So You Think You Can Write (SYTYCW) - Boot Camp Two - The Sequel

Yesterday, Harlequin held their second Boot Camp of the Year the So You Think You Can Write (SYTYCW) Boot Camp  - this was the sequel!

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you may remember that I took part in last month's Boot Camp (post here) which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was interesting and fun, and good for motivation, plus I also connected with a few more romance writers whom I have kept in touch with on Twitter, so that was a really fun aspect of the day.

Last month I was lucky enough to have pretty much the whole day to myself and devote to the Boot Camp - although by the nature of it, you can dip in and out, which can be handy. This month it fell on a day when there were other things going on, so I wasn't as in depth with it, but I did still get to read all the blog posts, and most of the chats. There was one on the forum on the subject of research which I highly recommend. Reading about what other people do was both useful - and amusing!

Another fun part was the Twitter chat on 'hero and heroine inspiration' - participants tweeted pictures of actors/models whom they used as inspiration for different novels. Looking at pics of gorgeousness - what's not to like? I can certainly think of worse ways to spend time!

The whole thing is to help motivate romance writers, especially those taking part in Harlequin competitions. They also set a challenge each month in the Boot Camp - last month was to send in a first page, from which six are picked for critique on the site. This month's challenge was for a synopsis. I thought I'd have a shot at this. I didn't get picked last month but you've got to keep trying, haven't you? Because this was obviously a challenge that could take longer (is there anyone that enjoys writing a synopsis?), they opened the doors for this the previous evening. I pootled along and got a good half way through mine. It was going quite well and then, disaster! My WP programme just died. For no reason. I went to save it and it effectively told me: 'No, I don't want to.' And promptly shut down. Without saving my work. As it happened, I'd had a pretty rubbish day and the only thing that had gone well was that synopsis. And then it was just gone.

I realise I probably should have saved earlier, which I normally do and then at least I would have lost a smaller amount but still. It was pretty upsetting. By that point it was later in the evening and I didn't have time to start over again then and there. I decided to start again in the morning. Because of the time differences, I had a few hours in the morning to work on it before I needed to get it over for the challenge. However, it seemed the Writing Gods weren't in the same mood yesterday because, wow, it was hard going and it didn't sound anywhere near as good as the previous days work had. Also, with the other stuff going on yesterday, it was a bit harder to absorb into it. In the end, I decided that it just wasn't going to work if I rushed it. I actually have a couple of other WIPs, one of which the synopsis was pretty much done. I decided to tweak this, and make sure it looked ok and then sent that over.

As it was, after all the drama, mine wasn't one of the ones picked for assessment, but I was still glad that I submitted something. Just in case!

I don't know if there will be another Boot Camp next month. They did put out a survey asking what we'd like to see another time, so hopefully there will be more. They're definitely good fun and a good place to link up. May's one had a chat with Editors which was a good opportunity to ask questions that you might not otherwise get to ask, so I'm hoping they might include something like that again. I'll be posting on Twitter if I see any updates, so don't forget to follow me there.

Apart from taking part in the above, I have been really getting on with my writing, which feels great! It's been a bit nuts here because, apart from being up and down with being ill (finally got an appointment on Thursday, wish me luck!), putting in some new front garden borders and doing a bit of temp cover last week, I've been just so eager to get on and write, and read! Which is great! I think I'd lost that a little bit but it really feels like it's back at the moment, which is good.

Now all I need is an acceptance from somewhere to boost that...

Hi to everyone who took part in the Boot Camps and I look forward to carrying on our chats - writing, and non writing related, and good wishes to every writer out there. May you and your pen have a good day!

Happy writing!

Disappointments

The lot of a writer is often interspersed pretty frequently with disappointments. Today was one of those days.

Today was Shortlist Announcement Day for publishers, Choc Lit and their 'Search For A Star' competition. Sadly I wasn't on it.

Of course I know I need to just take it on the chin and move on to the next door and give that one a knock. And I will. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to flail around down here on the mat for half an hour. I really like my book and someone else didn't. Not a new concept for any author, successful or not. You can't please everyone. I know that. But it doesn't make it any easier. Not right now anyway.

Going back to that previous paragraph, what I pick up from that is that I like my book. And I do. Getting it prepared for that submission meant, as we all know, reading it through many times. And I still enjoyed it. I like my characters and wouldn't kick my hero out of bed. I think that's a pretty good start. It might not have been right for Choc Lit but that doesn't mean it's not right for someone else.

But I will get up, brush myself, and my book off and try again. Just not tonight.

Paper Edit 1 Complete

Phew! Have finally finished Paper Edit Number One. I say finished. I've finished making a hideous scribbly mess on the paper manuscript but now have the joyful task of transposing all those squiggles on to the computer version. Fun!

I'm feeling quite good about the changes I've made - at the moment. Probably, like most writers, if you come back to me in about, ooh, say five minutes, I'll be of the opposite opinion and the belief that what I have written and/or changed is terrible and what was I even thinking? But that's all par for the course, isn't it? (Isn't it?!)

I've got to page 56 so far, and obviously still have plenty to go. The thing that did strike me as I've been doing all of these edits is that I've been enjoying going through the novel again, and spending time with my characters. I'm really hoping that may suggest that if I've enjoyed reading it, then there might be other people out there that will feel the same way...fingers crossed!

The plan is to finish transferring all these changes onto the main document and then give it a few days before doing another read through myself. I'll make any changes then that I feel need to be done and then I'll be passing it onto my First Reader (also known as hubby) for an opinion and another pair of eyes for picking up random letters and bits of punctuation that I've left lying around. After that, well, we'll see!

I'm aware that it may seem strange to some that a man is my 'first reader' when it's a romantic novel. Whilst I can understand that, I also think it's good to get a fresh perspective for me. I realise that there are some men who wouldn't be in the slightest bit interested in reading a novel like this and I understand that too, completely! And I have to say, if he was picking out a book to read, it wouldn't be in this genre, and that's fine. But in this case, I've found that it works for me. He'll tell me what he likes and what he doesn't, or what he felt wasn't clear, for example and I trust him to do so. He won't say 'Oh, it's wonderful, darling!' if he thinks it stinks because he knows that I wouldn't want him to do that. Conversely he's not going to nit pick at every tiny thing as I have heard of happening at various writing groups. Personally, I think the two most important things you need in your 'first reader' are trust and honesty. That isn't determined by gender, or genre preference.

In the meantime, I hope everyone else's work is coming along well. Keep on keeping on!

Falling in Love Again

Apologies for the absence. Any of you that have read the blog before will know that last year I had a publisher let me down on a contracted book right at the last minute and, to be honest, it put me off writing for longer than I expected. I did take a break at the time and then try and get back into it, but I don't think my heart was in it. It was the second time I'd experienced a deal being pulled, despite a contract and I think there was a lot of  'why am I bothering' still lingering around inside me.

However, I pulled out a novel that I've been trying to finish editing for ages and got stuck into it. I really enjoyed the first read through (I hope that doesn't sound too vain!) and now Screen Edit 1 is complete, I'm about to start the first paper edit - having first had to schedule in some serious paper buying!

It's taken a while but I've fallen back in love again with, not only my current novel, but also the act of writing itself. I am, once more, bumbling about with my head in the clouds and talking to people who don't exist. It's brilliant!