROFESSIONAL now and writing is no longer your hobby, or even just your passion, it's your job and if you don't do it there will be consequences.
Eeep.
Now I have to write my next book which is for Entangled and the third in the Talking Dirty series I sold to them earlier this year. It's not due till May but I am going to do it now because I DO have another couple of ideas I'm more excited about but neither of them have deadlines. Somehow I'm going to have to put them aside and muster up some enthusiasm for the story I have to write now - which is proving somewhat difficult. After the angst-fest of my last book, you'd think I'd be raring to get into something lighter and flirtier but no. There's something quite daunting about starting a new story, especially one you're kind of meh about writing.
Anyone got any tips on how to get excited about a story you HAVE to write?
BTW, if you're bored with me wibbling on, check out the Samhain video below. It's much sexier than listening to me rant. :-) (oh and apologies for the dodgy formatting).
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
ARC Love!!
I haven't posted for ages because I wanted to wait until I got my ARC! And now I have! Yay! It looks like an actual booky book thingy that actual people might (will!) buy! It's got copyright info and an ISBN and a dedication and everything! *falls over with excitement*
My mission with my ARC is to read over and make sure the formatting is okay and there are no serious typos.
The problem with this mission is that I've already read the story fifty million times in the process of editing and line editing. And I'm pretty sure my eyes are now burned out of their sockets with it. Sigh.
I've also noticed that I now want to rewrite portions of it. Have cringed at repetitions I didn't notice, cliches I should have taken out...you know what I mean right? I'm consoling myself with the thought that I always get like this after I've read an ms far too many times and that it's not as bad as I think. Anyway, it's too late now. The die is cast, etc.
So...uh....yeah. That's my excitement for the week and I'm basking like a basking shark.
What about you? Anything exciting happened for you this week so far?
My mission with my ARC is to read over and make sure the formatting is okay and there are no serious typos.
The problem with this mission is that I've already read the story fifty million times in the process of editing and line editing. And I'm pretty sure my eyes are now burned out of their sockets with it. Sigh.
I've also noticed that I now want to rewrite portions of it. Have cringed at repetitions I didn't notice, cliches I should have taken out...you know what I mean right? I'm consoling myself with the thought that I always get like this after I've read an ms far too many times and that it's not as bad as I think. Anyway, it's too late now. The die is cast, etc.
 |
| Reading my ARC on my iPad. Like an actual book! |
So...uh....yeah. That's my excitement for the week and I'm basking like a basking shark.
What about you? Anything exciting happened for you this week so far?
Monday, October 22, 2012
The Story of a Story
I'm on the Entangled Authors blog talking about the looooong four year journey my story went on before it was accepted by them for publication. So if you fancy reading a novel length post about what happened, pop over to say hello. :-)
Friday, October 19, 2012
Dealing with Disappointment
Post SYTYCW I thought I might put up a little post about disappointment. Because I KNOW what disappointment tastes like and it's not bitter aloes. It's dog meat. Or cat's breath. Or dinosaur turds. Or like your most hated food doubled. Crap in other words.
Anyway, I know I didn't enter but I do feel the pain of everyone who didn't make it into the top 28. Believe me, I've been there. I entered SYTYCW and New Voices twice. Both times with both comps I got precisely nowhere. Not even a callback. And that's not even counting all the rejections and knockbacks I've had both before and since.
And you know what? It doesn't matter how many times someone says, 'competitions are so subjective'. Or 'it doesn't meant your story is crap'. Or 'it was just a popularity contest'. Or 'hey, I didn't get anywhere and look, I've sold fifty bajillion books'. Not getting anywhere STILL SUCKS! And you're allowed to feel bad about it, just like you're allowed to moan about it to trusted friends and family and like-minded CPs.
But the one thing you must NOT do is give up. What you have to do is figure out a way to deal with the disappointment and carry on.
Because being disappointed doesn't stop with getting a rejection or not placing in a contest. It follows you through once you've been published too. You might not get the sales you wanted. You don't like your cover. You don't want to have to do the heinous revisions that have just landed. Your next story idea has been nixed by your editor. You didn't get the agent you've been hanging out for. You didn't win the Rita or get the Nobel Prize for Fiction.There's a whole host of disappointments just waiting around the corner in other words. So you kind of have to accept that if you want to be a writer, disappointment is something you'll have to live with.
My method, at first, was chocolate. Then shopping. Then alcohol. Then crying on the couch. Then more alcohol. Then weeping over my computer to my CPs. Then more alcohol. You get the idea...But despite all that, the best way of dealing with disappointment for me was writing. Getting excited about a new story, immersing myself in that instead of thinking about what I hadn't achieved. And then sending out another submission because while a submission was out there, I had hope. Pathetic maybe, but true.
It was about this time last year that I'd just about had enough. I'd had a few contest successes locally but only one partial request - that I angsted about so much the writing of it became terrifying rather than exciting. Then came nothing with New Voices and along with it another rejection. I'd just about had it with writing. It wasn't fun anymore, it was a chore. I was so scared to write anything because I found myself second guessing EVERYTHING I wrote. Did I have conflict? Were my characters acting consistently? Was it just about sex again??? My passion in life had become an unpleasant task and it was awful. I hated it.
If you've been following my blog, you'll know what I did after that. But I'm going to say it again because it bears reminding. What I thought was 'bugger this' and flung all my craft out the window and wrote something that I didn't think I'd ever submit anywhere. It was for me and me alone. No one was going to read it so I could write whatever the hell I wanted. If I wanted lots of angst? Go for it! If I wanted lots of sex? Go for that too! Tough alpha male? Yep. Sweet. Friends to lovers? Do it. So I did. I wrote my story and completely broke out of the fear trap I'd got myself into. And the key to it was that NO ONE was going to see this so it didn't matter what I wrote.
And it became my first sale.
So that's why I say don't give up. Do whatever you have to do to deal with your disappointment. Then get back in the saddle and keep going. It's the ONLY way it's going to happen.
Anyway, I know I didn't enter but I do feel the pain of everyone who didn't make it into the top 28. Believe me, I've been there. I entered SYTYCW and New Voices twice. Both times with both comps I got precisely nowhere. Not even a callback. And that's not even counting all the rejections and knockbacks I've had both before and since.
And you know what? It doesn't matter how many times someone says, 'competitions are so subjective'. Or 'it doesn't meant your story is crap'. Or 'it was just a popularity contest'. Or 'hey, I didn't get anywhere and look, I've sold fifty bajillion books'. Not getting anywhere STILL SUCKS! And you're allowed to feel bad about it, just like you're allowed to moan about it to trusted friends and family and like-minded CPs.
But the one thing you must NOT do is give up. What you have to do is figure out a way to deal with the disappointment and carry on.
Because being disappointed doesn't stop with getting a rejection or not placing in a contest. It follows you through once you've been published too. You might not get the sales you wanted. You don't like your cover. You don't want to have to do the heinous revisions that have just landed. Your next story idea has been nixed by your editor. You didn't get the agent you've been hanging out for. You didn't win the Rita or get the Nobel Prize for Fiction.There's a whole host of disappointments just waiting around the corner in other words. So you kind of have to accept that if you want to be a writer, disappointment is something you'll have to live with.
My method, at first, was chocolate. Then shopping. Then alcohol. Then crying on the couch. Then more alcohol. Then weeping over my computer to my CPs. Then more alcohol. You get the idea...But despite all that, the best way of dealing with disappointment for me was writing. Getting excited about a new story, immersing myself in that instead of thinking about what I hadn't achieved. And then sending out another submission because while a submission was out there, I had hope. Pathetic maybe, but true.
It was about this time last year that I'd just about had enough. I'd had a few contest successes locally but only one partial request - that I angsted about so much the writing of it became terrifying rather than exciting. Then came nothing with New Voices and along with it another rejection. I'd just about had it with writing. It wasn't fun anymore, it was a chore. I was so scared to write anything because I found myself second guessing EVERYTHING I wrote. Did I have conflict? Were my characters acting consistently? Was it just about sex again??? My passion in life had become an unpleasant task and it was awful. I hated it.
If you've been following my blog, you'll know what I did after that. But I'm going to say it again because it bears reminding. What I thought was 'bugger this' and flung all my craft out the window and wrote something that I didn't think I'd ever submit anywhere. It was for me and me alone. No one was going to read it so I could write whatever the hell I wanted. If I wanted lots of angst? Go for it! If I wanted lots of sex? Go for that too! Tough alpha male? Yep. Sweet. Friends to lovers? Do it. So I did. I wrote my story and completely broke out of the fear trap I'd got myself into. And the key to it was that NO ONE was going to see this so it didn't matter what I wrote.
And it became my first sale.
So that's why I say don't give up. Do whatever you have to do to deal with your disappointment. Then get back in the saddle and keep going. It's the ONLY way it's going to happen.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Awesome Book Cake!
I wanted to post this awesome photo because I have had some good news over the weekend which I can't tell anyone about yet but shall taunt you with mercilessly (and no, it's NOT another sale). Anyway, the kids decided a celebration was in order and so - as a surprise - made me a book cake. They got NO help. This was all their own work. My oldest daughter's idea, ably assisted by her younger sister and a friend.
Yes, it's a Falling for Finn cake. I've already shared this on Facebook and it was so good that I had to share it here too. As you can see, there wasn't enough room for 'Ashenden' so I'm just Jackie. The brown thing off to the left is a 'chocolate fish award' so as you can see, I am an award winner already. Aren't they fabulous children??
Jackie Ashenden, Chocolate Fish Award Winning Author!
Definitely has a certain ring to it.:-)
Anyway, while you help yourself to some virtual Finn cake, may I also bring to your attention a fabulous post on writing emotion by Maisey. It's a must read, no matter what type of romance you're writing.
PS. If you're desperate to know my news, you can DM me on twitter. Bribes of chocolate, expensive champagne, and diamonds gratefully accepted. ;-)
Yes, it's a Falling for Finn cake. I've already shared this on Facebook and it was so good that I had to share it here too. As you can see, there wasn't enough room for 'Ashenden' so I'm just Jackie. The brown thing off to the left is a 'chocolate fish award' so as you can see, I am an award winner already. Aren't they fabulous children??
Jackie Ashenden, Chocolate Fish Award Winning Author!
Definitely has a certain ring to it.:-)
Anyway, while you help yourself to some virtual Finn cake, may I also bring to your attention a fabulous post on writing emotion by Maisey. It's a must read, no matter what type of romance you're writing.
PS. If you're desperate to know my news, you can DM me on twitter. Bribes of chocolate, expensive champagne, and diamonds gratefully accepted. ;-)
Friday, October 12, 2012
Putting the A in A-Hole
I've been writing more of my dirty virgin hero and pondering the mysteries of what makes a hero an a-hole for some readers and yet not for others. It's an interesting question. I've read books where the readers hated the hero and I haven't really been able to understand why because he seems fine to me. And yet I've also read others where I think the hero is a douche and yet readers rave about his dreaminess (not looking at anyone in particular FSOG).
I guess I'm pondering this more as I'm doing final edits for Finn and knowing that after these are done, he'll be going out to reviewers and OTHER PEOPLE will be reading my book!! People who might think he's a total douche and don't get why he should be with my heroine.
As well as being totally freaked out by this, I'm also kind of sanguine because hey, not everyone is going to like your books or your characters. But that being said, I'm interested to know what pushes people's buttons when it comes to a hero.
Myself, I'm very forgiving of heroes. If the motivation is there, he can get away with anything basically and I hate it when writers water their heroes down in the name of political correctness or because they're trying to make him overly sympathetic. If he's angry, I want to be shown his anger and if he's angry with the heroine then so be it. Because why should heroines be the only ones who are allowed to get angry? Male anger is just as valid as female anger. Emotions like that, the 'flawed' emotions, also make them more real. Because I don't want to read a book about perfect people. Perfect people are boring. Political correctness is boring. Too sympathetic is boring.
I read a Presents a week or so ago and some of the reviews on the M&B site said that the hero was awful and some said the hero was awesome. So I bought the book to see what it was about the hero that polarised people, and well, now having read it, I can see why. He was wonderfully, gloriously arrogant and selfish and some of the things he said made me laugh because they were SO outrageous. I thought he was adorable because he'd totally embraced his selfishness and was out and proud about it. I loved it from a writer's perspective because the author did not pull back on him and I loved it from a reader's perspective because I could see how completely he was deluding himself.. You know he's going to fall HARD. In fact, for me, the more arrogant and jerky the hero, the more I love it simply because of that payoff.
And I suppose that's the rub for me. If there is no payoff, if he doesn't fall hard, if he doesn't grovel, then that's where he crosses my line into douche-land.
So, I guess that's what I'd like to know - what puts the a in a-hole for you when it comes to heroes?
I guess I'm pondering this more as I'm doing final edits for Finn and knowing that after these are done, he'll be going out to reviewers and OTHER PEOPLE will be reading my book!! People who might think he's a total douche and don't get why he should be with my heroine.
As well as being totally freaked out by this, I'm also kind of sanguine because hey, not everyone is going to like your books or your characters. But that being said, I'm interested to know what pushes people's buttons when it comes to a hero.
Myself, I'm very forgiving of heroes. If the motivation is there, he can get away with anything basically and I hate it when writers water their heroes down in the name of political correctness or because they're trying to make him overly sympathetic. If he's angry, I want to be shown his anger and if he's angry with the heroine then so be it. Because why should heroines be the only ones who are allowed to get angry? Male anger is just as valid as female anger. Emotions like that, the 'flawed' emotions, also make them more real. Because I don't want to read a book about perfect people. Perfect people are boring. Political correctness is boring. Too sympathetic is boring.
I read a Presents a week or so ago and some of the reviews on the M&B site said that the hero was awful and some said the hero was awesome. So I bought the book to see what it was about the hero that polarised people, and well, now having read it, I can see why. He was wonderfully, gloriously arrogant and selfish and some of the things he said made me laugh because they were SO outrageous. I thought he was adorable because he'd totally embraced his selfishness and was out and proud about it. I loved it from a writer's perspective because the author did not pull back on him and I loved it from a reader's perspective because I could see how completely he was deluding himself.. You know he's going to fall HARD. In fact, for me, the more arrogant and jerky the hero, the more I love it simply because of that payoff.
And I suppose that's the rub for me. If there is no payoff, if he doesn't fall hard, if he doesn't grovel, then that's where he crosses my line into douche-land.
So, I guess that's what I'd like to know - what puts the a in a-hole for you when it comes to heroes?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Um....Another Sale
I am starting to feel a bit weird now. Like it's a dream and someone's going to rudely shake me away and tell me it's not real. That I didn't just sell six books in one year. Yes, that's right. Six.
Because I sent in my proposal (three chapters and a synopsis) of my Dirty Virgin Hero ms to my Samhain editor and the next day - along with my Finn edits - she says she loves it and also the idea for the linked book that I included. Oh and also she'd like it for print so make sure it's over 50k.
AAAAARRRRGHHH!!!!
I do not know how this has happened. I'm sure the ride is going to stop soon because it HAS to.
I do know that I am extremely pleased that my Russian chess player hero - whose story I wrote and rewrote so many times because I'm a stubborn bitch and I WANTED it out there because he's cool, and how can you not love a chess playing dude?? - is sold. Black Knight, White Queen is currently slated for release in July next year.
And now my tattooed virgin bad boy - tentatively titled Take Him - also has a contract. Plus the possibility of print which I NEVER expected at all.
I am...well....rather gobsmacked.
Even with all this, I'm still hoping the ride will contine because I'd love my sheikh to be released into the world. But I'm not sure real life happens that way. Right???
Anyway, I also just want to reassure those of you entering SYTYCW that if you don't get through to the next round, it's NOT the end. All of you who read this blog know I entered both New Voices and SYTYCW, and I got nowhere. However, my first New Voices entry now has a three book deal with Entangled and The Chessman - which was an SYTYCW entry last year - sold to Samhain (admittedly, as a very different story but same concept). I also know of several people who also didn't get anywhere with their contest entries and yet sold the same book to M&B later.
The main thing really is to believe in your story. Believe it deserves to be read. And if you can't do either of those things then just being as stubborn as hell does the trick too. :-)
Right....*delivers chocolate martinis* *raises glass* A toast to my virgin hero! Who's with me?
Because I sent in my proposal (three chapters and a synopsis) of my Dirty Virgin Hero ms to my Samhain editor and the next day - along with my Finn edits - she says she loves it and also the idea for the linked book that I included. Oh and also she'd like it for print so make sure it's over 50k.
AAAAARRRRGHHH!!!!
I do not know how this has happened. I'm sure the ride is going to stop soon because it HAS to.
I do know that I am extremely pleased that my Russian chess player hero - whose story I wrote and rewrote so many times because I'm a stubborn bitch and I WANTED it out there because he's cool, and how can you not love a chess playing dude?? - is sold. Black Knight, White Queen is currently slated for release in July next year.
And now my tattooed virgin bad boy - tentatively titled Take Him - also has a contract. Plus the possibility of print which I NEVER expected at all.
I am...well....rather gobsmacked.
Even with all this, I'm still hoping the ride will contine because I'd love my sheikh to be released into the world. But I'm not sure real life happens that way. Right???
Anyway, I also just want to reassure those of you entering SYTYCW that if you don't get through to the next round, it's NOT the end. All of you who read this blog know I entered both New Voices and SYTYCW, and I got nowhere. However, my first New Voices entry now has a three book deal with Entangled and The Chessman - which was an SYTYCW entry last year - sold to Samhain (admittedly, as a very different story but same concept). I also know of several people who also didn't get anywhere with their contest entries and yet sold the same book to M&B later.
The main thing really is to believe in your story. Believe it deserves to be read. And if you can't do either of those things then just being as stubborn as hell does the trick too. :-)
Right....*delivers chocolate martinis* *raises glass* A toast to my virgin hero! Who's with me?
Monday, October 1, 2012
Writing A Virgin (Hero)
I didn't enter SYTYCW this year and now I am suffering from a severe case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). To distract myself from possibly slipping up and quickly whipping in a last minute entry (I think the deadline is up anyway) I thought I'd do a post on.....
dun dun dunnnn....
THE VIRGIN HERO!
Yes folks, it's true. My current WIP contains a virgin hero. A tattooed, bad boy virgin hero to be exact and no, that is not a contradiction in terms. Now, I know some people will shriek that it's not possible to do a sexy virgin of the male persuasion but those that do so have obviously never read A Royal World Apart by the inimitable Maisey Yates (yes, spoiler, sorry). It is possible for a man to be a virgin and be sexy. Oh, yes it is. It is all, as they say, in the execution.
However. Writing a female virgin in this day and age is difficult enough, let alone an alpha male in his early thirties. I mean, are there even men like that around who aren't geeks, weirdoes or still living with their mothers? And why would you even want to write about that kind of guy?
Well, for me it came about because my Samhain editor said on Twitter she was looking for more stories that contain virgin heroes. And of course Maisey was listening and told me about it, and naturally - because I ALWAYS want to tackle the hard subjects - I thought excellent, there's my next Samhain story. Easy.
Not. Because it's fine to think 'I know, I'll write a virgin hero'. It's not fine when the time comes and you actually have to think up a reason for why a tattooed bad boy would be a freaking virgin. I know, I know, I could have made him a priest. Or a sexy geek who's never really been interested in women before because he likes science too. But oh no. I like to do difficult (yes, I am stupid) so I wanted him to be a bad boy. With tattoos. And a dirty mouth. Because the contrast between that and his virginity was just too, too delicious to resist.
But then, naturally, I had to think up a reason for his holding out. A reason that would encompass his bad dude appearance too, because that's a part of his conflict as well. This, gentle readers, was not easy and has resulted in a seriously screwed up individual. It's kind of scary how messed up he is. And yet really interesting at the same time. Role reversal has always been a particular interest of mine and I'm intrigued by how my non-virgin heroine will deal with this guy and what she'll say when his virginity is revealed. Already I'm feeling very protective of him and my heroine (who has loved him for a long time) is getting kind of pushy and I want to tell her to back off and leave him alone. He has issues, man. :-)
Anyway, the point I wanted to make is that his virginity is NOT his conflict. It is a consequence of his conflict. And it is his conflict that is the important bit. Because when you have a consequence like this - and let's face it, it's an unusual one in this era for men - if the conflict doesn't make sense or is not deep enough, then the reasons for his virginity won't be convincing. He'll come across as either being a martyr or a cry-baby or a whiner. None of which you want for your hero (and I'm hoping to God that my poor hero won't be any of these.
So maybe there is a lesson here for SYTYCW. Make your conflict simple. Make your conflict deep. Make it about your character. Once you have those things, the story will follow.
Alrighty so who is intrigued by the thought of a virgin hero? Who is crazy pants like me and wants to write one?? (oh and who entered SYTYCW??)
dun dun dunnnn....
THE VIRGIN HERO!
Yes folks, it's true. My current WIP contains a virgin hero. A tattooed, bad boy virgin hero to be exact and no, that is not a contradiction in terms. Now, I know some people will shriek that it's not possible to do a sexy virgin of the male persuasion but those that do so have obviously never read A Royal World Apart by the inimitable Maisey Yates (yes, spoiler, sorry). It is possible for a man to be a virgin and be sexy. Oh, yes it is. It is all, as they say, in the execution.
However. Writing a female virgin in this day and age is difficult enough, let alone an alpha male in his early thirties. I mean, are there even men like that around who aren't geeks, weirdoes or still living with their mothers? And why would you even want to write about that kind of guy?
Well, for me it came about because my Samhain editor said on Twitter she was looking for more stories that contain virgin heroes. And of course Maisey was listening and told me about it, and naturally - because I ALWAYS want to tackle the hard subjects - I thought excellent, there's my next Samhain story. Easy.
Not. Because it's fine to think 'I know, I'll write a virgin hero'. It's not fine when the time comes and you actually have to think up a reason for why a tattooed bad boy would be a freaking virgin. I know, I know, I could have made him a priest. Or a sexy geek who's never really been interested in women before because he likes science too. But oh no. I like to do difficult (yes, I am stupid) so I wanted him to be a bad boy. With tattoos. And a dirty mouth. Because the contrast between that and his virginity was just too, too delicious to resist.
But then, naturally, I had to think up a reason for his holding out. A reason that would encompass his bad dude appearance too, because that's a part of his conflict as well. This, gentle readers, was not easy and has resulted in a seriously screwed up individual. It's kind of scary how messed up he is. And yet really interesting at the same time. Role reversal has always been a particular interest of mine and I'm intrigued by how my non-virgin heroine will deal with this guy and what she'll say when his virginity is revealed. Already I'm feeling very protective of him and my heroine (who has loved him for a long time) is getting kind of pushy and I want to tell her to back off and leave him alone. He has issues, man. :-)
Anyway, the point I wanted to make is that his virginity is NOT his conflict. It is a consequence of his conflict. And it is his conflict that is the important bit. Because when you have a consequence like this - and let's face it, it's an unusual one in this era for men - if the conflict doesn't make sense or is not deep enough, then the reasons for his virginity won't be convincing. He'll come across as either being a martyr or a cry-baby or a whiner. None of which you want for your hero (and I'm hoping to God that my poor hero won't be any of these.
So maybe there is a lesson here for SYTYCW. Make your conflict simple. Make your conflict deep. Make it about your character. Once you have those things, the story will follow.
Alrighty so who is intrigued by the thought of a virgin hero? Who is crazy pants like me and wants to write one?? (oh and who entered SYTYCW??)
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Fear - If You Can't Handle It Then Writing Isn't the Job for You
Here's a few things I've learned about fear after I sold:
It never goes away - I used to think that once I sold my first book, I'd never feel afraid of sending my writing out again. Wrong. Somehow the thought that the editor loved the last book makes sending in the next book harder. Because what if you've somehow stuffed up the next book? It was diffcult to write - does that mean it's worse? What if the editor hates the story? What if she hates everything else I send in to her ever???
Sending stuff out to other publishers after you've been accepted by one is STILL scary - I'm waiting on a couple of other things and even though I've sold a couple of stories, I'm still as anxious and neurotic as I was before I sold those other ones. In fact, in many ways, fear of rejection was easier when I was unpublished because I kind of had nothing to lose. Now, I've sold a couple of times which means that theoretically it should be easier to sell again. Right? Right??? And if I don't sell, does this mean I suck? That the other publishers were wrong to accept me??
People will read my books - some people will love them. Some people will hate them. Some people will be disappointed because the books weren't as good as they assumed they would be. Some people will be pleasantly surprised because they were better than expected. Some people will love the first one and yet hate the second. And vice versa. Some people will form opinions about me as a writer and some people will not hesitate to let me know what those opinions are. Which is scary.
Or what if no one reads my books? What if I don't sell and disappear into oblivion? There are thousands and thousands of writers out there - what makes my book any more special?
This whole year has been like skiing downhill very fast and knowing there's a turn coming up - you'll either fly off the edge of the mountain and crash spectacularly with lots of broken bones. Or you'll do a magnificent parallel turn in a shower of snow. One thing's for sure though, the turn is coming up and you don't know how it's going to go until you get there. And that's kind of scary.
With all this fear stuff, maybe I'm just neurotic and need to chill. Maybe no one else worries about these kinds of things and I'm being over-dramatic. Whatever the case, just know that if fear is something you don't want to have to deal with or is something that paralyses you then writing isn't the job for you. Because it doesn't go away once you've sold. It just changes. The stakes become higher. The further up the mountain you get, the further you have to fall.
After five years of this, I thought I'd become pretty good at handling all the worry and the fear. But nope. I think I've just got better at drinking wine. :-)
Anyone else find the fear difficult to deal with? What do you do in the face of it?
It never goes away - I used to think that once I sold my first book, I'd never feel afraid of sending my writing out again. Wrong. Somehow the thought that the editor loved the last book makes sending in the next book harder. Because what if you've somehow stuffed up the next book? It was diffcult to write - does that mean it's worse? What if the editor hates the story? What if she hates everything else I send in to her ever???
Sending stuff out to other publishers after you've been accepted by one is STILL scary - I'm waiting on a couple of other things and even though I've sold a couple of stories, I'm still as anxious and neurotic as I was before I sold those other ones. In fact, in many ways, fear of rejection was easier when I was unpublished because I kind of had nothing to lose. Now, I've sold a couple of times which means that theoretically it should be easier to sell again. Right? Right??? And if I don't sell, does this mean I suck? That the other publishers were wrong to accept me??
People will read my books - some people will love them. Some people will hate them. Some people will be disappointed because the books weren't as good as they assumed they would be. Some people will be pleasantly surprised because they were better than expected. Some people will love the first one and yet hate the second. And vice versa. Some people will form opinions about me as a writer and some people will not hesitate to let me know what those opinions are. Which is scary.
Or what if no one reads my books? What if I don't sell and disappear into oblivion? There are thousands and thousands of writers out there - what makes my book any more special?
 |
| Skiing downhill really fast.... |
With all this fear stuff, maybe I'm just neurotic and need to chill. Maybe no one else worries about these kinds of things and I'm being over-dramatic. Whatever the case, just know that if fear is something you don't want to have to deal with or is something that paralyses you then writing isn't the job for you. Because it doesn't go away once you've sold. It just changes. The stakes become higher. The further up the mountain you get, the further you have to fall.
After five years of this, I thought I'd become pretty good at handling all the worry and the fear. But nope. I think I've just got better at drinking wine. :-)
Anyone else find the fear difficult to deal with? What do you do in the face of it?
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Wot I have Been Doing
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| Chocolate! From the Armani shop! Armani chocolate! |
Anyway, I thought I'd give you an update on where I'm at so people don't think I've dropped off the earth or have stopped blogging or anything completely INSANE like that.
So here's what I've been doing:
I rewrote the Chessman. Took out the stuff I put in to make it more category. Darkened the conflict, hotted up the sexy-times, put in lots of angst, and then sent it to my editor at Samhain.
Then I rewrote most of the sheikh and included a couple of scenes that freaked me out to write and made wonder whether I am actually insane to put them in a M&B manuscript. Possibly I am. Anyway, only time will tell about that because I send it off.
Then turned my attention to my second Entangled book - working title The Player. I finished this before I left for Australia but I knew I'd done a completely pants job of it so had to rewrite most of it. Sigh. Sent the partial to my Entangled editor and got her thoughts and yes, I did have to rewrite the last half. Double sigh. Have just finished the rewrite today and will send that off tomorrow.
Next up is my third Samhain project - which is affectionately known as DVH AKA Dirty Virgin Hero. Yep, he's a hero! He's a virgin! And yet he's also dirty! Have no idea how that's going to work out and I may yet be off my tree in thinking it will but I'm going to give it a go anyway. Got to keep yourself challenged.
THEN, once I've finished the partial of the DVH, I am going to look at starting my third Entangled book - working title The Boss. Uptight, OCD hero. Naughty heroine. Am hoping it's going to be fun.
So there you have it. Wot I have been doing. And in there somewhere will be Falling for Finn edits and maybe paying more attention to The Gambler, another Presents ms that I had to put aside for all the other stuff.
Phew.
Oh and one other thing, just quietly because I'm not sure I can announce yet. So just pretend you didn't hear this. I sold the Chessman. :-)
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