Writers, get organised.

I discovered a great blog a while back jam-packed with writing tips, run by Anne R. Allen and Ruth Harris.

Today's post has great links to organise your writing.
Well worth checking out.

Happy anniversary to me!

10 years ago today, I got The Call from Kimberly Young at the Mills and Boon London office that changed my career.

I went from physiotherapist to published author and haven't looked back.
I'm so lucky to be doing my dream job!

My first book will always hold a special place in my heart.

Tomorrow, the celebrations kick in here with my current M&B editor, the lovely Flo Nicoll, offering 3 lucky winners a 1 week turnaround on a Harlequin Kiss partial critique (so get those pitches ready!)

In the meantime, thanks to the many writers who've contacted me about my new how-to book, celebrating 10 years in the industry.
I'm so glad it has galvanised your writing and helped clarify points for you.

Still at the introductory price of $0.99!

Amazon
Kobo
Smashwords
iTunes
And Barnes & Noble tomorrow!

The ins and outs of indie publishing

After answering many questions offline to interested writers about indie publishing and why I've chosen to follow this path alongside my traditionally published career, I've decided to do a series of articles.

Due to tight deadlines for the entire month of February (& beyond!) I'm not promising when I'll have them done, but if you have any burning questions you'd like answered, now's your chance.

Ask away and I'll do my best to answer in the not too distant future.

The Write Tools

Today I'm visiting DAMON YOUNG'S blog.

I met Damon via Twitter and he invited me to take part in his Write Tools series. I love hearing about the processes of other writers so check it out in the sidebar of his blog!

Damon is an Australian author, philosopher and commentator. He has published features in the The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Herald, The Australian Literary review and BBC. He's a regular columnist for the ABC and Canberra Times.
Check out his impressive credentials.

And yes, I'm his first romance writer guest!

Want to write faster?

Today I'm divulging my not-so-secret tips for speedy writing over at Monique DeVere's blog.

I've known Monique via Facebook and Twitter for a while so when she approached me for an interview about fast writing tips, it was all systems go!

Check out the writing tips here

It all starts with an idea

Most of my book ideas have come to me in a flash.

Maybe a spark of an idea from a magazine article, an expression of a movie-star captured in a photo, a first line of dialogue or a hint of 'what-if?'

Alexandra Sokoloff has a fantastic post on how to get the ideas flowing.

Writers out there, how do your stories come to be?

THE WRITE WHISPER: Writing processes

I'm fascinated by writing processes.

How other writers bring their stories to life.

At the RWAus conference, I had an enlightening, informal chat at afternoon tea on Sunday with Stephanie Laurens, Anna Campbell, Barbara Hannay and Annie West.

Fabulously talented mainstream and category romance authors whose books I've read and enjoyed.

What intrigued me about our conversation was our different writing processes.

Some are linear (start the book and right straight through), others write snippets of dialogue or separate scenes, then weave it all together at the end.

I'm always a little in awe of this second group. How do you make it all fit together so seamlessly? And make it look like you wrote it in one go? Amazing.

Me? I'm linear all the way. From the moment I write Chapter One on a blank document, I write the rest of the story straight through. No jumping. No editing. Just write.

Luckily, I write a fairly clean first draft so mainly need to tweak and layer a tad as I go through the next time before sending off to my editor.

Interestingly, I've heard from readers who can pick I write the book in one go.

Yet here's the thing. I heard another gem at the conference that piqued my interest and I'm tempted to try.

In Bob Mayer's "POV & VOICE" session, he mentioned this:

"don't worry about the opening scene. Write the book. The climactic scene should mirror the opening scene therefore you can come back and write/rewrite the opening scene."

Fascinating stuff for a linear writer like me.

Have to admit, I tend to do this unconciously, ensuring the climactic scene ties in to the opening scene but actually mirroring it? Not so much.

While I have to nail my opening chapter every time to set up the rest of the book, maybe next time I'll go back and see how closely it mirrors the last.

Now, you know what's coming next...all you writers out there, I'm dying to know your writing processes. Please share!

Rookie mistakes

The fab folks at STORYFIX have a great post on rookie mistakes writers make.

The condensed version:

1. Multiple dialogue paragraphs

2. Your first writing teacher is obsolete.

3. The 2 legit choices of manuscript font.

4. The name game.

5. Don't belabor the backstory.

Go check out the full article here.

'How I Write' series

In the lead up to his book release, Nathan Bransford is running a 'How I Write' series on his blog all week.

If you're a writer, you absolutely must check it out.

Gold, I tell you, gold!