Kitten Screams

I spent the whole night from 9pm until now awake. My cat was screaming and I didn't want to wake up my husband. Instead, I got an outline going for my second book and five pages. So now I have sure footing to go off of on Monday.

And he's up...

Happy Halloween!

Plans Dashed to the Winds

So, about that outlining. Yeah, that ended up with me and my little brain in bed all day sleeping. I didn't know how fried I was from completing this book until I gave myself some vacation time. Now I can't stop thinking about the stuff I need to get done ASAP for deadlines. Even though I have a vacation, it's never a real vacation inside my brain. I think too much.

My highlight of the day was watching my husband get ready for work in peasant gear from the Ren Faire this year. He insists on going in costume to the office despite the fact that most people don't do that. It makes me happy. The way the shirt frames his chest and feels against my cheek makes me happy too. Yum. Costumes.

New Project

Tomorrow I'll start on the outline for my new project for NANO because I need to wait at least two weeks before I hit the edits. I also need printer ink so I can print out my whole book. Right now, I'm thinking something less paranormal and more contemporary. I'm going to do some research on Harlequin and then check out some ideas.

What I'm reading right now:
Snowbound

I don't know what to do with myself

I told myself I wouldn't write anything today on any project including the second draft edits. But my head is chomping at the bit to get back in the swing of things after working non-stop for what feels like forever. Tomorrow I'm jumping back on the bandwagon, but today I just need to get a break--if I'll let myself. I've already been leafing through a few books that are just fun and still count as work material, so I can trick myself into fun. Isn't that sad? Yay for work ethic, but when you have to trick yourself to have fun? I'm reminding myself of Laurell K Hamilton and this is only my first novel length book other than the one I wrote when I was in sixth grade. Shouldn't I be less motivated? Maybe this is a good thing? I'm going to go ponder this over a cup of tea and an apple.

The pride still hasn't hit yet. I think I'll be more excited when I'm done my second edit. Right now I just feel like I threw words on paper willy nilly and to quote Echo from Dollhouse "I wasn't my best". I can't wait to see what my best entails.

I'm Finished

My book is completed through it's first draft. I've written my second full book. I think it will hit me after I'm done with the edits for the second draft. Right now, well I'm just kind of shell shocked.

Nine

I seem to be doing things in nine's lately. I have nine submissions out seeking homes. Nine stories I'm currently juggling to finish and nine stories on the back burner ready to see life on screen or page. I tried to look up the significance of the number nine on Google but there were too many answers, so lets just say the number nine is weird and leave it at that.

I also got my library card! Yay! I succumbed to not owning books simply because my budget couldn't take the amount I wanted to take home with me nor could my bookshelves. I've also been doing lots of romance writing homework and some books I pick up just aren't that good. I walk away sad that I own them. But now I have my solve everything library card and I can read to my hearts content. Joy of joys.

If I finish my book by the end of this week my husband said I'll get a reward. I'm finishing this week. And, no it's not a dirty reward. Although, I'll get that too. Only three chapters to go before I can read the whole thing in it's entirety and then rip it to shreds.

Disecting Romance

I just saw the romantic comedy "The Proposal", I enjoyed it a lot, it made me laugh until tears ran down my face, but it was also good romance writing homework. All the classic elements needed for a solid romance were there just in a shorter span of time than it takes to read a book. Some examples include:

• Time Constraints: Sandra Bullock was being deported to Canada in four days so the hero and heroine were working under intense and stressful circumstances which makes the audience feel closer to them. It also makes their wham-bam romance easier to believe because they are stuck in close quarters as a result of this time constraint.
• Rampant Verbal Misunderstandings: These two couldn't communicate their way out of a box, which was the point. Romantic comedies like conflict.
• A "Black Moment": A moment in every romance where it seems like the hero and heroine just can't overcome the obstacles to be together, leaving us wanting more and feeling for their plight. Of course in two seconds flat they work through it and they are together because you can't have a true romance without...
• A Happy Ending

What I'm really enjoying finding in my work and those other who I critique are the little moments in our books where we can twist information, change how we give it to the reader, and impact the choices of the novel from then on out. It's a powerful tool to know when to foreshadow, twist, omit, or slip in a little common misunderstanding. Not only am I working on a tighter reign with my characters because there is more at stake with secrets, confusions, and misunderstandings, but it increases the ending by twofold in terms of emotions once they clear the hurdle which is the desired end result.


Why, if you are working with an heiress character whose hiding out in a shelter, would you give the readers all the cards right away? Start off the story slow with her time in the shelter, allude to brief emotional flashes of why she is there, make her long for expensive things which is subtle foreshadowing as to who she really is without revealing the information. Of course she's going to want expensive things, not because it's the style that she's accustomed too, but the reader will think because, duh, she's in a shelter. Then you can layer her prior knowledge on top of the interactions and reactions she had to the hero. The tension of her secret and his unwillingness to see past her "homeless" status will create misunderstanding and conflict which will lead the charactors into quite a bit of trouble as the truth reveals itself.

Rabbit Hole

I'm still working on the plot hole I've dug myself into this week. But, I do have 52,010 words on the book. Almost home free.

Ugh

It's 8am, trying out this new thing where I actually don't get up at two in the afternoon instead I keep to a "normal"schedule. I need some tea, oatmeal, and more blogs to read. Today's mission is not impossible. Research everything 1941 for women, Pearl Harbor, and other secret mythological goodness. That's right lovelies. Pearl Harbor is going paranormal. Because I feel like it. Also, this new fangled technique called "plotting" on several longer stories in my fairytale anthology so I can finally crank that crap out to a publisher. Ugh, it's too early for my brain, why am I up? It's okay I have a two in the afternoon nap to look forward too, because I'm just that lazy. Going to go look for new episodes of Survivor Somoea and the missed Vampire Diaries and start up the old laptop. For creation, not editing, I work best with television rather than music. Let's get this party started.

Trepidation

I've come to a scene where I need to craft and work really succinct bits and pieces of my narrative puzzle without overwriting which would loose emotion. The best idea I can come up with is to let the words flow, cut, and shape later. Yet, I'm not entirely happy with that because this scene has to do something very special for the reader. I don't want to miss out on an important thought, revelation, or emotion, simply because I'm just trying to put words down with no regard to the importance of the turnaround this scene conveys. Plus, I'm not very handy when it comes to psychotherapy though I've done my research and I need to make sure my therapist is asking the right questions to get the right answers.

Thoughts, ideas, comments? I could use a second brain on this one.

Kiss Me Deadly

Hardly the best book I've ever read and far and away from the best paranormal romance, this book is still good for the fledgling paranormal romance writer to study and ponder while learning techniques. Also, for the most part it's free. It took a long time to get into but the book offers a good study in a unique premise, hero/heroine interaction, and fun. You'll either do one of two things when reading this book:

• Learn some easy hands on techniques to writing a romance novel as this book isn't exactly rocket science
• Learn what you don't want to do in any of your books--ever
• Get a good laugh after you throw it across the room

I managed to stick with it and now it's not unlike bad reality television. Though to most people that aren't me all reality television is bad.

3 AM and Hyena's

For some reason my muse now has a fetish for three in the morning. I woke up again this morning at three just like the past four or so mornings because I suddenly had this wonderful idea for my book. I put it down, typed a bit more, and then tried to fall back asleep to no avail. Now I am exhausted and cranky which I don't think makes up for the extra pages scored this morning. Yesterday burned me out pretty good so today is just about wrestling with an unexpected scene and getting a few solid pages as opposed to a marathon session.

I also can't find some forms I can't remember if I filled out or not for some writing work I'm doing. I had to email the boss and get it all sorted out because missing paperwork is never good.

On a completely unrelated note I was watching Growing up Hyena this morning and the way the little cubs just kept dying off because of the head female in a matriarchal pack made me think of romance writers. How we are picked off one by one when we are young fledgling writers and if we survive we "give birth" to books that grow and expand eventually finding a home among other solid, adult books. Yeah, clearly I haven't had enough sleep.

A Side Note

I love this artist who does gothic pin-ups. Very dark, very sassy, and very me. I want a tattoo of his work to add to my pretty lady gallery.

Impatiant

I've done twenty pages today. I've been working since three in the morning after going to bed at six in the evening. Today's one of those days where I'm just racing on a horse to be finished, but then I fall off because I realize this is far from the end of my journey. Oh, edits.

Unlike most people I find other writer's stories disheartening rather than inspiring. The wait times and perseverance fill me with dread because I want it SO BAD. There is rarely an author who has to wait less than three years and write several manuscripts to get "The Call".  On days like today I find that fact completely discouraging. This business is always touch and go. The reality is authors could be dropped from publishers in seconds if they are simply midlist and not making tons of sales. I aspire to be midlist. Which basically means in this upcoming publishing world, I might be completely screwed. Knowing that I'll have to wait and cling to hope for a long time before anything gets picked up makes me doubt my resolve and strength to be in this business.

Then I buck up and keep typing.

Therapist Stuff

My morning has been all about researching counseling techniques for the next wacky scene in my romance novel. Demon counseling to be exact. My charactors are about to enter a world of amusing trouble and answer a lot more information about themselves.I need to incorporate a little silly fun into my text, make it whimsical yet factual.

One of the best list of resources I've seen....

.....over at Write Attitude.

Bleck

I've got five pages so far today. Now to give my mushy brain a break of sorts I'm compulsively checking my Romance Writing Class for progress in the discussions boards, listening to Celine Dion, and vegging out in front of my computer. I also spiffed up a few of my older posts with some good links where it was useful. I'll probably look for e-books on Shortcovers soon. Mmmmm, romance e-books.

Description Versus Quicksand

I've hit my stride with most of these chapters I'm penning. Unfortunately, a large difference between erotica and romance happens to lie in one of my favorite things to do when I'm in stride: excessive description. Though this works wonderfully and is almost necessary for a visceral piece like erotica, for romance it can be a plague sent to kill a reader's interest in a matter of seconds.

That is my current difficulty.. Leaving my love of complete and utter description at the door when I put on my romance novel hat and picking it back up again when I start something a little more slutty. To quote one of my friends "you're the Edith Wharton of succubus love". I am pleased as punch on that one and yet....contemporary romance readers really don't want everything thought out for them down to the sheets on the bed the secondary character is using while his house has burned down. (A fake scenario). So, when to use my love of flashy words and when not too? Only time and practice will tell, but hopefully I won't be falling in quicksand or editing large chunks of text until I'm forty. At least not on the same body of work.That would be unpleasant.

Bitter

Word deleted several of my key paragraphs last night without my consent. I found this out this morning on no sleep, currently sitting next to Nick whose work I am currently inhabiting for the day as a change of scenery. So yeah, pivotal information just went poof and I have to write all over again. Damn outdated word.

Catagory vs. Single Title Romance Novels

Category Romance offers similar lines of books all in the same theme with roughly the same page count. For the most part they operate in series structure with recurring characters. All books come out monthly easily identifiable through similar cover pictures, fonts, and title names. An example would be Harlequin Suspense, Nocturne, or Blaze. Most often these publishers work from a strict sheet of rules for the author in terms of ending, time line of the relationship between hero and heroine, and flexibility of plots and subplots. Although some of these lines don't require an agent, their submission requirements can be hard to follow because of a lack of variation between lines. Once "inside" most of these lines, meaning you've been published by a house or e-book publishing line, it's basically all sunshine and rainbows from there.

Single Title Romance is more flexible in both content as well as style. Some of these titles can lean more towards woman's lit or chick lit where the heroine is more independent with possibly several men on the scene besides the main hero. Though single title romance books offer more leeway in terms of plot, it is inevitably harder to query to an existing agent or publisher. This is mainly because the idea has to stand out enough that someone will want to publish it, but it still needs to be marketable and open to a wide audience of readers.So, within those less structured guidelines there has to be enough identifiable plot twists and lovable characters to sell to the readers. There is more of a chance for rejection in this field, but it's ultimately rewarding because some of my favorite romance novels are single titles that really rock the boat but manage to appeal to a human's basic emotions, values, wants, and needs.

These are only my humble opinions of course so feel free to toss out the window of your brain whatever you'd like too.

Self Publishing E-books

I think one of the best tools available on the market right now are self publishing e-book sites. Even though it can be a lot of work in terms of technical understanding and promotion of the content a writer has created it enables writers to get there work read without third party taxes or copyright issues. It's beneficial to those who want to write but don't want to take the time to go through a publishing company or query press process. Although that can have its downsides such as missing out on premiere editing services as well as a big chunk of money from a publishing agreement and contract in the end it's a bit more freeing for the author.

Do I think it's anything someone can make a living on if they aren't already a successful published author? No. Is that just my personal opinion? Absolutely. If someone worked their tail off, established a brand, a network, a solid skill set, and then unleashed themselves onto the world of self published e-books with a business website and a set of personal business goals I think it could go very well. But that really depends on the market the writer is intending to write for in terms of popularity as well as the quality of the writer's work.

I still think it is a really great idea for those who want to feel accomplished and earn a little income every now and then on the side. To see someone buying my work regardless of what medium and what price is always thrilling to me. I can only assume it's like that for everyone else.

The main reason I'm excited about this particular market is because my erotica e-books can be published to as many market sites as I would like since I retain all rights to the work. Which means I can self publish on whatever sites I see fit as well as my original publisher's site to expand my little erotica empire. This is a wonderful opportunity to get more people to read my work and introduce them back to my new stories on the original published site. In the end the more people that get to read and enjoy my work, the happier I will be no matter how much money I make.

Side Note

If it wasn't for the Backstreet Boys or Disney Soundtracks, I would never write. When I don't feel like writing they are all I write too, sometimes for days on end. I have Black and Blue in my player right now with the rest of BSB's discography in front of me, ready to play. This is how I'm going to write the end of the book.

Yeah, you heard me. I'm a teeny bopper. I am not ashamed.

Awake

I went to bed at 11 hoping to get back on a normal sleep schedule. That didn't happen at all. I woke up at 1 in the morning to go to the bathroom and then couldn't get back to sleep. So I've been up on three hours of sleep tinkering and hammering at the book. I got nine pages done so I'm pretty happy with that. We'll see when my brain finally decides to conk out on me. My body's been tired for hours, but those wheels just keep on turning in my head.

Blackberry Curve

I love my Blackberry Curve for one reason other than the organizational functions: the e-book reader I downloaded which gives me free books--ALL THE TIME. It's the best thing I could get right now when I'm slightly broke and can't afford lots of books. Plus, I need as much research as I could get for my romance novel so I've been pounding them down like carbs.

Rough Day

Today's not the best day. I woke up this morning with my husband telling me a friend's mother is in the hospital and it's not good. I don't know her very well but my husband's grown up with all his friends since childhood so I'm doing the best I can to make him feel better. Not the best day to get pages done.

The Writer

One of the best resources and a good pick me up for a bad day is a copy of The Writer. A magazine that's been around for quite some time and has articles for every area of fiction and non-fiction. Although, sometimes articles from month to month can repeat themselves with little twists and turns generally a reader can pinpoint good bits of advice from the articles. Not all of it can pertain to everyone but it's a good way to start my day.Some of my favorites are:

• Technology Articles: Articles that explain the new gadgets, programs, and free platforms for every writer whether fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.

• Specific Craft Articles: Articles that explain little details that can take a story from good to great. 
• Insider Information: Industry inside information including publication markets, what current presses and magazines are looking for, as well as interviews with agents.
• Market Focus: A specific market gets the once over with details.
  

Free Novel Software

1. Storybook 
2. Evernote 
3. yWriter 
4. Name Generator  
5. Copy and Grammer 
6. Bookmark Synchronizer   
7. Bibliography Map 
8. WebReaper
   

Kiddo for the weekend

We have my husband's thirteen year old step brother for the weekend so I may be a little more absent than I would like to be in the next few days. We re going to Renn Fair tomorrow and then I'm assuming an epic video game war will commence.

My second romance writing class has kicked off to a really good start although the new project may have my head. I'm writing a sales pitch and flap copy. The word count I've been given has just about killed me because there is so much complexity to my plot I just want to blurb out everything in the book. But, that won't get me readers nor will it get me an agent. An agent wants something to entice her into reading more, a tidbit, not a summery, that's a whole other ball of wax.

So, right now I'm frantically cleaning so when the teenager comes into my home he doesn't go straight back to his parents and tell them it's messy. They do not like messy houses. At all. Mine isn't overly messy, but it isn't spotless either.

I got two more Cleis rejections over the weekend though one of them was very nice. She took the time to compliment my work and really look at it. The only reason she rejected it was because it was too short for the required words. She said the writing was spot on. I kind of have to pout because I was that close to seeing my name in print for erotica, but then again, she liked my work and it was a technicality. So I'm going to smile too. It's more material I have to throw into my fairy tale anthology anyway which is currently up to thirty pages with two stories unfinished. I have high hopes for that anthology as I've worked really hard on it and I'd like to think the stories are all original. Fairy tales have been overdone many different ways but I really strive to put a different twist on these. Plus, I'm a huge reader of twisted fairy tales whether erotic or not, so I've read almost everything else that's out there. No copying for me!

Writer's Block: Maybe a Cure?

I've been suffering mild writer's block lately with the book. I've been working it out but I'm only writing in bits and pieces. Most people view writer's block as laziness, stubbornness, or not enough love for the craft. When I've written almost a complete novel in three months, I'm a little burnt out. So in the spirit of how I'm feeling, here are some ideas to fight writer's block. My way of fighting it has been a two day non-stop marathon of Law and Order Special Victims Unit, what's yours?

• Working backwards: When all else fails read the chapters that you've already written. Sometimes all the muse needs to be inspired is a little jog to where your plot is going and where it's supposed to go.
• Writing about all the reasons why you can't write: Once you get all the reasons why you can't possibly write out of your system, there's nothing left to keep you from working. It's all uphill from there. No more excuses.
• One sentence an hour:  Most writer's don't have this much time to work on anything, however, taking off the pressure can be amazing incentive to write. If you take it one sentence at a time while doing other things around the house soon it will add up to a paragraph. After one paragraph eventually you'll get out of a funk and it will all add up.
• Writing something else: Sometimes you just need to stop what your doing on a current piece of work and start another one. It doesn't matter what it is as long as you're writing again.
  

Little Sick Ferret

Does anyone else think this would be a neat band name?

I've been taking care of my ferret, Heath, which is why I have been missing from the posting. He's got a hairball and I have to check on him and give him his formula 2-3 times a day. It was also a friends birthday last night so we went out to eat, had a party. The food--and wait for the food-- was sub-par for what we paid. The party afterward was pretty fun but I had to sit through two episodes of Family Guy before it got fun. You just shouldn't have to watch tv at a party...it's just not good for it. If everyone's eyes are glued to the screen how can you forge conversation?

I also just got back my final edits for four of my e-books. So that's what I'll be doing tomorrow. Doing a line by line and filling out errata sheets. Those are the sheets where you mark all the typographical/plot errors for the final editor to pick up before you stock and sell the book. Look at me, I'm all knowledgeable.

I'm almost done with the book. I've got about three more chapters to write. Which with my new 3,500 word count rule shouldn't be hard to churn out tomorrow, then I'm good to go. Then the editing begins. I need to do a few inclusions that I missed, spiffy up some chapters, and upgrade some foreshadowing. Then it's back to the drawing board for book two while I wait for comments from my next romance writing class which starts in several days. Boy, oh boy I can't wait for that class. I need more feedback.

Word Count

I met my word count goal today in a flurry of pages. Yay! Still caught on that tidal wave adrenaline rush of a writers high and I'm going to go give myself a break and read a good book. Then it's back to researching, tweaking, etc. Because I can't stop working when I feel this good. Sometimes I think all writers are bi-polar or manic, we certainly have our ridiculous ups and downs.

An Ending

I have it all plotted out. I know how it goes in my head. It's mapped. I have an ending and I'm typing on a writer's high. I want to cry the elation is so great. I should have the first draft of my manuscript done in two weeks. I'll have written a book. It will be done.

Then the edits.

Tips and Tricks

Check out my little bubble cloud at the bottom for a more helpful way of finding links, articles, and advice on writing under the "Tips and Tricks" section. Just click it, pick your poison, and all the world will be revealed. I figured it would be a nicer way for visitors to be able to track down the good stuff without having to wade through my rants and raves. So, there you have it, a one stop shop to all things writing under "Tips and Tricks". More links, articles, and advice is always coming up on the horizon so watch out.

I'm Back on Track in the Plotting Zone

Cue the song "Highway to the Dangerzone" from Top Gun. I've worked out some of my big bad problems last night by adding in a few completely necessary chapters. I'm still working on expanding today and making everything more believable. Since I'm working in a paranormal world everything has to be spot on otherwise my readers won't believe it or understand, promptly putting the book down which is a no-no.

If I write 3,500 words a day I'll have this baby done in three weeks.

In honor of my good fortune I bring you five articles on plotting:

• Difference between "Pantsing and Plotting"
• Plotting Under Pressure 
• Top Ten Plotting Problems
• Basic Plotting in a Romance Novel
• Step by Step Romance Plotting with Worksheets

There you have it, some great roundup articles on plotting. Now I have to go feed my lazy cat, she's screaming at me again,