Finishing a first draft is one of the best feelings. I had to leave a draft for a Mills and Boon Modern (50,000 words) at 37K over the summer holidays, making the whole exercise uncertain. I worry constantly that inspiration will suddenly abandon me if I don't get the story down or that it will … Continue reading First Draft Thrill
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Being a member of author groups on social media and interacting with other writers can be rewarding for a job that is solitary and yet creative. For romance writers, it's especially important because we feel on the 'outer' in certain writing circles AND because we write intimately about people. I am an introvert myself and … Continue reading Find Your Niche
Exactly a month after my last post, my next post is similar - and completely different. The draft of my last project is finished and the partial requested as part of the Mills and Boon Modern Blitz is with the editor. The full manuscript is with beta readers. So, of course, I've started something new. … Continue reading Another New Life
I'm not quite sure how, but I have half of a draft of my next book. I only submitted the last one three weeks ago and I tried, I truly tried to take a break. But breaks are off now because my next book has reached the 'entropy' stage. It's starting to settle into order. … Continue reading Order from Chaos
Sometimes I feel like my books write me, rather than the other way around. That's why it's so hard to say it's done. But it's done. Music-inspired Christmas book is finished. And I'm a different person from who I was when I started writing it at the end of January. This book baby has been … Continue reading Bye-bye Book Baby
Processing possibilities and impossibilities is a human habit and the reason why we love both romances and crime novels, is the reason my kids make their toys kill each other. We're constantly processing the world we experience (increasingly through media) and trying to construct sense from it. I'm fascinated by the complex dialogue about creativity, … Continue reading Life Imitating Art
I've discovered one unexpected side-effect of the more meticulous planning I've done for my last two books. It give me a sense of urgency to get the thing written. Once I know what is going to happen, the drive to get it down is strong. The Christmas/Latin book has been intense. The interaction between the … Continue reading Music/Christmas Draft – Tick!
I've been dreading the little email icon on my phone screen. Every time something drops in, I'm dreading a no from either Mills and Boon about Tess and Diego's manuscript or a no to my Carina Pitch proposal. The email from Mackenzie Walton at Carina Press dropped in today. She requested the full manuscript! My … Continue reading RELIEF
The human brain is truly amazing. At times like this, when I am up to my eyeballs in a story, it amazes me that we are able to create whole people, whole worlds that don't really exist. And we are able to communicate these details to other people. I am deep in writing and planning … Continue reading Patterns and Connections
My manuscript has gone, leaving only hope and a vein of anxiety. It gets a little easier each time I press that orange button. And now I get to start something new. I had to choose between writing the next in the series (which is actually a rewrite of Meg's story, which I've partially outlined … Continue reading Work, Work, Work
