We wish you lots of joy with your new princess!
Monday, August 23, 2010
A New Minxy Arrival
We wish you lots of joy with your new princess!
Friday, August 20, 2010
The Write Attitude
I’m going to write a book about how to make a business out of writing and I’m going to call it The Write Attitude.
You probably think I’m joking – but I’m not.
The proposal and a chapter is written and I’ve talked to Accent Press about it, as they published Love Writing – How to Make Money Writing Romantic or Erotic Fiction. It just hasn’t come to the top of my ‘to do’ list. Yet.
This is because I am what I like to term ‘a working writer’. I’m not suggesting other writers don’t work (as if I would!) but I suppose I’m trying to convey that this what I do. Writing is my living. There is no day job or pension.
So these are some of the things that generate my income. I:
Write
- novels
- short stories
- serials
- articles
- ‘how to’ books
- courses
Appraise manuscripts
Judge competitions
Lead workshops
Teach creative writing via distance learning
My major focus is my novels. I’m now with publisher Choc Lit and my current books are All That Mullarkey , Starting Over and the next will be Want to Know a Secret? in November. There are two planned for 2011, one of which is 20,000 words written.
And my major writing focus has ALWAYS been novels … it’s just that I took a long time getting here.My first paid published work was letters to the press. Don’t discount letters as a stream of income! The most I ever earnt this way is £150 for 89 words, which is about £1.68 per word. Extrapolate that into an 85,000-word novel. £148,258.42! Woohee, yes, I’ll have some of that … Maybe one day.
Around the same time I wrote two novels. They were dire. Publishers returned them without comment. When the second one had clunked onto my doormat a few times somebody gave me a ‘how to’ book about writing by the late Nancy Smith and I took to heart one piece of her advice: if you can sell about twenty short stories to national news stand magazines, a publisher of novels may take you more seriously. So I decided I would do that and I took a course, a distance-learning (then called correspondence) course. If I hadn’t earnt my fees via my writing by the end of the course, they promised, they would refund my fees.
But they didn’t refund my fees because a) I had covered my course fees three times over by the time I reached the end and b) they went bust. Whoever they owed money to, it wasn’t me!
And, aside from the actual number, Nancy Smith proved to be right, because I did, eventually, begin to sell novels – but I had sold eighty-seven short stories to national news stand magazines by then and my ‘first’ novel, Uphill All The Way (Transita, ISBN 1905175000) was really my eighth.
I do have one thing that I feel is invaluable on the journey from part-time writer to full-time writer: a husband with a regular salary. This has allowed me to write for the past 20+ years without a full-time ‘proper job’ – although I have had many part-time ‘proper jobs’ (one for him but I have wriggled out of that).
I hope I’m not letting out any trade secrets here, but not all novelists earn enough from their novels to live on. As I proved.And I’ve never had the kind of contract that a) included large advances or b) covered more than one book, so I’ve carved out – or cobbled together – a career based on writing by being versatile and looking out for opportunities, reading newsletters, networking, attending conferences and doing all the things that make me contacts and get me contracts.
I suspect a ‘proper job’ would have been easier – but nowhere near as enjoyable!
I work ten hours a day, five or six days a week (sometimes seven) and, loosely, I work with students, appraise manuscripts and/or judge comps in the morning and I write during the afternoons.
I shoehorn in promo, accounting, emailing and research where it will fit.
And now you see why The Write Attitude hasn’t made it to the top of my ‘to do’ list yet!
(But I expect it will …)
Sue Moorcroft 17.08.2010
If you have any questions for Sue please post them into a comments box. 'Love Writing. How to Make Money writing Romantic or Erotic Fiction' is available to buy from Amazon. As Are 'All That Mullarky', 'Starting Over' and it's possible to pre-order 'Want to know a Secret'
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Author Spotlight - Lynne Graham
Today we're delighted to welcome Mills and Boon author Lynne Graham! Lynne has published over 65 romance novels, with whopping sales of fifteen and a half million books worldwide.Thank you for visiting the Minxes, Lynne, now for those Minxy questions!
Where were you in your writing career 5 years ago?
Struggling to increase my output of books having come through a chaotic period of moving house, building a new one and living in rental property while that was being done. My career was going well but my children were younger and more dependent so writing still had to share billing with being a mother and it was a struggle to find the time to prioritize.
Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?
Reading about the lives of Aristotle Onassis and Stavros Niarchos, the archetypal Greek tycoons, inspired me to create my hero, Alexei Drakos. I wanted him to fall in love with an ordinary woman
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
I want to still be doing what I’m doing now, keeping my long term readers happy and continuing to attract new ones. It has taken me 25 years to get to my current position and for the moment I’m happy to enjoy what I have achieved.
Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?
THE LITTLE STRANGER by Sarah Waters. I love the spooky atmosphere of this gripping supernatural tale with all its twists and turns.
Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be a writer?
Not really. I grew up reading romance from an early age and wrote my first stories for amusement as a teenager. I cut my romance teeth on Barbara Cartland, Georgette Heyer and the Mills&Boon authors of the Sixties and Seventies. I just adore books and read everything from crime to paranormal romance to history books.
Do you find writing love scenes giggle-worthy or cringe-worthy?
Neither, I have to be in the right mood to write them and the main challenge is to keep them fresh and full of passion
What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?
It has to be the Valentine’s Day my husband laid a trail of red cardboard hearts to my greetings card. We didn’t have much money and couldn’t afford to go out to celebrate or exchange gifts but he made a real effort to make it a romantic occasion.
What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were published?
That you will never stop try- try- trying again to improve your work. I write by constantly reviewing every previous word.
What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?
Ensure that every scene advances the story. A recommendation that helps you ruthlessly cut out the superfluous stuff.
Tell us about your latest release.
It’s a new line in which one story is told over the course of two books published in consecutive months. My editor put the linked story Duet concept to me and I agreed once I had thought up a meaty enough plot. It was exciting to do something fresh. The two books together are called THE DRAKOS BABY. The first part, THE PREGNANCY SHOCK was published in July in the UK (November for the USA) and the second, A STORMY GREEK MARRIAGE in September (December for the USA)
What’s next for you?
Another contract, another year of writing. I will probably do another Duet story and I look forward to creating some stimulating new characters and intriguing plots.
The Pregnancy Shock available now from Amazon UK,
Mills & Boon, and bookshops.
Look out for A Stormy Greek Marriage in Mills & Boon's September purchase page, here, and on general release in September.
Where were you in your writing career 5 years ago?
Struggling to increase my output of books having come through a chaotic period of moving house, building a new one and living in rental property while that was being done. My career was going well but my children were younger and more dependent so writing still had to share billing with being a mother and it was a struggle to find the time to prioritize.
Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?
Reading about the lives of Aristotle Onassis and Stavros Niarchos, the archetypal Greek tycoons, inspired me to create my hero, Alexei Drakos. I wanted him to fall in love with an ordinary woman
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
I want to still be doing what I’m doing now, keeping my long term readers happy and continuing to attract new ones. It has taken me 25 years to get to my current position and for the moment I’m happy to enjoy what I have achieved.
Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?
THE LITTLE STRANGER by Sarah Waters. I love the spooky atmosphere of this gripping supernatural tale with all its twists and turns.
Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be a writer?
Not really. I grew up reading romance from an early age and wrote my first stories for amusement as a teenager. I cut my romance teeth on Barbara Cartland, Georgette Heyer and the Mills&Boon authors of the Sixties and Seventies. I just adore books and read everything from crime to paranormal romance to history books.
Do you find writing love scenes giggle-worthy or cringe-worthy?
Neither, I have to be in the right mood to write them and the main challenge is to keep them fresh and full of passion
What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?
It has to be the Valentine’s Day my husband laid a trail of red cardboard hearts to my greetings card. We didn’t have much money and couldn’t afford to go out to celebrate or exchange gifts but he made a real effort to make it a romantic occasion.
What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were published?
That you will never stop try- try- trying again to improve your work. I write by constantly reviewing every previous word.
What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?
Ensure that every scene advances the story. A recommendation that helps you ruthlessly cut out the superfluous stuff.
Tell us about your latest release.
It’s a new line in which one story is told over the course of two books published in consecutive months. My editor put the linked story Duet concept to me and I agreed once I had thought up a meaty enough plot. It was exciting to do something fresh. The two books together are called THE DRAKOS BABY. The first part, THE PREGNANCY SHOCK was published in July in the UK (November for the USA) and the second, A STORMY GREEK MARRIAGE in September (December for the USA)
What’s next for you?
Another contract, another year of writing. I will probably do another Duet story and I look forward to creating some stimulating new characters and intriguing plots.
The Pregnancy Shock available now from Amazon UK,
Mills & Boon, and bookshops.
Look out for A Stormy Greek Marriage in Mills & Boon's September purchase page, here, and on general release in September.Read more about Lynne at her website: http://www.lynnegraham.com/
Thank you so much for such an interesting interview, Lynne!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Hubble Bubble...
Grab your cauldron and frogs eyes, I wanted to natter about the craft today.
No, not witchcraft - although wouldn't we all love to have penned Harry Potter?
I could day dream for hours about how i'd spend all of those millions.... ahem.
I do of course mean the craft of romance writing, which in it's own way is every bit as magical as witchcraft.
A sprinkle of conflict, a ladle or three of emotion, a smidgen of sensuality... it's romantic alchemy, and done properly it casts a temporary enchantment spell over the reader.
I find myself constantly looking around for advice on the craft of romance writing from experienced authors, because it's a sure fact that just having a flair with words and a lively imagination isn't enough to get you published.
Thankfully, the romance community is pretty amazing at sharing it's secrets to nurture aspiring writers, and the net is a fabulous source of information when you start to scout around for it.
For instance -for the whole of the month of August i'm doing the 'Good to Sold' online course with the fabulous Shirley Jump, multi-selling Harlequin author and all round priestess of knowledge on the art of writing romance.
I can whole heartedly recommend the course, i'm learning so much every day and Shirley's success is just inspiring. It's proved the perfect way to get myself back on track after the set back of a rejection a couple of weeks ago, and it's already starting to help me to understand where I'd gone wrong with my manuscript.
Some other high priestesses I've come across who practice romantic magic on the net:
Trish Wylie - So many fantastic writing tips here, and also dig out Trish's 'Not at Nationals' series of blog posts from July & August 2009. Seriously - they are choc-a-block full of gold dust.
Nicola Marsh - Click on Nic's Nook for a treasure chest of invaluable info and tips.
Jenny Crusie - I have lost hours of my life reading Jenny's essays, and not a minute of it was wasted.
Kate Walker - Kate is an absolute font of knowledge, and her 'Twelve Point Guide to Writing Romance' is worth it's weight in gold. I won't lend out my copy for love nor money!
And these are just a handful of recommendations -there are many other fabulous romance writers out there who are also happily sharing their insider knowledge and experience via the net.
How about you? Have you any 'must reads' that have helped you to wave a magic wand over your own writing?
Jo P x
No, not witchcraft - although wouldn't we all love to have penned Harry Potter?
I could day dream for hours about how i'd spend all of those millions.... ahem.
I do of course mean the craft of romance writing, which in it's own way is every bit as magical as witchcraft.
A sprinkle of conflict, a ladle or three of emotion, a smidgen of sensuality... it's romantic alchemy, and done properly it casts a temporary enchantment spell over the reader.
I find myself constantly looking around for advice on the craft of romance writing from experienced authors, because it's a sure fact that just having a flair with words and a lively imagination isn't enough to get you published.
Thankfully, the romance community is pretty amazing at sharing it's secrets to nurture aspiring writers, and the net is a fabulous source of information when you start to scout around for it.
For instance -for the whole of the month of August i'm doing the 'Good to Sold' online course with the fabulous Shirley Jump, multi-selling Harlequin author and all round priestess of knowledge on the art of writing romance.
I can whole heartedly recommend the course, i'm learning so much every day and Shirley's success is just inspiring. It's proved the perfect way to get myself back on track after the set back of a rejection a couple of weeks ago, and it's already starting to help me to understand where I'd gone wrong with my manuscript.
Some other high priestesses I've come across who practice romantic magic on the net:
Trish Wylie - So many fantastic writing tips here, and also dig out Trish's 'Not at Nationals' series of blog posts from July & August 2009. Seriously - they are choc-a-block full of gold dust.
Nicola Marsh - Click on Nic's Nook for a treasure chest of invaluable info and tips.
Jenny Crusie - I have lost hours of my life reading Jenny's essays, and not a minute of it was wasted.
Kate Walker - Kate is an absolute font of knowledge, and her 'Twelve Point Guide to Writing Romance' is worth it's weight in gold. I won't lend out my copy for love nor money!
And these are just a handful of recommendations -there are many other fabulous romance writers out there who are also happily sharing their insider knowledge and experience via the net.
How about you? Have you any 'must reads' that have helped you to wave a magic wand over your own writing?
Jo P x
Friday, August 13, 2010
Show 'n Tell
I was lucky enough to attend the New Voices competition workshop run by Heidi Rice last Friday and I thought it was interesting how often media images, actors (including Daniel Craig, left) and programmes were used either as tags for certain series or as thinking material for character conflicts.
So watching Desperate Housewives or The Mentalist may actually be good for your writing career, it's official :-)Actually, it was while watching an episode of The Mentalist that I got a really good lesson on how to show a character's conflict th
rough action, rather than introspection or dialogue. Even those of you who aren't fans probably know the basic story-line - Patrick Jane (played by Simon Baker) lost his wife and child in circumstances he can never forgive himself for. Finally at the end of series two we see him on his first date since they died. He leaves to go to the bathroom and once out of his date's sight his face instantly darkens, we don't hear him utter a single thought to anyone but after watching him pace, sweat and then finger his wedding ring we're in no doubt about his inner turmoil. And his character has been set up so well we know exactly why.Just looking at the room he sleeps in shows us he won't forgive himself for what happened (see below) it's an extremely powerful image...
Since I've joined the Minxes I've been trying hard to get my telling under control and show instead and watching this scene challenged me to really think about how my characters move and what I can show through their actions, or indeed their rooms and offices.Happening to like Simon Baker is purely coincidental to this lesson but if you'd like some homework and live in the UK you can view the scene I describe for yourself for free via Five on Demand
Seeing as it's Friday I've brought some more pictures to my show 'n tell (Henry Cavil, Gilles Marini and Carter Oosterhouse) Please feel free to study intently for research purposes ;-)
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