Debut authors read this!

There's a fabulous article over at WRITER UNBOXED for debut authors.

A must-read!

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!

10 year anniversary book launch!

This week sees my 10 year anniversary since I got 'The Call' from Kimberly Young at Harlequin Mills and Boon that launched my publishing career.

To celebrate, I'm launching DO IT WRITE, a little reference book packed with gems I've picked up over the years, as well as some easy 'how-to' stuff with sample synopses, etc...

It's at a special introductory price of $0.99!

Currently available on AMAZON but with all retailers by the end of the week.

Happy writing!

'Net' V 'Cover': why royalty rates matter

If you're a writer, I highly recommend you read NYT bestselling author Laura Kaye's blog post on WHY ROYALTY RATES MATTER.

It's excellent!

And as an author with 10 years experience of varying contracts, I can tell you that 'net' versus 'cover' price makes a huge difference in your hip pocket!

Go read it now!

Rejecting negativity

A few years ago, I had an article published in RWA's 'Romance Writer Report', titled DEFYING THE DOUBT DEMONS.

It focused on the doubts that constantly plague writers and I had a staggering amount of emails from writers after it was published, thanking me for articulating what we all go through.

Today, I stumbled across a similar-themed article about rejecting negativity by Sophie Littlefield over on the 'Adventures in YA & Children's Publishing' site.

Well worth a read!

New Year's Revisions conference

This free online conference is being co-run by a Month9Books publishing buddy, Kristal Shaff.

Loads of fab agents, editors and authors participating.

Go check out the fab books giveaways now!

New Year's Revisions Conference 2013

January 4, 5, and 6 

Totally free, totally online. 

You wrote the book in November. Or maybe you've been working on yours even longer. The time has come... revision time. Pay the piper, meet the reaper -- all those lovely euphemisms for the real work of writing: revising. You do not have to do it alone. We have gathered a group of fabulous book lovers: the ones who write the books, the ones who represent the authors, and the ones who edit the books. They all want you to succeed in making your book as shiny as it can possibly be before you query/publish.

That's the focus of NYRC 2013.

If you love books, want to write, or have written a book, this conference will have plenty for you to love in the way of professional publishing advice, and yes, more giveaways. There will also be a critique partner matching service for those looking for a second pair of eyes for their work.

We'll be live-tweeting the events @OpAwesome6 and using the #NYRC hash tag. Hope you'll join us!

To recap:

• Professional publishing advice from our panel of experts
• Guest posts by literary agents, editors, and published authors - all with an eye toward helping you through the revision process
• Book giveaways - *happy sigh* mmm, books.
• Critique partner matching service (January 3, the day before the conference officially begins)

Maximising your Amazon potential

Authors, here's a great article by NYT and USA Today bestseller Laura Kaye on maximising your Amazon potential.

Savvy Authors have some great craft stuff so while you're there, check it out.

So you think you can write?

All you romance writers out there...ever dreamed of writing for HARLEQUIN MILLS & BOON?

Here's your chance!

Launching in September, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN WRITE contest offers a publishing contract as the ultimate prize!

You'll need a completed manuscript to enter.

Check out details here.

(and loads of fab writing tip links!)

Good luck!

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

My Valentine's Day gift to you: free writing resource!

I belong to the amazing NINC, an excellent organisation for authors.

They are offering a fabulous FREE writing binder (with loads of articles from their conference last year).

Go download it now!

To all romantics out there, happy Valentine's Day.
I'll be announcing the winners of my pitch contest later tonight.
Stay tuned!

Digital Book World Conference

The Digital Book World conference is happening right now in NYC and the information coming from it is fantastic!

If you're on Twitter, follow #dbw and #dbw12

And BOB MAYER is providing great wrap-ups and excellent insights as always on his blog.

WRITING TIPS: Question to ask before 'what if?'

Another great blog post today from Larry Brooks over at STORYFIX.

'The Question you should ask before 'what if?'

Thought-provoking.

Hooks, loglines and pitches

I love picking up writing gems and ANNE R. ALLEN'S blog is a virtual goldmine.

Check out her fabulous post today on Hooks, Loglines and Pitches, great stuff for writers!

NANOWRIMO

I've heard the term NANOWRIMO bandied around for years, have never participated, vaguely aware it involves writing a book in a month (or 50 000 words?)

This year has been manic for me.  In addition to writing my usual Harlequin books, I've written a YA adult novel and revised my first mainstream contemporary romance BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD 5 times!

Now, I'm reaching the end of the year, and I have another Harlequin book to write (no idea of plot yet!) and an 'out of the box' YA idea that won't be denied.

So just for the heck of it, I signed up to NaNo.

Why?  Because I've had great motivational success participating in #1K1hr on Twitter (where a bunch of random writers see if they can write 1000 words in an hour) lately.
Usually, I don't need the motivation. When I'm on deadline, I sit down at the PC every night and make sure I write 2000 words a day.
But after a busy year, that extra little boost can help and that's what I'm hoping NaNo will provide.
Frankly, without it, I don't think this book would get written. And if I even get 10 000 words out I'll be happy, because it's better than a blank page.

Some writers don't like the idea of speed writing. And that's just fine, we all work at different paces.
But if you do want to get those words flowing so you can go back and edit your draft later, NaNo is for you.

There's a fantastic series of NaNo tips over at STORYFIX.

And I have a SPEED WRITING article on my blog.

Whatever you decide to do, NaNo is all about the words.
Getting the words out, whether you achieve your goal or not. It's not about pressure or competing with people (though some do thrive under those conditions!)

It's about switching off your internal editor, getting creative, letting the words flow and having fun!

I wish you all flying fingers and many words over the next month.

So who's NaNo-ing alongside me?

Publishing information at your fingertips

Agent Rachelle Gardner has a fantastic post with extensive lists to publishing information including:

-how to get published
-freelance editors
-what do say if an agent calls
-agent blogroll
-query letters

and much more!

Check it out here.

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!

CONFERENCE GOLD: Characterisation

This is a very brief summary of Bob Mayer's session on 'Writing your story in 3 dimensions: Characterisation.'

I stress brief because Bob provided copious helpful notes and I'm picking out a few main points I jotted down too.

-Everyone has a core motivation. Victor Frankl called this the 'One Thing'.
When a character reaches a moment of crisis, we discover their 'one thing'.

-Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:
-What do you want?
-What do you really want?
-What do you need?

-Don't pitch plot, pitch character.

-Give the character an anomaly.

-In your first scene, what your character is doing sets your character.

-In your last scene, we need to see character doing something emotional they weren't capable of at the start. This demonstrates arc growth.

CONFERENCE GOLD: Picking up the pace

Here's a brief summary of Kelley Armstrong's 'Picking up the Pace' session:

-AIM: you want the reader to not be able to put the book down

-HOW to do this:

-shorter chapters (between 10-12 pages)

-end chapter at a point where something about to happen naturally (don't need to invent cliffhangers, let the events happen naturally.)

-'go in late, get out early'. (look for the soonest moment to end a scene and stop there.)

-avoid repetition
eg. Action scenes
1) Set up
2) Action
3) Aftermath
Don't labor the point.

-Taking care of business (eg. starting car, climbing stairs, etc...) CUT these to increase pace UNLESS building suspense.

-RUE (Resist the Urge to Explain.)

-Don't write parts that readers skip (eg. scenery, description, backstory, repetition of character, technical info.)
If need to convey, use in small chunks broken up by action, dialogue, etc...

-Dialogue: if conveying info only & nothing revealed, get away with a couple lines of narrative instead.

-Look at the pulse beat of your story (go back through your story after written, analyse each scene for conflict/interest/high stakes. Rate 1-5. 1=low, 5=high. Should have a good mix.)

CONFERENCE GOLD: Plotting

Here is a brief summary of my notes taken at Susan Wiggs fabulous session, PLOTTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

The plotting/pre-writing phase.

-Find your 'white' space. (eg. long walk)

-Make a collage (not an avoidance technique, is part of your 'white' space, being the architect of your story.)

-Make a playlist ('white' space again, even if you don't listen to it while writing it can spark ideas.)

-Focus on a powerful emotion you're experiencing (you don't need a big plot if your character has a big issue/problem)

-Couple an image with that emotion (may lead to something you can hang your story on.)

-Sociogram (what I refer to as mind maps-see previous post on this blog.)

After all this pre-writing, you should have an idea of your main character.
For Susan, this pre-writing phase can take up to 2 weeks, less if tight deadline.

For me, hearing her describe how she uses collaging, etc...(may do it then not look at it again while writing) resonated with how I do my pre-writing. Loads of research, may collage, then don't look at it while writing!

-Go through this process with every main character in your book.

-Take your main character to the point of decision in her life.
(Open blank document, start writing in 1st person present tense, fast writing, where character unloads her baggage/burden she's carrying-great internal problems!)
Also encourages the character's natural voice rather than the author's (about 500 words.)

-Start each day's writing with your character DOING THE NEXT INDICATED THING.

-Self help books also a great source for giving arc of growth for real issues.

Tomorrow, a summary of Kelley Armstrong's workshop, Picking up the Pace.

CONFERENCE GOLD: Snippets

Here are the stand-out quotes from RWAus11 that resonated with me:

-"Park your brain & write from the heart. Write from love, fear, anger. Tap into those emotions." (Susan Wiggs.)

-"We write because we have to write, not because we want to write." (Susan Wiggs)

-"Which channel you choose to publish with isn't important, reaching your readers is." (Stephanie Laurens.)

-"Take a risk, the known quantity is dying." (Bob Mayer)

-"Content is king. Promo is queen." (Bob Mayer)

Tomorrow, a summary of Susan Wiggs' workshop, "Plotting from the Inside Out."