How is everyone?

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Messages
8,555
Reaction score
8,433
Location
The Seattle suburbs
Website
www.reneedominick.com
So impressed, yoghurtelf! NaNo is such a terrific challenge, and anyone who can meet it is a hero in my book. :partyguy:

Jan, hope you had fun with the baby cuddles. Your niece is lucky to have a loving auntie available to give her a bit of a break. You're an angel.
 

yoghurtelf

yoghurt elf say wheeee!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
115
Location
Perth, Australia
Thanks everyone. I'm still enjoying what I'm writing, which is pretty key. But I know it will need work in revisions ;) I wasn't expecting to write a perfect novel first thing, anyway!
 

Jan74

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
1,072
Reaction score
136
Location
Canada
Thanks Elaine :)

Yoghurtelf- Sorry I'm a little clueless, what exactly is NaNo?

My weekend breezed by, my one son and hubby went ice fishing while me and the other son went grocery shopping and ran some errands, then the laundry fairy didn't arrive so I was stuck washing/drying/folding 4 full loads....then we went to the in-laws for supper, so poof...my weekend is over and work is super busy. So I won't be writing most likely till wednesday.
 

yoghurtelf

yoghurt elf say wheeee!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
115
Location
Perth, Australia
NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), though really it should be called InNoWriMo because it's international ;) Each November many thousands of people all around the world aim to write 50k of words by the end of the month. Some people are "rebels" and decide to just make a goal for themselves that isn't necessarily a 50k goal.

Last year I wrote a novella, and finished off a bunch of other unfinished novels and added words to some more (I hit 50k in total new words but wasn't focusing on just one novel). I participate every year, whether I should or not. ;)

The rest of the year I intend to focus mostly on editing novels I have already written, but during November I give myself a pass to write new stuff.
 

Pterofan

Trust me, I'm a writer
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
2,132
Reaction score
1,271
Location
Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Website
www.pterosnest.blogspot.com
I'm in it too this year, but after 20 days and a grand total of 6600 words, I'm going to have to shoot for 10,000 and call it a month. I could get a lot more done if I didn't have to stop and cook dinner or take a shower or pesky time-wasters like that.
 

Jan74

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
1,072
Reaction score
136
Location
Canada
Thanks for the info, will remember for next year!

Pterofan-Yes exactly! Why do my kids need to eat supper every night? Why is it when I get into a groove I have to stop and do stuff.

sigh....I wonder how much I would get done if I had no responsibilities what a dream that would be.
 

Pterofan

Trust me, I'm a writer
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
2,132
Reaction score
1,271
Location
Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Website
www.pterosnest.blogspot.com
I have nothing but the utmost respect and awe for those women who can write a 30K-45K (or longer!) book every month or so, with no perceivable drop in quality. I always figured a) they don't do housework; b) their husbands do the housework; c) their children do the housework, or d) they make enough money they can afford to hire a housekeeper. As long as their husband's not doing the housekeeper, they've got a good thing going on.
 

Jan74

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
1,072
Reaction score
136
Location
Canada
I have nothing but the utmost respect and awe for those women who can write a 30K-45K (or longer!) book every month or so, with no perceivable drop in quality. I always figured a) they don't do housework; b) their husbands do the housework; c) their children do the housework, or d) they make enough money they can afford to hire a housekeeper. As long as their husband's not doing the housekeeper, they've got a good thing going on.

Ha!!! yes of course!
 

yoghurtelf

yoghurt elf say wheeee!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
115
Location
Perth, Australia
:p Well I never said my novels were high quality when I spew them out in a month ;) Nope, editing comes later!!

Also, I don't have a hubby or kids, just full time work, so I get to spend my 'me' time how I want, which happens to involve a lot of writing. Sure, I have to fit in family stuff and hanging with friends, but I really do have a lot of spare time (and wouldn't want that to change!).
 

Dynastic

Megalomaniac with a typewriter
Registered
Joined
Aug 5, 2010
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Location
Karachi, Pakistan
I never realised how profoundly a fight amongst the characters can affect one's emotions. My protagonists have just been broken up by the guy's mother. It was messy. Quite ugly in fact.

But hey, I'm 38k deep into the story and will hopefully hit 40k by today.
 

MerriTudor

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
240
Reaction score
33
Location
Maine
Website
crampedquartersblog.wordpress.com
I never realised how profoundly a fight amongst the characters can affect one's emotions. My protagonists have just been broken up by the guy's mother. It was messy. Quite ugly in fact.

I like messy. And ugly. It's kind of cathartic to get your character embroiled in a slam-bang, no-holds-barred confrontation. And yeah...the aftermath can be just as sad as if they were real people.

I'm also working in a plot where there's a breakup except that it's the heroine's mother throwing the monkey wrench in. Deliberately, in an elaborate scheme that probably wouldn't work in real life! It sounds as if your MMC's mother has done this deliberately? Or is it a case of the protagonists arguing constantly about this woman that eventually deteriorates their relationship?

And congratulations on your 38K!
 

Jan74

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
1,072
Reaction score
136
Location
Canada
I never realised how profoundly a fight amongst the characters can affect one's emotions. My protagonists have just been broken up by the guy's mother. It was messy. Quite ugly in fact.

But hey, I'm 38k deep into the story and will hopefully hit 40k by today.
Congrats on the 38k!!!! And the messier the better!!!! Nobody likes neat and tidy...I hope!

I like messy. And ugly. It's kind of cathartic to get your character embroiled in a slam-bang, no-holds-barred confrontation. And yeah...the aftermath can be just as sad as if they were real people.

I'm also working in a plot where there's a breakup except that it's the heroine's mother throwing the monkey wrench in. Deliberately, in an elaborate scheme that probably wouldn't work in real life! It sounds as if your MMC's mother has done this deliberately? Or is it a case of the protagonists arguing constantly about this woman that eventually deteriorates their relationship?

And congratulations on your 38K!
Love the confrontation.

Ok so girls....I have a feeling my "romance" is ever so slightly just a teeny tiny bit bordering on....gulp...erotica?

But...I like the sex scenes. Yes they are explicit but when I'm on Amazon there are gobs and gobs of good juicy story lines with great detailed sex scenes. So for now I'm keeping them. I have gone away from my one pov and now have three...maybe veering on four. Oh but my favorite is the protagonist. Dang he's good and I love writing him. He's not my main pov charactor, my girl Amy is the lead and the story focuses very much on her, but he's is just flipping delicious to write. He's so BAD!!!!

Ok. Happy Thanksgiving Ladies!!!!!!
 

Dynastic

Megalomaniac with a typewriter
Registered
Joined
Aug 5, 2010
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Location
Karachi, Pakistan
I like messy. And ugly. It's kind of cathartic to get your character embroiled in a slam-bang, no-holds-barred confrontation. And yeah...the aftermath can be just as sad as if they were real people.

I'm also working in a plot where there's a breakup except that it's the heroine's mother throwing the monkey wrench in. Deliberately, in an elaborate scheme that probably wouldn't work in real life! It sounds as if your MMC's mother has done this deliberately? Or is it a case of the protagonists arguing constantly about this woman that eventually deteriorates their relationship?

And congratulations on your 38K!

Thanks :)

The Hero and his mother have a bad relationship. My villain has taken advantage of that. The Heroine became a casualty of that. It's really a point where a sub-plot has converged with the main line for the purposes of heightening the conflict.
 

Dynastic

Megalomaniac with a typewriter
Registered
Joined
Aug 5, 2010
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Location
Karachi, Pakistan
Congrats on the 38k!!!! And the messier the better!!!! Nobody likes neat and tidy...I hope!


Love the confrontation.

Ok so girls....I have a feeling my "romance" is ever so slightly just a teeny tiny bit bordering on....gulp...erotica?

But...I like the sex scenes. Yes they are explicit but when I'm on Amazon there are gobs and gobs of good juicy story lines with great detailed sex scenes. So for now I'm keeping them. I have gone away from my one pov and now have three...maybe veering on four. Oh but my favorite is the protagonist. Dang he's good and I love writing him. He's not my main pov charactor, my girl Amy is the lead and the story focuses very much on her, but he's is just flipping delicious to write. He's so BAD!!!!

Ok. Happy Thanksgiving Ladies!!!!!!


Thanks!

Even though I am certainly not a lady, nor am I American, Happy Thanksgiving to you too :)

Nothing wrong with sex scenes. Erotica is, in all honesty, one of the best genres out there.
 

Marian Perera

starting over
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
14,333
Reaction score
4,578
Location
Heaven is a place on earth called Toronto.
Website
www.marianperera.com
But...I like the sex scenes. Yes they are explicit but when I'm on Amazon there are gobs and gobs of good juicy story lines with great detailed sex scenes.

Imagine yourself as, say, a military thriller writer thinking, "But...I like fight scenes. Yes, I go into specifics about weaponry and tactics, but on Amazon there are lots of good stories with great detailed battles."

Is consensual sex between people who are falling in love somehow inferior to violence?
 
Last edited:

MerriTudor

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
240
Reaction score
33
Location
Maine
Website
crampedquartersblog.wordpress.com
Is consensual sex between people who are falling in love somehow inferior to violence?

Well, God forbid that anyone reading about consensual sex gets all hot and bothered with stimulated naughty bits! Oh, the shame, the shame!

Reading about someone bashing someone else's brains out is just good, clean fun.

:greenie
 

Jan74

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
1,072
Reaction score
136
Location
Canada
Imagine yourself as, say, a military thriller writer thinking, "But...I like fight scenes. Yes, I go into specifics about weaponry and tactics, but on Amazon there are lots of good stories with great detailed battles."

Is consensual sex between people who are falling in love somehow inferior to violence?

Definitely not inferior! And agreed it shouldn't be inferior, but dang I do like a good battle scene! Just hearing the theme music for Top Gun gets me going :)

So I think an erotica fan would be disappointed in my writing because there might not be enough of the good stuff, and yet a turn off for some romance readers because it might be a tad graphic. I've been looking on amazon to see where my writing my fit in. Maybe Kendall Ryan? I'm in no way comparing myself to her, she has a tonne of novels and highly accomplished writer, so I don't want anyone thinking I'm being cocky by mentioning her. I'm just trying to find my path and I think she's a gutsy writer.

Ok so happy friday....here's to a day of writing :e2BIC::e2coffee:
 

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Messages
8,555
Reaction score
8,433
Location
The Seattle suburbs
Website
www.reneedominick.com
It's great to see everyone's hard at work

I have a feeling my "romance" is ever so slightly just a teeny tiny bit bordering on....gulp...erotica?
There's a spectrum of romance from sweet to erotic. Erotic romance =/= erotica. Erotica has a different focus. It's a different genre. So if you're gulping that your love scenes are getting more explicit than you first intended, but you're writing a romance (the romance is still the central arc of character growth), you're not bordering on erotica. You're bordering on erotic romance, which still requires all the juicy plotting of regular romance, just with more explicit sex scenes. And even in erotic romance, there are times when the door closes.

If the focus of your book has changed to a sexual journey as the central arc, then maybe you're writing erotica.

The reason I mention all of this is because if you're trying to find where you fit in the market, it's important to understand the distinctions. There is a LOT of romance that *isn't* marketed as erotic that has explicit sex--you can find it in all the subgenres, historical, suspense, fantasy/paranormal, etc., and in the romance/UF crossovers. There is erotic romance that focuses on explicit sensuality more than slot A meets tab B. And then there is some that's down and dirty and gritty. They all serve a purpose, and romance readers do tend to read across the lines, depending on what they're in the mood for. The best way to get a good handle on where you fit is read read read across multiple subgenres and heat levels.


So I think an erotica fan would be disappointed in my writing because there might not be enough of the good stuff, and yet a turn off for some romance readers because it might be a tad graphic. I've been looking on amazon to see where my writing my fit in. Maybe Kendall Ryan? I'm in no way comparing myself to her, she has a tonne of novels and highly accomplished writer, so I don't want anyone thinking I'm being cocky by mentioning her. I'm just trying to find my path and I think she's a gutsy writer.

I had an interesting encounter on Wednesday. It came up that I have a novella coming out soon. She grinned and made me write down my pen name and the book name and said she was very into erotic romance. Then she surprised me by saying, "Yeah, I love my Christian romance, but sometimes I want the erotic stuff." So any preconceived notions about who's reading what and what they might be looking for any given time they log on to buy a book...pfft! Toss 'em. Write what feels right for the book you're working on. That'll be what makes the work shine.

Also, Welcome, Dynastic! :hi:
 

Jan74

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
1,072
Reaction score
136
Location
Canada
It's great to see everyone's hard at work


There's a spectrum of romance from sweet to erotic. Erotic romance =/= erotica. Erotica has a different focus. It's a different genre. So if you're gulping that your love scenes are getting more explicit than you first intended, but you're writing a romance (the romance is still the central arc of character growth), you're not bordering on erotica. You're bordering on erotic romance, which still requires all the juicy plotting of regular romance, just with more explicit sex scenes. And even in erotic romance, there are times when the door closes.

If the focus of your book has changed to a sexual journey as the central arc, then maybe you're writing erotica.

The reason I mention all of this is because if you're trying to find where you fit in the market, it's important to understand the distinctions. There is a LOT of romance that *isn't* marketed as erotic that has explicit sex--you can find it in all the subgenres, historical, suspense, fantasy/paranormal, etc., and in the romance/UF crossovers. There is erotic romance that focuses on explicit sensuality more than slot A meets tab B. And then there is some that's down and dirty and gritty. They all serve a purpose, and romance readers do tend to read across the lines, depending on what they're in the mood for. The best way to get a good handle on where you fit is read read read across multiple subgenres and heat levels.




I had an interesting encounter on Wednesday. It came up that I have a novella coming out soon. She grinned and made me write down my pen name and the book name and said she was very into erotic romance. Then she surprised me by saying, "Yeah, I love my Christian romance, but sometimes I want the erotic stuff." So any preconceived notions about who's reading what and what they might be looking for any given time they log on to buy a book...pfft! Toss 'em. Write what feels right for the book you're working on. That'll be what makes the work shine.

Also, Welcome, Dynastic! :hi:

OMG thank you Elaine that makes so much sense!!!!! I'm so glad you shared all of that info with me. And I'm taking your advice to "write what feels right". Sometimes I just need to get it out there and later I can review and edit. You've been a huge help:snoopy:
 

Marissa D

Scribe of the girls in the basement
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 22, 2011
Messages
3,071
Reaction score
365
Location
New England but hankering for the old one
Website
www.marissadoyle.com
Congratulations Pterofan and our other NaNoers!

I'm finally getting into my new YA after a lot of hemming and hawing and fumbling around. I didn't have a firm grasp on my heroine's GMC, and that lack had stopped me dead by page 28. I think I'll actually be able to write it now.
 

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Messages
8,555
Reaction score
8,433
Location
The Seattle suburbs
Website
www.reneedominick.com
Just wrapped up NaNoWriMo, with a grand total of 10,221 words, split between three stories. Finishing, editing and subbing at least two of those stories is my goal for December.
Yay, Pterofan! Congratulations and Good luck with your December goal!

Congratulations Pterofan and our other NaNoers!

I'm finally getting into my new YA after a lot of hemming and hawing and fumbling around. I didn't have a firm grasp on my heroine's GMC, and that lack had stopped me dead by page 28. I think I'll actually be able to write it now.
God, that lack can really mess up a good idea, can't it? I'm in a similar situation--I'm changing a character's GMC...accidentally. Now I have to hit pause, re-examine the arc, and stick to it, before I write myself into oblivion.

Happy writing!
 

MerriTudor

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
240
Reaction score
33
Location
Maine
Website
crampedquartersblog.wordpress.com
I'll bite.

What's a GMC?

I googled it and only came up with trucks.

As for me, work on my holiday romance has come to a screeching halt, so no way am I going to get it up and out for this Christmas. But that's OK. I really think I want to take my time with it because it's blossomed nicely so far and I don't want to kill it by forcing anything.

I did make it to the beginning of Chapter 6! Stalled because now because hero and heroine are forced together after a devastating break up 4 years previously and I have no idea what they would say to each other. Right now they're sitting at a lovely Victorian dinner with a large number of other guests, but darned if I can figure out how they'll react to each other once they're face to face.

It's like a spigot has been shut off. :e2thud:
 

Jan74

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
1,072
Reaction score
136
Location
Canada
Just wrapped up NaNoWriMo, with a grand total of 10,221 words, split between three stories. Finishing, editing and subbing at least two of those stories is my goal for December.
:hooray: congrats!

I'll bite.

What's a GMC?

I googled it and only came up with trucks. Ha...yep that's what my hubby drives! Exactly what I thought of when Marissa posted that :)

As for me, work on my holiday romance has come to a screeching halt, so no way am I going to get it up and out for this Christmas. But that's OK. I really think I want to take my time with it because it's blossomed nicely so far and I don't want to kill it by forcing anything. It'll be ready for next year :)

I did make it to the beginning of Chapter 6! Stalled because now because hero and heroine are forced together after a devastating break up 4 years previously and I have no idea what they would say to each other. Right now they're sitting at a lovely Victorian dinner with a large number of other guests, but darned if I can figure out how they'll react to each other once they're face to face.

It's like a spigot has been shut off. :e2thud:
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?

GMC= Goal, Motivation, Conflict. Here's a better explanation than I could give: http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2012/07/31/emergency-post-goal-motivation-and-conflict/ And it just might help with your current roadblock. :)
Thanks I'm going to check that out.

I'm on a roll so far, I kind of have two stories playing out that are intertwined because they are sisters, so it's almost like two novella's joined into one if that makes sense, although I still have more dedication to one person overall. I'm having fun with it.