Perserverance

Wow - one of my chapter members posted on her agent's web site about perserverance and burn out and it hit really close to home. This past year I've been going around Texas doing talks on how to finish writing a book, and then yesterday a different chapter member emailed me to ask me how I did it. She said she's been working on one book for two years. So I thought I'd share some of my response to her, in case it helps anyone else

For me, I sell on synopsis (A loose, vague sort of synopsis too.) I write once a very loose, rough draft. I put xx's where I need to go back and do stuff, I make copious notes on the side of stuff I need to clean up, I keep a file folder for each book. I make lists of events that I want to have happen. I use a plotting chart with squares and write (in pencil) each chapter a few things I want to appear there. But first and foremost, I write. To get the story down. I might write mostly dialogue the first time, some description, but knowing I need to go back and add it. I start off with 15 page chapters, knowing they will be 20 pages in the final version, once I add stuff. I write, write, write, to get the basic story down, taking notes as I go. Most important though - get the story down first. EVEN IF IT's CRAP!!! I can clean it up later. Giving myself permission to write crap was the most liberating thing I ever did for my writing. Seriously. First drafts are supposed to be bad. You can polish up that rought stone until it shines later. But first, get the story out of your head and on to paper.

Let go of fear.

I know, easier said than done. Every single one of us (maybe not Nora ) suffers from fear. That our work isn't good enough, that we're not good enough writers. Fear can cripple us.
Giving yourself permission to write a crappy first draft is a way to let go of fear. So what if it's bad? No one but you (and maybe your hapless critique partner) is going to see it. You can (and will) fix it later, before you send it anywhere.

First time writers, consider trying this. Finish the book. Then go back and fix it up. Once, all the way through, polish, cut, repair, add - whatever is needed. This is where your notes will come in handy. When that's done, do another read-through for the third time, then send it out and let it go. LET IT GO. Hard to do on your first baby, but you have to. Once that book is in the mail, sit down and start on another. I have five complete historicals in my closet that will never see the light of day (deservedly so!) Look at this way - practice sharpens your skills.

Good luck with yours!

Happy News

Well, my wonderful agent just called me and I have a new, two-book sale to report! Silhouette Books has offered for two IM's (one more Pack and one other) to be published in 2006 and possibly 2007! I'm thrilled to be working with my very cool editor Natashya Wilson again and am very happy to be busy for the rest of this year and next!

Another weekend almost over

It's Sunday night, nearly 9pm and almost dark here in North Texas. I had a nice weekend, a bit hectic as they seem to be these days, but basically fun. I spend Saturday working on the book and doing laundry. Slept late (9am - yay!) and also got groceries and ate out for supper.

Today we went to a nearby lake with the boat so my daughter and her boyfriend could wakeboard. Cooked bratwurst on the grill and now I'm checking email and doing this blog.

Tomorrow it's back to the real world - wip and insurance.

Later!

Stuff on a Random Tuesday

Hey, tried a new sandwich shop/pub tonite for dinner and had the most interesting waiter. He was from South Boston and I loved his accent. While we were there (and I ate the most wonderful sandwhich - Philly Cheese Chicken) we chatted and learned he was Irish Catholic (ditto) and was engaged to a wonderful Texas girl. The bartender even came over to talk about how she made my margarita! It was fun and a welcome respite from work.

Speaking of... I stayed home from the day job today to work on my next IM (May 06) which is due on July 1st. Around 4, I had to go get another skin cancer cut off (yuck!) I'm nearing the end of the first draft and was thinking - during the course of this one book, I've had revisions on two (one IM and one Lovespell), line edits on two (novella and IM), and now have AA's (Author alterations) on the novella. Plus I did the critique mentioned in an earlier post, turned in an article for my three RWA chapters newsletters, and I have Maggie entries to judge! On top of this, there's still the day job and a family. Yikes!!!

But I had a great weekend last weekend. Went out on the boat, watched my daughter and her boyfriend wakeboard (they're good!), and even rode the tube thing we tow behind the boat (so did hubby - and we both were sore the next day!) But we had a blast, and it was nice taking a day off from writing. Yes, I put lots of SPF 45 sunscreen on and yes, I stayed in the shade.

This is especially fun for me, having a pool and a boat, as I love to shop for swimsuits. My daughter makes fun of me because I always buy several new ones each summer. But I wear them and enjoy them, so what the heck - why not?

The other issue (aka, crtitique from hell) has sort of faded into the distance (thank God!) and I feel back on track for my normal life. I slept last night (no wild dreams of being stalked) and woke up feeling pretty good this morning. Ok, I *was* nervous about getting another skin cancer cut off, but that was fine too (got a shot, didn't feel a thing!)

Looking forward to an upcoming trip to visit Colorado and my dad, who I haven't seen in two years, and of course, RWA National in Reno. I'll get to see my wonderful agent Lucienne, as well as my totally cool editors Chris Keeslar and Natashya Wilson (love them both!)

I'm also looking forward to a Thursday night dinner with my best friend and critique partner Anna Adams, who just turned a book in and whom I haven't seen for way too long.

I've been doing my ab lounge exercise thing every night, as well as walking my two miles, so I'm good there too.

Later!

An Eye-Opening Experience

Hey there! Still crashing towards deadline on my next IM. Still working at the hectic insurance agency. I took time out to do a critique of an unpublished chapter members manuscrip - she won the critique in a basket at our conference. Because of deadlines and belonging to three chapters just in this area, I don't go to many meetings, so I've never met this woman. The chain of events - while still shocking to me - have led to me deciding to resign from this chapter. All because of one person.

Let me tell you about it:

The chapter arrived via email. I read it over and emailed my critique partner to ask her how honest she is when doing these kind of critiques (we are totally honest in critiquing each other's work.) She emailed me back and said to be honest and if I wasn't, then I was wasting my time. Since I agreed with that, I sent an email critique back to this person. I made sure to point out good things about the mss as well as the things she needed to work on. In my opinion, it was direct and to the point - and showed easily what to fix.

One day later, she emailed me back a note thanking me for my input.

Two days later, she visited my web site and used a post I have there detailing how I came up with the idea of Shadow Magic (coming to grips with skin cancer) and used snippets of this post to personally attack me.

I was shocked. Appalled. And confused. I couldn't understand why someone would do this. After all, I didn't attack her personally. I didn't email her a scathing critique saying she was the worst writer I've ever read (she wasn't) or that she should give up and choose anothe profession. I merely pointed out that she head-hopped (she'd asked about this), that her pacing was off - and outlined why and how to fix it, explained why in dialogue one should never have characters pass the time of day, and listed all of the adjectives and adverbs (some conflicting) she used in describing her heroine in the first four pages of the mss, stating she shouldn't have the heroine feeling sorry for herself, but should make the reader feel sorry for her and by using all these adjectives, this made her character seemed moody. I explained why characters have to be sympathtic and that it's hard to like a woman like that .

That's not a personal attack. At all. This was a fictional character, in a fictional work. When I pointed out to the writer that her heroine was unsympathetic, and showed her why, I was stating my opinion only. Once, I would have paid to have a published writer show me something like this in my own work. Like many pubbed authors, I have the requisite four or five unsold manuscripts under my bed . Unsympathetic characters is a common reason for rejection - I've gotten it, my friends have gotten it - yet I would never dream of attacking the person who rejected me for that reason. It's a business, and everyone has their own opinions.

But to attack me personally - I'm still reeling. My skin cancer experience was, as I put it on my web site, intensely personal. It led to my writing a book about a heroine who couldn't go in the sun. If a reviewer wrote that they hated this heroine, I would never dream of personally attacking them. Same with a reader who might send me an email or letter. Everyone has their own beliefs and opinions. If you don't want help, why ask for it?

I don't get it. But now I do understand why many authors won't sign their names when they judge contests and why they won't offer critiques. I know I won't any more. Not after this. That little bit of service (ie; helping or attempting to help) isn't worth this.

Writer's Blues

I'm feeling sorry for myself today. I've got a book due in three weeks and I got up early to work on it. But (and isn't there always a but?), the sun is shining. My daughter and her boyfriend are on their way here with their wakeboards and my husband is taking them out to the lake. Our boat is hooked up and ready to go. Wahoo! Oh, but I'm staying behind.

Why? Because I'm a writer. And, even though I'm not thrilled and am feeling left out and picked-upon, I'm not nearly as far along in this book as I need to be.

They're going out tomorrow also. I told my husband if I get enough done today, I'll go with them tomorrow. So I guess I'd better get back to work. Sigh.

Wow!

Wow, I'm gone for awhile (nothing unusual, just another deadline staring me in the face ), and RWA stirs up another big controversy, just in time for National in July. The posts and blogs are flying fast and furious, and it's crazy. And still, as far as I know, RWA has not addressed the matter officially. Sigh.

In other news, Warner Productions (A division of Time Warner) wants to use my Lovespell book Shadow Magic as a prop in the Superman movie that will be out next summer. If the scene (which was filmed today, they said) doesn't get cut, I will excitedly be watching that movie (and buying it on DVD .)

I got cover flats today for the October Signature Anthology and will scan them and get them put up at the web site asap. Oh - and in the middle of this July 1st deadline, I got revisions for my November Lovespell, Texas Magic. So... I'm a busy (and happy) writer. Of course, it's summer and camping season, boating season, cookout season... you get the picture. So I'd better get busy.

Lastly, I ordered something called the Ab Lounge. Some kind of exercise chair to tone up the old ab muscles. Lord knows, I could use that if I want to be wearing those swimsuits on the boat this summer.

Later...