Secrets and Lies

I opened up my WIP folder and ended up taking a peek at the first story i wrote 5 years ago. I spent a lovely two hours editing and adding to this story.

I realised i have learned a lot about my writing since then, the biggest thing was point of view. In this story there is rampant head hopping :s. So i went through the first 7 seven chapters and fixed that.

I also discovered i describe way too much so it slows down action - i have to do some more extensive editing on this one, but i still love the story, and i'd love to send it off for publication when finished :)

What have learnt about your craft since you first started?

Drained and a realisation

I've just written 2,900 words. That is the most i've written in a sitting ever!
Of course it helps that it is a highly charged, emotional scene, where Billie and Cooper confront their conflicts and realisation dawns. But at a price.
Man am i drained! I am leaving Cooper on the cusp of his realisation of Billie's true conflict - which i only just discovered in this scene and now have to rewrite parts of the story to tighten what had been a rather weak conflict! - as i have nothing left.
For my nano count today is awesome:
day 11 total: 2,897
first word: As
Last word: what?"
Fav line: Before he could respond she stepped forward and he caught that scent, so intoxicating to his senses, like a visible drug, he was forced to pause, inhale deeply, involuntarily.


I actually have more fav lines but as i will probably edit them, this is the one that stands out for me, shows the impact billie has on Cooper and his unwillingness at this stage in the story to deny it. I'm now at 44,567 words and am right on the finish line. I'm so excited!
Hope you are all doing well, your muse has struck and your fingers are flying on the keyboard as mine has tonight! If not, i hope it comes to you soon :)
Good night.

And it's on!

The heat, the desire, the passion, we all know where it leads. I finally have my characters in the master bedroom, one screaming for release the other determined to make it last....
Oh and the results are going to be hot and bothersome, in more ways than one ;)  Have to torture these poor people before they get their HEA!

Oh and i'm going to have to realign my goal. I was hoping to finish this draft by the end of this month, but that was with the expectation i would have three afternoons without my daughter, but she isn't starting public kindy until January.
So new goal if to finish draft by end of november.

My process is painfully slow. I seem to need everything to be perfect, well as perfect as it can be!, straight away. I do the layering, the senses, the dialogue, EVERYTHING, on the first run then tweak it later. (I've done the first three chapters, ready for submission)
Also when it isn't working i take a break until the problem fixes in my subconsious or i suddenly figure out what to do to fix it! This draft has taken me since the beginning of April! a 7 month draft?!!
Well i know i am going to have to be MUCH faster if i ever want to be published - and i do, i really really do! I think i just need more discipline.

How do you write? Bare bones first then layering and editing or are you a perfectionist? How long does it take you to write that first draft?

I've been reading..and Writing!

Which is fantastic, because i have been really busy.
In 3 weeks my little girl is going to be 3 and i'm busy sewing dolls clothes for her little Baa Sheep and her horse Jilly. Do you know how expensive dolls clothes are? It's ridiculous!! Believe me, it's easier (cheaper!) to use the box of scrap material i have.

But besides that. I managed 1,000 words on Wednesday, AND a pilates workout!
I've also read two chapters of Kate Walker's fab book.
I feel so good this week, so am not even going to think about the horrid headaches i had too!

So, what did i learn in the 12 Point Guide?

First, Dialogue.
Do you struggle with it? I do. Maybe i don't know my characters enough, but sometimes i just can't seem to get them to talk! I am more of a narrative writer and Kate's advise for a truly compelling read is to make sure your book is 60% dialogue and 40% narrative - uh oh, i think mine is the opposite! but oh well, i'll tackle that in revisions :)
Dialogue is the best way for the reader to find out about the character, to create tension, and instead of writing all that narrative (ahem) you can use it affectively to SHOW not TELL what is going on and keep the characters and the reader in the present.
When you read do you sometimes find yourself skimming through the paragraphs to get to the 'good' bits? If you think about it, visually we are looking for the dialogue - so be sure to write lots of it!!
I am definitely going to try and do this more!

Next was on Focus and importantly to me was Flashbacks.
Kate's advice was if you can pepper it into the narrative in a way as to make it as present as possible without using a flashback, then do, as this keeps everything current, without diluting the tension. Or better yet, see if you can put it in the dialogue, another way to get it up to the 60%!

And a big question always for me is How do you know which Viewpoint to use for Which Scene?
She gives heaps of questions to ask yourself, like whose feelings are most at stake? Or which characters holds the most information, or which character do you want to withhold information from but who has the information? Which character do you want the reader to see the reactions to information?...
So if you struggle and re-write the same scene over and over from the different character's viewpoints just ask yourselves some questions and hopefully that will help!

Happy writing!

Attention class!

Ahem, now that i have your attention...

The iPad is releasing in NZ in 3 days!!

Okay my happy dance is now over and back to the real reason for my post today.

I've been reading Kate Walker's fabulous 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance.

Of course it covers the basics like what is romance?, and it is important to know your genre before you write it! Research people, research!

If you are writing about a sandy beach you must know first hand what it feels like between your toes if that is what your characters are feeling!

Kate really advises too, and we have probably all heard this before, but really we can't hear this often enough, study the line you are targetting. That is, that publishing house or agent or readership. You MUST know your target BEFORE you put pen (or fingers to keyboard) to paper. It will save heartache, time, and effort in the long run.

Another huge thing i picked up was that readers don't read your story to find out what happens. Generally they read to find out how it happens!

At least, this is certainly true for romance. We all know, that these characters are going to get their happily ever after, but how they get it is what the reader is reading for. And how you get the reader there is with EMOTION.

Kate Walker talks about using Page Turning Quality and emotional punch.

Make sure you have enough emotional punch in your story to keep your reader turning those pages to find out how the story develops!

But please also remember "getting to know you time". The poor reader can't be on a high the entire time just as the characters can't. They all need to get to know each other, so let them all have time to know their gentler sides, and connect with each other, to feel. Then when the emotion gets high, and we as writers are so mean and create that nasty conflict, the reader will flick those pages even faster.

Your task this week: Create some emotional punch, but remember to let the characters have some down time and get to know each other too!

Editing

You may know that i am currently editing my friend's novel.

I've also been reading some of the writing books i have on my shelf, Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon and The Art of Romance Writing by Valeria Parv.

My goodness, just reading these and then reading through someone else's work is helping to sharpen my own writing! I have picked up things my friend is doing, thereby helping her by drawing her attention to it so she doesn't do it again (I hope!) and noticing that i do it myself!!

I highly recommend getting yourselves some craft books and even helping a friend by editing or even reading someone else's work in the editing stage. It really does help your own writing!!

Learning my Craft, take 2

Yes, my second book has arrived!

Manuscript Makeover - Elizabeth Lyon

from the barnes and noble website this is what the book contains:

Professional editor and author Elizabeth Lyon offers aspiring novelists the guidance and instruction they need to write and edit well-crafted and compelling stories that will stand out from the competition and attract the attention of agents and publishers, including:

- Stand-out style techniques, from accessing an authentic voice to applying techniques of "wordsmithing" that transform prose
- How to rewrite characterization for dimensionality, a universal need, and theme
- Adjustment suggestions to match the prose style and structure of specific genres
- Correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, and style
- Strategies to strengthen story beginnings and endings
- Methods for increasing plot stakes, creating movement, and adjusting pace for maximum suspense

I don't remember where i saw this one, but it was from one of the blogs i follow and has been on my list of books to buy for ages. I can't wait to dive into this one! This sounds like it will help with re-writing and editing and i hope will just be wonderful!

Of course i will keep you posted with my thoughts :)

I'd still like to hear what books have helped you on your writing journey!

Learning my Craft

I'm so excited! I was given some money for my birthday so i used it to invest in my writing and have bought some writing books.

The first one arrived today: Kate Walker's 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance.

I can't wait to dive in and have already read the contents pages and the introduction (can you tell i'm a bit of a geek?!).

Right off Kate has said she wants this book to help with my writing so she has intended this book to be like a workshop, with mini questions at the end of each chapter. So i thought as i read and take the notes as she advises, i would post them here so you can track my progress!

Of course i won't be doing that until i have finished editing my friend's novel or i will so busy i won't be able to think straight!

What books have you read to help shape your writing career?

From Kate's website - (i have a link to her site on my sidebar!) i got the information that the book contains and have included it below :), which is also in the book. I am really looking forward to it!

The book explains:

• How to write emotion and create PTQ (page turning quality) in your novels
• How to create conflict amidst your characters and why it is a major essential component in your novel.
• Why dialogue is the lifeblood of your knowledge
• How to make dialogue sound realistic
• How to make your characters real
• How to create the required sharp focus on your hero and heroine
• How to develop supporting characters that work
• Why flashbacks are important in some stories and how to create them in your novel.
• Why sensuality is important and how you can develop sensuality between your hero and heroine
• How to pace the development of the romance that is occurring between your hero and heroine
• How to write the love scene between your hero and heroine and the importance of 'after'
• The importance of the hero and his essential ‘vital vulnerability’.
• The filter role of the heroine for the reader
• The heroine’s 21st Century response to conflict
• How to answer the question ‘why?’

Join me soon!