Monday Memo: Be flexible.
At the start of the month I posted a memo about my aims for the month. Now that September is over, I figure it's probably time to go back and see how I did.
Here we go...
Write at least 1,000 words a day and 50,000 over the month. I'm on track to pass the 70k mark today, so I'm happily ticking this one off as done.
* Do whatever edits my editor sends to me. Done - The edits were a lot lighter than I expected, so this one didn't actually require that much work on my part.
* Re-write, edit, polish, write a synopsis and submit Whispers to TEB. It ended up 3k longer than I planned it to be, but his one went off earlier this month - a whole five days earlier than I planned!
*Re-write, edit, polish, write a synopsis and submit For the Duration - Book 3 in Perfect Timing series to TEB. This one is going off tomorrow, but it's far from the story I thought it would be at the end of the month - for a start it's about doubled in length! It's now a novel rather than a novella, so I've had to re-jig the other stories in the series to make a novel fit as the third book. But I'm pleased with it now. Once I finish this post I'm going to write the synopsis for it.
* Re-write Time Out – Book 11 in Perfect Timing series. Here's where it gets really complicated, I thought re-writing it would involve tweaking. It actually involved starting the whole thing pretty much from scratch. Twice. I've added 45k to a 33k story, but with the bits I've deleated, it's only actually grown 2k. But it's done now. Another tick, so it's all good up to this point.
* Re-write By the hour – Book 12 in Perfect Timing series. Nowhere near. I re-started this one from scratch, but the way the other projects grew meant there wasn't really time for this one. I've moved it into next month.
* If I have time or need the words (because I can't work out how many words the re-writes and edits will actually come to) start working on Book 1 in my next series of novellas - Hot + Wet. I actually thought I would have time and need extra words to hit the 50k mark. Poor nieve child...
* Name all the characters in the Hot + Wet novellas. Didn't get this done either. My excuse is, since I've had to alter my schedule a bit, I'm not actually going to write them until next year. The characters don't need names yet. It won't do them any harm to wait a bit longer.
Overall, not to bad, I got most of the important ones ticked off. But the fact is none of the projects turned out quite the way I expected them to. So, I had a choice between trying to make my writing fit the plan or changing my plan to fit in with my writing.
I'm quite pleased I chose the latter.
However, I'm going to leave my plans for October until Wednesday, I'm not ready to wonder on then quite yet.
Enjoy the end of September everyone.
See you in October :)
Monday, 29 September 2008
Saturday, 27 September 2008
Hitting the Hot Spot
Today is my day to blog on Hitting the Hotspot - Total-e-bound's author blog.
I'm introducing myself and telling the world why I'm normal - hey, don't laugh - I am normal, I even have scientific proof.
Read more here
I'm introducing myself and telling the world why I'm normal - hey, don't laugh - I am normal, I even have scientific proof.
Read more here
Friday, 26 September 2008
Five things that... help make a great title.
I think I've finally settled on Time To Do, as the title for the story I'm about to submit (printed it out for a final check through, still need to write the synopsis and blurb. I've also just decided to extend it a bit, so it will actually be the first novel I submit - very excited about that).
Here's five things I've noticed about good titles while I've been thinking on the subject. All the examples are taken from Total-e-bound's currently available or coming soon list.
1. Alliteration.
That's the repititon of the same sounds, if you're recollectiong of school room english lessons is as hazy as mine. Bound Brits, Naughty Nibbles, Campus Cravings, Solstice Seduction. Alliteration is a classic title tool for a reason. The titles are easier to remember and they are the ones which tend to roll around in your head. The ones that you remember even if you don't try to.
2. Key words.
There are probably as many key words as there are readers out there. If there is a certain something that rocks your boat, you're probably going to pay a lot of attention if that word if in the title. If you're looking for a sweet romance, love, romanace and such are probably going to be high on your list.
If you like a different sort of romance, you might find titles involving leather, or submission hit the right spot. You're not going to miss out on a title like Whipped or Beg Me. If you like your vampires you're unlikely to skip over Duet in Blood.
3. Character names.
If you hit on the right name for your character, this could be the perfect place to showcase it. If it's Seducing Damien, Joey's First Time, Tempting Tamera or Convincing Cate I don't think anything makes you contect with a characters faster than having their name right there in the title, inviting you to come in and share their life for a while.
4. Double meanings.
Rough Ride, Sweet Topping, Along for the ride, double meanings are always a good thing. Anything that makes me smile is going to make me pick up the book and pay attention, and for some reasons nothing does that better than a good double meaning.
5. A bit of mystery
One of the best ways I think there is of getting people to click on a title and read the blurb, it to have a bit of mystery in the title. Blue Dragon Challenge, Raw Silk, and From the Ruins all make me want to find out more.
.....
Unfortunatly I've also come to the conclusion I need to get a lot better at naming my stories, because I don't do any of the above in most of my titles.
Anyone else got a great title or tip for naming books, feel free to share :)
Here's five things I've noticed about good titles while I've been thinking on the subject. All the examples are taken from Total-e-bound's currently available or coming soon list.
1. Alliteration.
That's the repititon of the same sounds, if you're recollectiong of school room english lessons is as hazy as mine. Bound Brits, Naughty Nibbles, Campus Cravings, Solstice Seduction. Alliteration is a classic title tool for a reason. The titles are easier to remember and they are the ones which tend to roll around in your head. The ones that you remember even if you don't try to.
2. Key words.
There are probably as many key words as there are readers out there. If there is a certain something that rocks your boat, you're probably going to pay a lot of attention if that word if in the title. If you're looking for a sweet romance, love, romanace and such are probably going to be high on your list.
If you like a different sort of romance, you might find titles involving leather, or submission hit the right spot. You're not going to miss out on a title like Whipped or Beg Me. If you like your vampires you're unlikely to skip over Duet in Blood.
3. Character names.
If you hit on the right name for your character, this could be the perfect place to showcase it. If it's Seducing Damien, Joey's First Time, Tempting Tamera or Convincing Cate I don't think anything makes you contect with a characters faster than having their name right there in the title, inviting you to come in and share their life for a while.
4. Double meanings.
Rough Ride, Sweet Topping, Along for the ride, double meanings are always a good thing. Anything that makes me smile is going to make me pick up the book and pay attention, and for some reasons nothing does that better than a good double meaning.
5. A bit of mystery
One of the best ways I think there is of getting people to click on a title and read the blurb, it to have a bit of mystery in the title. Blue Dragon Challenge, Raw Silk, and From the Ruins all make me want to find out more.
.....
Unfortunatly I've also come to the conclusion I need to get a lot better at naming my stories, because I don't do any of the above in most of my titles.
Anyone else got a great title or tip for naming books, feel free to share :)
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Wondering about... Titles
I don't know if anyone else gets this trouble, but I either get a title in my head right away or it just doesn't happen at all.
I have a lot of titles that I'm longing to use and no real story to go with them yet. I've then got a whole other list of stories that I can't work out titles for.
The story I'm editing at the moment is currently called, For the Duration. Before that it was called Time to Do. I keep switching back and forth between the titles again and again. They both fit in with the theme of time (the novella is for the Perfect Timing series), and both titles fit the book.
The problem is neither of them really zings, if you know what I mean? They are okay. What I'm really looking for is something that's a hell of a lot better than okay.
Anyone got any good ideas on ways to come up with titles? I've got the rest of the series named, but this one book is proving to be a bit of a bugger.
What else?
I've re-jigged my website a bit if anyone wants to have a look. Feel free to drop a comment here if you notice anywhere I've screwed it up.
By the Hour, the last one in the time series (I like that title, by the way) is being restarted from scratch because the original start couldn't be re-written to fit the way I want the story to develope.
For the Duration, or whatever it ends up being called, is going through another edit today and tomorrow. Hopefully I can to my last big edit on Friday and have it off to my editor on the weekend.
I have a lot of titles that I'm longing to use and no real story to go with them yet. I've then got a whole other list of stories that I can't work out titles for.
The story I'm editing at the moment is currently called, For the Duration. Before that it was called Time to Do. I keep switching back and forth between the titles again and again. They both fit in with the theme of time (the novella is for the Perfect Timing series), and both titles fit the book.
The problem is neither of them really zings, if you know what I mean? They are okay. What I'm really looking for is something that's a hell of a lot better than okay.
Anyone got any good ideas on ways to come up with titles? I've got the rest of the series named, but this one book is proving to be a bit of a bugger.
What else?
I've re-jigged my website a bit if anyone wants to have a look. Feel free to drop a comment here if you notice anywhere I've screwed it up.
By the Hour, the last one in the time series (I like that title, by the way) is being restarted from scratch because the original start couldn't be re-written to fit the way I want the story to develope.
For the Duration, or whatever it ends up being called, is going through another edit today and tomorrow. Hopefully I can to my last big edit on Friday and have it off to my editor on the weekend.
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
The Gift
The closing date has passed. It's official. I'm in Total-e-bound's Christmas Spirits Anthology.
My novella is one of those for the Spirit of Christmas Past.
It's called The Gift and it's due to be released on 8th December as a e-book, and hopefully as a print book around the same date.
It's a male/male BDSM romance. Since it inludes a spirit, I guess it's also a paranormal story.
Here's the blurb for it:
Just because Charles doesn’t see any point in making a fuss about Christmas, that doesn’t mean he can’t tolerate Nicky’s passion for tinsel and holly. He’s never forbidden his pet from enjoying any of his Christmas traditions and he thinks that’s enough.
Nicky has one ambition – to give his master a perfect Christmas. He’s willing to do anything to make that happen – even if it means taking risks and asking his master for special privileges - even if that means inviting a third man into their bed.
The Spirit of Christmas Past isn’t used to visiting Christmases that involve quite so much nudity, passion or kinky sex. Leading a dominant man like Charles through the Christmases isn’t easy – and keeping his eyes off the frequently naked Nicky is impossible. Still, all the spirit can do is enjoy the show – because his job is to bring lovers together and fade away inconspicuously. That’s the plan. However, if someone suddenly wants to thank him, who is he to say no?
Excerpts etc to follow closer to the release date.
My novella is one of those for the Spirit of Christmas Past.
It's called The Gift and it's due to be released on 8th December as a e-book, and hopefully as a print book around the same date.
It's a male/male BDSM romance. Since it inludes a spirit, I guess it's also a paranormal story.
Here's the blurb for it:
Just because Charles doesn’t see any point in making a fuss about Christmas, that doesn’t mean he can’t tolerate Nicky’s passion for tinsel and holly. He’s never forbidden his pet from enjoying any of his Christmas traditions and he thinks that’s enough.
Nicky has one ambition – to give his master a perfect Christmas. He’s willing to do anything to make that happen – even if it means taking risks and asking his master for special privileges - even if that means inviting a third man into their bed.
The Spirit of Christmas Past isn’t used to visiting Christmases that involve quite so much nudity, passion or kinky sex. Leading a dominant man like Charles through the Christmases isn’t easy – and keeping his eyes off the frequently naked Nicky is impossible. Still, all the spirit can do is enjoy the show – because his job is to bring lovers together and fade away inconspicuously. That’s the plan. However, if someone suddenly wants to thank him, who is he to say no?
Excerpts etc to follow closer to the release date.
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