Bugger!

Bugger bugger bugger.
I know I said I was not going to do any editing till later but I have left very important information out. I have no real descriptions of my hero or heroine and I need to have that realtively soon in the book when they make their appearance.
I have a stack of post-it notes so I may just jot these things down and keep forging ahead and then edit it but it feels wrong to just leave them like that. I knew what they looked like in my head but forgot to let you the reader know in words.
What a fool
Oh well no harm done just whether to leave it for now or to keep going.

Inspiration for Vampire Nights

This is Kayla, sultry and confident, not quite as tanned though. Being a vampire has that drawback. Intelligent with super human powers.

Stephen the hero, human, strong and intelligent what the heck has he gotten himself in for, falling for his partner. How will he cope when he finds out her secret?

Kaylas' favourite place to sit and think. The Story Bridge.

Click here to see more of the area the story is based.

I think this can really work for me. O may not have written today but I did some research into buildings, structures and the history.

And I did it

Highly impressed with myself I am.
Well pretty happy anyway.
I managed to write about 2000 words today in a period of an hour. The words flowed wasily and although it may not make the final cut at least I am writing them.
I am just absolutely thrilled with the way it happened today. Tonight I need to sleep and think where to go from here. I have a murder on the side to solve and also the disappearance of the main villain.
We need to deal with the attraction between the two the discovery of her secret and his overcoming it. In the mean time lots of attraction happening between them.
Ach I don't if I can manage it really but it will be fun to do so.
If I can get 8000 words written in a week in about 9 weeks I should have the book finished, the first draft anyway.
That is a dream of course things always will happen to try and deter me, BUT I have a couple of hours that I can utilise each day and use it to my benefit.
I dream that I will get published with my first book. I know the odds are against me but I can't help the dream. I know the ideas are sound but I worry that my putting together of the tale will let me down. The thing is I have to try, it is no longer a pipe dream it is something that I can do. That I must attempt to do.
I also think that doing the course online with harlequin will help me. If I follow the steps and work through things follow their advice, surely this must reflect well upon my writing?
The agony of it all trying to sort through it and let it flow.
The story has twists in it and the end of it excites me as well. I haven't needed to take the advice and write the parts I have, the story is flowing pretty easily still, when I get to a troublesome spot I will take the advice and write what already exists in my head.
I may even take the advice and switch to the other book that is floating in my head partially on paper and partially transcribed to the pc. That would give me a space if I need it.
For now I will dream the book I have settled on and check the facts in the morning. Facts are important in a book if it is to appeal there mustn't be any loopholes that are too blatant that can be annoying.
Fact finding in fiction is just as important as other elements to the story.
There is a lot more to it then I thought originally or I refused to acknowledge actually. I will have to work on it more.

Ready Steady Write

Today is the last day of my excuses. The girls are off to school tomorrow and my story is waiting to be written. I have spent time with my daughters these few weeks as I know that there will come a time they will not be spending time with me. It is natural but it can be scary.
We went camping and several conversations were overheard, noted and filed for future use. I have started listening more to conversations going on around me.
I am also going to set up my inspiration board. Photos of what my heroine and hero look like. Photos of where the story is based so I can visualise where they are.
I am also going to write. I am going to write for more then 10 minutes.
Well maybe, but at least I will be able to get back to it more easily.
I did more craft work this way so I can apply it to writing as well. I will be able to share my time across what I want to do each day.
Writing is my number one prerogative. But I need to share it with my children.

Almost a week

since I posted that is a very poor showing. I have no excuse just been disinclined to do so. I managed to write 500 more words in the past week and am getting very anxious for when my darling children to return to school. As it stands I just seem to be unable to get going.
Nights I have been tired my darling partner who normally drops off by 8.30pm hasn't been doing this deciding that my company is infinitely more appealing.
Awww Bless him.
Why now? But bless him all the same.
The days are a mess as the girls won't let me settle. The 2 younger ones are understandable but the older ones are worse, Mum what are you doing? Mum can I help?
Mum can I read this? Mum will you read to me?
So I rein in my impatience and keep thinking one day the girls won't want me around, enjoy this!
It's hard but it is true. I also keep in my mind that I am encouraging my daughters in the love of words, whether they are reading or creating their own it is satisfying to see.

The Course

I have enrolled in a journalist course. Although it has nothing to do with romance writing it will still give me basics in writing and also a job to do while I get my novelist career on the way. There are about 4 courses involved in it and although I had hoped to get the course knocked over in a few weeks I know that having the daughters home will impede this as I have realised having the daughters home means I can't type.
At least when they are school (the older 2 anyway) I will be able to spend 15 minuted here and there writing while when they are home I rarely get time to sit once they are up.
I haven't written at night or early in the morning yet. And feel pretty annoyed that I have allowed this. Maybe this afternoon? Maybe.
I have to be careful about the time I spend writing in the evenings as well. Kyle works long hours and I love to spend some time with him and he bitterly resents any time on the PC as he wants my time. Highly flattering after all this time but frustrating when I want to do something once the girls are in bed.
Balancing balancing the whole way.

Housekeeping

Yep a change of name. I realised I need to start this properly instead of in fun. I want to project an image of professionalism and as I want to be seen, my name needs to be known. So a tidy up has occured.
The things you do for the love of your art.

The pain

Now I have decided to write I am champing a the bit. I read how it took some people take years to get published writing book after book after book.
ANd others well others do it more easily.
I reckon if I do this right and learn as I go. I will have a better chance then some. I have joined the Romance Writers Association of Australia.
And picked up a few blog sites that I will alos track. I ahve found a writer that writes in the genre I am heading into and will watch with interest. I will get there.

Submission and joining a writing group

I made another submission today, an erotic short story; The Beach. I still haven't heard back about the other one but I may as well write and submit rather then leave them sitting moldering. I will be glad of any feedback I eventually get from them. To see if I am on the right track.
I have joined an online writing group and hope to also check out some other writing groups that may be close to me so I can go to meetings. I am also hoping that find a real life group will find me a critiquing partner. Someone I can have discussions with and be able to question them.

I haven't gotten back to the novels which may have disturbed me aside from the fact I am still writing the short stories. The novels need dedicated time and at present the girls are not supplying me with dedicated time. In fact I am lucky to be sitting here typing now. The TV can be a godsend sometimes.

As I write in forums and blogs I have noticed that my style has changed a little as if I were practicing how to write things correctly, previously I would always hit the submit button and then have to edit. Now I find that I am checking everything, a much better habit to get into. I am tightening my writing and watching my grammar. I am not perfect by any means but I think it is improving.

My spelling has also moved back to an acceptable standard, I would get frustrated with myself as I would type in chat rooms and hit enter only to see that what I had written made no sense due to the spelling errors. Now my typing has slowed and I am actually checking as I go. Much much better.

On with the quest to find a writing group.

My first knockback

Woohoo
I have my first rejection letter
Why am I happy?
Because it means I actually made an attempt to do something instead of just thinking about it.
They rejected me as my style wasn't what they wanted and as it was for a freelance writer I didn't have the experience either.
That's ok I am practicing and the more I do the more skills I get.

Catchy Headings

Just aren't happening for me. Doesn't matter though this journal is just as much for me as anywhere.

I made my first submission today, a short story just over 800 words which was good as that was the minimum. I didn't want to dedicate too much time t o this site as I have novels in the sidelines waiting to be done. Unfortunately my writing time disappeared this morning and will not be recouped tonight.

These things are expected to happen in the workings of life so we just keep on going for now. To submit I had to sign a contract first stating that all work submitted will become the property of the group I submitted to. That was a hard one relinquishing rights but I get continuing funds from story it should do something fabulous and the byline was mine too.

It was a hard thing to do as I said and I did it as upon further investigation this normally happens anyway. You retain the byline continue getting royalties but the book or story is no longer yours so I let it go in good faith.

I also submitted 2 articles (here and here) to Helium and am plannig a few more. Tell me what you think as I need critiquing. The more I am picked to bits the better I will get. I may ignore some of what is said but everything will be read and dealt with.

Getting out there

Today after much exploration I joined a few sites. Helium and myLot I joined them for different reasons but mainly to get writing. Both provide renumeration for writing but in different ways. myLot is about posting and making replies they are wanting to get built up and are will ing to pay for it. Don't ask me how much I wasn't really sure and once again I joined mainly to try and get my writing skills honed.

Helium is a different type of site. You get paid once again not very much for articles. These articles compete against different ones in the same category for example Christmas decorations. The best ones stay at the top getting more hits and generating more income, they are rated against each other. The more articles you do the more exposure you get and the more funds come in. These sites will not make you rich but it will improve your skills as you want people to read your stuff so that you have a chance at money.

We'll see how it goes there are critics of course but doesn't everything.


I also joined an erotica site. You can get paid for your submissions, once again not much but I'm in it for the experience. Why erotica you say? Well romance novels certain styles are erotica and I want to learn to titillate and tease as well as see what people like. Writing erotica is just as demanding as any other form of writing its just not dinner conversation, 'Hi honey how was your day?'
"Well dear managed to write 3 pages of lustful looks, hot wet sex and climaxes that would blow your socks off"
I have no problem with it but my daughters and my parents may choke a little.
With these sites I plan to use to see what happens I want to stretch my wings and try different things and these three sites allow me to try different areas. I'll keep you posted on how they go.

Starting a second Blog

I am moving across to blogger for my second blog. I am hoping in this way to keep it entirely separate from my personal blog. THis blog although personal will focus on my writing. My attempts at writing, trying to get published and all the agonies that go along with it.

I have set up a work plan for writing. Because I have commitments I need to make sure the time that I do have is put to good use. I need to work out the best time for me to write. And although I have set to do it in the morning, the only thing is that I tend to be more of a night person so there may be a change.

I have set myself up to write elsewheres then on the pc as the pc and the lure of the internet is too much for me. So I have a nice little laptop that hasn't any connection to the internet and I am set to go. I find I like writing in my bedroom I feel good in there, the rest of the house is too busy. Although once Kyle is back at work I will be able to motivate myself a little better. need to get the laptop into an easily accessible place within easy reach but out of the way of children, harder much harder then you think.

But it will be done and the trip begins.