How is everyone?

Pterofan · Dec 1, 2017

Maybe you could get your plot going again by having your main character carjack a GMC. The symbolic in-joke alone might stimulate creativity.

Merri - there's always next year for the holiday story. No more need to stress and rush it out before it's ready. Now you've got time to polish it up all nice and shiny and self-pub around next November.

One of those stories I'm working on involves an artist who draws comic books. I just realized, if I can finish, edit and sub that one by the end of December, assuming the publisher takes it, it should be out around April, right in time for Free Comic Book Day in May. Not that I expect--or hope for--much of a crossover between comic book fans and readers of erotic M/M romance ...

MerriTudor · Dec 1, 2017

GMC= Goal, Motivation, Conflict. Here's a better explanation than I could give: http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2012/...-and-conflict/ And it just might help with your current roadblock.

Ummmm....it did. Help with the roadblock. Either that or Marissa has magical plumbing powers, 'cause the spigot is back ON! Whoo-hoooooo!

For me I try to think of how I might react in that situation or what would have been normal for the time period and of course your mc personality. Because it's victorian you are probably somewhat constrained to what would be acceptable, however they could bump into each other out in the garden or something?

Yep. When you're dealing with historical constrictions, you can easily paint yourself into plot corner! But I think I got it - Grandmama (in whose house the guests are dining) has set up fun and games for after dinner and the poor girl is thrown together with her old flame in some sort of game. She can't refuse because it would seem impolite and make the other guests wonder why she has a stick up her bum concerning him.

Maybe you could get your plot going again by having your main character carjack a GMC. The symbolic in-joke alone might stimulate creativity.

Merri - there's always next year for the holiday story. No more need to stress and rush it out before it's ready. Now you've got time to polish it up all nice and shiny and self-pub around next November.

One of those stories I'm working on involves an artist who draws comic books. I just realized, if I can finish, edit and sub that one by the end of December, assuming the publisher takes it, it should be out around April, right in time for Free Comic Book Day in May. Not that I expect--or hope for--much of a crossover between comic book fans and readers of erotic M/M romance ...

LOL! Too bad the story is set in 1899 or the GMC carjacking might be fun!

Ugh! Next Christmas seems so far away! But I figure once I finish this, the momentum might just carry me into another one of my languishing works and I have something else that I can get out maybe in the summer.

I think coinciding your release with Free Comic Book Day might work out better than expected. You just never know...you could pick up some comic book fans who now know what they've been missing!

Thanks all for your encouragement!

Jan74 · Dec 4, 2017

Pterofan said:
Maybe you could get your plot going again by having your main character carjack a GMC. The symbolic in-joke alone might stimulate creativity.

Merri - there's always next year for the holiday story. No more need to stress and rush it out before it's ready. Now you've got time to polish it up all nice and shiny and self-pub around next November.

One of those stories I'm working on involves an artist who draws comic books. I just realized, if I can finish, edit and sub that one by the end of December, assuming the publisher takes it, it should be out around April, right in time for Free Comic Book Day in May. Not that I expect--or hope for--much of a crossover between comic book fans and readers of erotic M/M romance ...

lol...ok I had to reread because for a moment I thought you wrote a MM illustrated comic

Merri-Glad the water is flowing!!!!!

I will be writing tomorrow, maybe tonight too, but def tomorrow while the kids are at school

Jan74 · Dec 9, 2017

Hope everyone is doing well, such a busy time of year. I haven't gotten much done regarding my writing. I'm in the throes of watching curling. Tomorrow is the last day. We're decorated for xmas and now the big push to get everything done, I'm hoping I'll get some writing done tomorrow.

I think I'm stalling, I need to get my groove back!

MerriTudor · Dec 11, 2017

Hmmmm...there are layoffs happening at my job. My ONLY friend here was laid off last week. So everyone here is just a teensy bit stressed! We don't know how many more might go, or if hours might be reduced. Which basically would mean quitting 'cause you can't live on the remaining hours.

Anyway...funnily enough...it's still coming! The holiday atmosphere around me (despite the dark clouds) is very conducive to my little romance. I'm having a great time wandering around the imaginary world I've created.

Curling! I used to watch that back when I lived in Michigan and we got Canadian stations on our cable. The first time I saw it, I was like, what? People with little brooms sweeping the ice? C'mon! But after a while, I got hooked.

yoghurtelf · Dec 11, 2017

This is my favourite curling video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKAnhOvzVeM

Jan74 · Dec 11, 2017

Merri- I hope you don't get laid off

especially at xmas time!

Yoghurtself- Ha!!!! Love the video!!!!

I'm stoked, my girl Homan won(Ontario team I've been watching for awhile) she's off to South Korea! :snoopy:

As for my writing, wednesday will be my next day to write. It's chilly here, but that's good because I can make ice candles for the deck

Marissa D · Dec 12, 2017

Dang. I miss curling.

MerriT, that's scary--and sad to lose your friend. And what a completely crappy time of year to lay people off!

Jan74 · Dec 12, 2017

Marissa-Did you curl? I grew up curling, but oh man its been way too many years since I've thrown a stone! My friend was going to put a team together last year, but sigh...I just don't have time.

It's snowing here and tomorrow I can't write, I have to wrap, I have no idea what I need to buy for xmas, I'm so far behind this year, I've done zero baking and I'm not ready!!!!!
On the plus side my daughter will be home soon for xmas!!!!yay! plus I booked off another shift, so I have one shift of work left and then I'm on holidays till january 8th.

I'm so fizzling with my wip....ughhhhhh why does this happen to me!!!!I know I just need to push through and not get in my own head.

Marissa D · Dec 12, 2017

Yep, long time for me too--I played vice for my husband on a mixed team and skipped a ladies team for years--did a lot on bonspiels in New England/New York clubs. But yeah, the time suck...and then writing ate my life.

And yes, Christmas preparations feel like a steam-roller, and I'm watching it get bigger and bigger but can't get out of the way... My girls get home from college tomorrow and I'm going to set them to wrapping stuff.

I spent several days doing some revision on an older story, and I think it's helped kick me into the right place with my WIP, which I've really been struggling with. Fingers crossed...

MerriTudor · Dec 12, 2017

Dang. I miss curling.

MerriT, that's scary--and sad to lose your friend. And what a completely crappy time of year to lay people off!

Merri- I hope you don't get laid off especially at xmas time!

Yeah, they pick the damnedest times to bring your world crashing down around you, don't they? Waiting for layoffs is like being in the French Revolution and watching them set up the guillotine down the street from you. You wonder, am I going to be watching the heads roll? Or is my viewpoint going to be looking up at the sky from the inside of a wicker basket? Hah!

Regardless, my intuition tells me that once my boss retires next year, things are going to get pretty iffy for me anyway. I'm planning my exit strategy now so that, hopefully, I can go out on my terms. I just have this nagging feeling that some different doors are going to open soon and I need to be prepared to walk right through!

Geez, you ladies are so athletic! I don't do sports. My body just says, "You want me to WHAT?" Laughing hysterically, it then takes my head and makes it watch Netflix while it lies on the sofa.

Jan74 · Dec 12, 2017

Merri- LOL...I hope you aren't looking up at the sky when its all said and done. Oh no, there is nothing athletic about me...my hubby yes, he can snowshoe, hike, hunt, kayak and all that outdoorsy stuff for hours, but moi....nope....my cardio is grocery shopping.

Marissa-Yay for having help with wrapping, I'll pop in an old movie while I wrap. My dog used to always lie beside me and he'd slowly inch his way into the mess and eventually he'd be on the wrapping paper while I was wrapping, everything ended up with fur in it. I sure miss him!

I'm really re-thinking my story line, I think I have two individual works mixed together and maybe I need to pull them apart. They just don't seem to be meshing and it's driving me crazy now! Ughhhhh why can't this be easier?

MerriTudor · Dec 13, 2017

I'm really re-thinking my story line, I think I have two individual works mixed together and maybe I need to pull them apart. They just don't seem to be meshing and it's driving me crazy now! Ughhhhh why can't this be easier?

Jan, is this the story line with the two sisters? Could be each sister wants her own story. If you have sisters, you know how that goes! But you have a nice holiday window to ponder this and see what happens when you tease the stories apart. Good luck, and I'd love to know more about what the work is about!

Getting a story together is like manual labor sometimes. Backbreaking, agonizing, exhausting. But when you get it right, it's so totally worth the misery! I'm finding it difficult to bring the couple together (after being deliberately broken up by a third party years earlier) in a believable series of events, and monitor their emotional responses along the way. I've read books or seen movies where things are wrapped up too quickly, or inexplicably, and I can see now how easy it is to bungle the rising action and bring it crashing down.

I agree - why can't this be easier?!

Jan74 · Dec 13, 2017

Merri-Thanks, I think I'm just going to plunge ahead with my original story and if it's shit then well I start something new, but I really want to keep going on this one. Basically I have sisters, Amy(26) and Julia(21) Amy leaves her life in the city and her boyfriend of 6 years to return home when her sister is in crisis. Their parents are in Europe on a once in a lifetime trip so they asked Amy to go home to check in on Julia, Julia quit university suddenly and nobody knows why. Julia had a one night stand with Amy's brother in law when she went to visit over the summer, but nobody knows about it. We meet Amy's high school sweet heart and sparks begin to fly between them. (Amy has broken up with boyfriend in the city, he's been cheating etc so she is single when she returns home) her boyfriend is from wealthy family and isn't so keen to let her go, he does some bad things to make Amy come back to him. So I'll have the alpha male macho stuff etc, boys being boys flexing their muscles. The side story is why Julia went home. She went to visit Amy in the city during the summer and had a one night stand with Amy's brother in law who was also in the city for a quick visit(much older than her, she's 21, he'll be 34 or so) but he's actually a good guy, a notorious playboy bachelor but of course he can't get Julia out of his mind blah blah blah and he is keeping tabs on her(he is very wealthy etc) anyways.....things go very wrong and I'll have a kidnapping in there and some blackmail etc. In the end, there is a HEA.

So I like things to be fairly realistic, but when I read all of these Alpha male romances they are not even close to being realistic and I do enjoy the "claim her/dominate her/make her mine/macho man" stuff....I like that and I want to write those types of male charactor, I need to let go of "is this plausible" and let my mind go.....it's fiction....it's fun a getaway from reality, but I want to do it right, because some of those romances are so far fetched I cringe reading them, and others are done really well. I don't want to cringe when I read mine.

So I am going to keep the sisters and two brothers, I'm just frustrated and feeling like I'm crap

Today I'm going to write, wrapping will wait till tomorrow. sigh....if you all read that thank you

MerriTudor · Dec 13, 2017

Julia had a one night stand with Amy's brother in law when she went to visit over the summer, but nobody knows about it

Just want to make sure I'm not missing something - Amy has a boyfriend, not a husband, correct? So when you say Amy's brother in law, you mean her ex-boyfriend's brother?

Other than that, yikes! You've got a nice, tangled skein there, and that's a good thing. Juggling two related plots ain't gonna be easy, but on the other hand, you have a wider scope to work in. Each plot can affect the other, and play off each other. Like a tennis match!

Having gotten a sense of the whole thing, I think you're on the right track in riding the train until the tracks run out. Separating the sisters wouldn't have the same impact. Definitely, I have the same problem with the "realism" thing. But I realized that if I wrote a totally "plausible" historical romance, it would be dull as dishwater. You have to just go with it - if it's set up right, a reader is more than willing to suspend disbelief to a remarkable degree when their emotions are engaged.

And, yeah...sometimes I like the alpha male thing, as long as he's not an obnoxious dick.

In my current WIP, the hero is less alpha and more...eeeshhh, I dunno! He's less aggressive and more...alluring? I'm wondering if he's too soft, but we'll see!

I can understand feeling frustrated and then thinking it's crap, but even a beautifully decorated cake starts off as bowl full of glop. So to speak.

Jan74 · Dec 13, 2017

MerriTudor said:
Just want to make sure I'm not missing something - Amy has a boyfriend, not a husband, correct? So when you say Amy's brother in law, you mean her ex-boyfriend's brother?

Other than that, yikes! You've got a nice, tangled skein there, and that's a good thing. Juggling two related plots ain't gonna be easy, but on the other hand, you have a wider scope to work in. Each plot can affect the other, and play off each other. Like a tennis match!

Having gotten a sense of the whole thing, I think you're on the right track in riding the train until the tracks run out. Separating the sisters wouldn't have the same impact. Definitely, I have the same problem with the "realism" thing. But I realized that if I wrote a totally "plausible" historical romance, it would be dull as dishwater. You have to just go with it - if it's set up right, a reader is more than willing to suspend disbelief to a remarkable degree when their emotions are engaged.

And, yeah...sometimes I like the alpha male thing, as long as he's not an obnoxious dick. In my current WIP, the hero is less alpha and more...eeeshhh, I dunno! He's less aggressive and more...alluring? I'm wondering if he's too soft, but we'll see!

I can understand feeling frustrated and then thinking it's crap, but even a beautifully decorated cake starts off as bowl full of glop. So to speak.

Yes you are correct, they aren't married so it would be her ex-boyfriends brother. I just said brother in law so you knew who I was talking about. I totally agree I hate the obnoxious dick! And you're right if we don't place aside the plausible it would be boring as dishwater. I'm not writing a true story, I'm writing fiction. I think I have to burn this into my subconscious.

yoghurtelf · Dec 13, 2017

Well, I KNOW some of what I'm writing at the moment is crap. This is me filling in some final gaps in this year's NaNo novel, so I can say I have a finished rough draft ready to work on. I already have a lot of revisions I want to plan out, but I'm holding off on changing anything until the gaps are filled. Some of the filling is resulting in terrible writing, and I'm okay with that.

Next sweep through will be me working on ending up with a First Draft (e.g. not Rough Draft

), which I think may end up being almost a bit of a rewrite rather than an edit. And I'm okay with that!

MerriTudor · Dec 14, 2017

And you're right if we don't place aside the plausible it would be boring as dishwater. I'm not writing a true story, I'm writing fiction. I think I have to burn this into my subconscious.

Yep. You know that old saying, "Truth is stranger than fiction"? That's true. But really? It's usually not nearly as entertaining. And writers are basically entertainers - at least I am. I'm not trying to change anyone's life, just trying to give them a bit of an escape from the everyday world. Newspapers take care of the dreary reality!

Well, I KNOW some of what I'm writing at the moment is crap. This is me filling in some final gaps in this year's NaNo novel, so I can say I have a finished rough draft ready to work on. I already have a lot of revisions I want to plan out, but I'm holding off on changing anything until the gaps are filled. Some of the filling is resulting in terrible writing, and I'm okay with that. Next sweep through will be me working on ending up with a First Draft (e.g. not Rough Draft ), which I think may end up being almost a bit of a rewrite rather than an edit. And I'm okay with that!

You work so hard, yoghurtelf, and you make me feel like such a slacker! I'm too lazy and anxious to face rewrites and editing. Although I've tried and tried to break myself of this habit, I still rewrite/edit as I go. Somehow, if something doesn't strike me just right, it balls up the works and I dry up. So I have to leave it, and just write a little "bridge" which is mostly just notes detailing what I mean to have happen when I can get it to come out right. And move on to the next point in the book where inspiration has struck. Congratulations on getting yourself a complete draft - you done good!

Marissa D · Dec 14, 2017

MerriTudor said:
Although I've tried and tried to break myself of this habit, I still rewrite/edit as I go. Somehow, if something doesn't strike me just right, it balls up the works and I dry up. So I have to leave it, and just write a little "bridge" which is mostly just notes detailing what I mean to have happen when I can get it to come out right. And move on to the next point in the book where inspiration has struck. Congratulations on getting yourself a complete draft - you done good!

Okay, have to ask...what is wrong with rewriting/editing as you go? If that's the process that works for you, then it works for you--it isn't "wrong" if it's working! Really, there's no wrong or right way to write--only wrong or right ways for you as an individual. I also edit as I go and write/rewrite in one draft--it's just how it works for my brain, and that's okay. Embrace your process, if it's getting results.

Hbooks · Dec 14, 2017

I rewrite/edit as I go, too! It helps unclog my brain when I get stuck in spots

Jan74 · Dec 14, 2017

I agree with Marissa, nothing wrong with rewriting as you go, as long as you don't get stuck in a perpetual loop. Which can and does happen to me. For instance the one male pov(we will only see him a few times in the novel, but I wanted one chapter from his pov) anyways, right now I've had to leave his chapter blank because I have rewritten it wayyyyyyyyy too many times and its driving me bat shit crazy. So I've thrown my hands up and will come back to him later and moving forward.

Yoghurtelf-Happy gap filling and congrats on being finished a rough draft

So, from my hours spent perusing amazon books I've noticed that most of these romance/alpha male type novels are short, maybe 20 chapters. I'm sensing these hot erotic flings are more short stories than novels per say. I'm not writing an erotica romance, there are some juicy bits, actually today I write the love scene for my two leads, but its def far from the hot erotica novels I've been seeing on amazon. I have to say these authors are really inspiring and I'm learning alot from them.

Tonight I have my kids xmas concert, last night was crossfit, tomorrow is crossfit, we had volleyball and work....I really wish I could just hang at home tonight, hubby is on 12hr shifts all week so its just me. Aghhhhhh I need a few more weeks before xmas arrives...I'm so not ready!!!!!!!

yoghurtelf · Dec 14, 2017

Nope, there's nothing wrong with editing as you go, especially if not doing so is going to stop you in your tracks and mean you're not going to write anything more.

For me, I wouldn't want to spend heaps of time editing stuff when the novel itself isn't complete, because in early stages I need to consider the novel as a 'bigger picture'. I prefer to write the whole thing and then look at the story as a whole to see what parts need fixing. I wouldn't want to spend heaps of time editing a chapter only to realise I don't need it after all, so am just going to discard it. But that's just the way I work.

Getting into 'perfectionist' territory comes later, once all the big plot problems etc. have been ironed out. At which point I am seriously a perfectionist, ensuring that not one little typo or awkward sentence survives in my manuscript.

MerriTudor · Dec 15, 2017

Okay, have to ask...what is wrong with rewriting/editing as you go? If that's the process that works for you, then it works for you--it isn't "wrong" if it's working! Really, there's no wrong or right way to write--only wrong or right ways for you as an individual. I also edit as I go and write/rewrite in one draft--it's just how it works for my brain, and that's okay. Embrace your process, if it's getting results.

I see what you mean. For me, it gets results in that I'm satisfied with each paragraph before moving onto the next. The monkey wrench in the works is that if for any reason I'm NOT satisfied, I get stuck on that paragraph. Or sentence. Or word! If I didn't get stuck quite so often, I'd probably actually finish something!

But I realize that, for good or bad, that's just the way my brain works. Or doesn't, when it doesn't feel like it! I just envy people who can put it all out there and dive in.

I agree with Marissa, nothing wrong with rewriting as you go, as long as you don't get stuck in a perpetual loop. Which can and does happen to me. For instance the one male pov(we will only see him a few times in the novel, but I wanted one chapter from his pov) anyways, right now I've had to leave his chapter blank because I have rewritten it wayyyyyyyyy too many times and its driving me bat shit crazy. So I've thrown my hands up and will come back to him later and moving forward.

Oh, I've been there, Jan! Going over and over something until it leaves a rut in your brain. Ugh. But you've certainly piqued my interest with the promise of "juicy bits"! Hope your love scene worked out beautifully!

Jan74 · Dec 15, 2017

Merri-So I didn't get to the love scene, the scenes prior to it took way too long to write and then gulp....I tweaked my first chapter....but I did it last night and will now leave it alone and carry on.

I'm trying to decide how my kidnapping is going to pan out and who gets napped, which sister because either one would work but depending on who gets nabbed will change my story.

TGIF!!!!

Jan74 · Dec 16, 2017

ok it's 1am here...actually no...its almost 1:30am....but I just backed up my work and I'm pleased to announce I am at 29,000 words....the most and farthest I've ever gotten in wip!!!!
Ok goodnight folks happy sunday! :sleepy:

How is everyone?

Pterofan

Trust me, I'm a writer

MerriTudor

Jan74

Jan74

MerriTudor

yoghurtelf

yoghurt elf say wheeee!

Jan74

Marissa D

Scribe of the girls in the basement

Jan74

Marissa D

Scribe of the girls in the basement

MerriTudor

Jan74

MerriTudor

Jan74

MerriTudor

Jan74

yoghurtelf

yoghurt elf say wheeee!

MerriTudor

Marissa D

Scribe of the girls in the basement

Hbooks

Jan74

yoghurtelf

yoghurt elf say wheeee!

MerriTudor

Jan74

Jan74