A few weeks ago I did a guest post on the Novel Thoughts blog about music and how the right song can set the mood for a scene. I mentioned the song I thought of when I was writing a romantic scene for When Harriet Came Home — Melody Gardot’s ‘Our Love Is Easy’. It’s a beautiful song, even if you’re not a jazz fan (and I’m definitely not). Anyway, one of the commentators mentioned she loved the song so much she went and bought it! She probably didn’t buy my book, but I’m happy to sell a song for Melody Gardot ☺
There are only four more weeks left of the school year before the kids break for Christmas and summer holidays, and I’m feeling just a teeny bit teary because these are the final few weeks of my son’s primary schooling. Next year he moves up to high school and a whole new life. My daughter is already in high school, but when she started we all felt excited about a new chapter starting. Now, with my son, it feels like a chapter is closing. Already he’s drawing away from me and his dad. At the moment he tolerates us walking him to school (where he quickly ditches us with a very nonchalant goodbye), but when he starts high school next year he won’t want us anywhere near him!
So I only have a few more weeks of walking him to school and waving him goodbye at the gates. I’ll miss that part. Wish I could say goodbye to making packed lunches, though! Seems like I’ll be cutting sandwiches for my kids until they leave home, and even though I give them pretty much the same boring fillings every day it doesn’t appear to motivate them to make their own lunches. Oh well, at least they still need me for something ☺
So I only have a few more weeks of walking him to school and waving him goodbye at the gates. I’ll miss that part. Wish I could say goodbye to making packed lunches, though! Seems like I’ll be cutting sandwiches for my kids until they leave home, and even though I give them pretty much the same boring fillings every day it doesn’t appear to motivate them to make their own lunches. Oh well, at least they still need me for something ☺
When I first started writing seriously, I could just about write a complete 50K story, but every chapter was a struggle. The thought of writing 80K or 100K was as daunting as Mount Everest, but slowly I managed to edge up my upper limit. The last story I finished was over 70K, and it didn’t feel too strenuous. At last, I thought I was achieving writing fitness.
But now I’m working on a short novella. It’s to be part of an anthology, so I don’t want it to be more than 10-12K. And now I’m finding it’s a lot harder to write less. I’ve written the beginning about four times and it’s still not right. With only 10K to play with, every sentence becomes important. It’s like putting together a very complicated jigsaw. I’m finding I need to cut out some of the action because the external conflict threatens to overwhelm the internal conflict, and without internal conflict there’s no meat to the story.
This is my second steampunk story, and when the writing isn’t flowing, it’s easy to get distracted by all the cool steampunk things on the internet, like this:
Artist and X-Men fan, Daniel Valdez of Smeeon, created a steampunk wheelchair for the character Professor Charles Xavier.
The smokestack even emits steam!
A steampunk wheelchair worthy of any dastardly villain.
Photos courtesy of Smeeon.
But now I’m working on a short novella. It’s to be part of an anthology, so I don’t want it to be more than 10-12K. And now I’m finding it’s a lot harder to write less. I’ve written the beginning about four times and it’s still not right. With only 10K to play with, every sentence becomes important. It’s like putting together a very complicated jigsaw. I’m finding I need to cut out some of the action because the external conflict threatens to overwhelm the internal conflict, and without internal conflict there’s no meat to the story.
This is my second steampunk story, and when the writing isn’t flowing, it’s easy to get distracted by all the cool steampunk things on the internet, like this:
Artist and X-Men fan, Daniel Valdez of Smeeon, created a steampunk wheelchair for the character Professor Charles Xavier.
The smokestack even emits steam!
A steampunk wheelchair worthy of any dastardly villain.
Photos courtesy of Smeeon.
Marketing For Romance Writers is hosting a free two hour workshop on Monday 14 Nov.
Learn how to create a signature for your promos and emails that brings you readers, and helps generate sales. This two-hour course is taught by Mary from the publisher Jupiter Gardens.
To attend you need to be a member of MFRW Yahoo group. Join here.
Learn how to create a signature for your promos and emails that brings you readers, and helps generate sales. This two-hour course is taught by Mary from the publisher Jupiter Gardens.
Class will be held on the group. No fees. No sign up. To attend, simply show up and be ready to learn.
You may submit your signature for critique by the teacher and class participants. Find out how effective your signature truly is.
To attend you need to be a member of MFRW Yahoo group. Join here.
Today I'm a guest on Kylie Griffin's blog.
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