Happy New Year all! And apologies because I know it's halfway through January already (how did that happen?), but blogging had kind of slipped into a comfortable it-hasn't-been-that-long sort of place in my head.
Sorry!
I had a fabulous Christmas this year, not only had the small one reached an age (4) where she really understood Christmas and Santa and all the twinkly wonderfulness of it for the first time, but it was also a big Christmas year (my other two children are from a previous marriage and so we share Christmases - this year was mine so I had a lovely houseful!). With DH home over the break I also had time to try out a couple of new things I've been wanting to give a go for a while.
One is fast-drafting - in its truest sense it involves writing a full first draft of a novel within 2 weeks by using strict word counts and abandoning your inner editor, a concept developed by Candace Havens, see here for more details. I watered it down somewhat by simply writing without looking back and editing as I went, without strict aim regarding wordcount. This was a big thing for me as I usually go back over everything daily, tweaking and fine tuning, and I know this limits my first draft productivity.
The other is writing hot. I have only ever written sweet romance - my couple get to have a bit of intense snogging and then the hero slams the door with his foot and we cut to breakfast - that kind of level! Not really sure what's held me back (thought of my mother reading it? - a bit maybe), only that I've always been quite satisfied with a happy ever after without the need for any detail in love scenes. (I am a huge fan of Jill Mansell, her stories have never needed a hot sex scene for me to love them.)
However.
I've nonetheless been curious as to whether I could write hot or not. And so over the Christmas break I combined my two wonderings and tried to fast-draft a fairly hot romantic novella. Writing sex was a whole new world. How hot is too hot? I check in with the DH, who is at first interested in the whole concept, but as I feared it turns out to be on an FHM kind of level as he is bemused when I tell him about the kind of language used (no coarse descriptive words etc) and the fact that it has to convey emotion and development in the romance. If left to him I fear the story would turn out to be worthy of Loaded or Nuts.
Soon-to-be-16-year-old son isn't fazed and advises me, pound signs in eyes, to 'write porn under an assumed name.' Even my teenagers have heard of Fifty Shades. Sigh.
Fast drafting seemed to work in that I got a full draft in a couple of weeks, however the editing stage which normally isn't too intensive turns out to be monumental. I've given myself a couple of weeks to drum it into some kind of shape and I have no idea if the end result will find a home although I've got a few places to try and pitch it.
In other, proper, real-stories-that-I-might-actually-get-paid-for news, I now have a name for Alice and Harry (the much-hated Book #2 which I called The Date Pool, because it is about an office betting ring). I am thrilled to announce that it will be called 'All Bets Are On' and I have to say I love this title and wish I'd thought of it myself.
I am also thrilled to bits to announce that I am heading into 2013 with a new two-book contract, and I am currently putting together some ideas for a new story to submit to my lovely editor.
So that's it. I feel very busy, but in a good way. Hope 2013 brings you all that you could wish for too.
Showing posts with label The Date Pool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Date Pool. Show all posts
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Second Book Syndrome
Yes there is a proper name for the way I've been behaving and feeling these last few months working on Book #2! The whinging that 'I suck', the endless rewriting of scenes, the feeling that the story/characters are just not sparky/engaging/funny enough. I sweated blood over the wretched thing and for the bulk of the time I really wasn't feeling the magic.
Second Book Syndrome is apparently notorious among people who are writing their first book since receiving a publishing contract. In a nutshell it's the fear that you will be a one-book-wonder, that you will never replicate whatever it was that made your first story good and saleable. It's documented! Which in some way should make me feel better about myconstant moaning and self-criticism about Book #2, which I call The Date Pool and my lovely editor calls 'Alice & Harry'. As I wrote it I could imagine my editor reading through it, shaking her head sadly and saying 'she had so much promise...'
Although technically The Date Pool is my third book for Mills & Boon, the second one (The Proposal Plan, release April 2013) was actually written before the first one and was initially rejected (are you with me?). Therefore, The Date Pool is the first thing I've written since being offered a contract. This is the first time I've actually had an obligation to deliver and the first time that I've had anyone apart from myself to let down. And I think that is at the hub of it.
If you Google it, there are TONS of poor souls out there, just like me, who have struggled with their second book. And if you've stumbled on this post because you are Googling it, just like I did, in the desperate desire for some snippet of advice that will magically provide the answer, I'm really sorry to tell you that there is no amazing cure. What I can do is tell you what I've learned from the last six months in the hope that it will help in some small way.
Firstly, know that you are not alone and that all the people I encountered who blogged about their experience did come through it with a finished book.
Secondly, the nearest thing I found to a solution boils down to one thing: DISCIPLINE.
Set yourself a daily word goal (mine was 1k) and do not give up until you reach it for that day, even if you are still fiddling at three in the afternoon and your house is turning into a pigsty.
Keep going. Even if you think you are writing total crap, keep going. Because most of the time, it will turn out not to be total crap. Some of it might be, but you can weed that out when you've got yourself a full draft to revise. I definitely turned a huge corner when I managed to type THE END. The work was by no means done, I still had loads of revisions to do after that, there were scenes that needed ditching or rewriting and lots of dross to cut, but making changes was so much easier than writing from scratch. And the advantage of having invested all that angst and effort into getting to the end of a full draft was that I really knew my characters well by then. Revisions were much easier as a result.
I said to DH as I finally handed it in after the last few tweaky revisions, 'I'm actually pretty pleased with the story now.' 'Great,' he said. 'Because you've done nothing but moan about it for the last four months.' O_O
I am not the only one at Chez Phillips who was pleased to see the back of this one!
And so it is with enormous relief and excitement and happiness that I am able to announce that The Date Pool (that name will SO be changed!) has been accepted and is scheduled for publication in August 2013.
Thanks everyone for all supportive comments and kicks up the butt during the last six months. X
Second Book Syndrome is apparently notorious among people who are writing their first book since receiving a publishing contract. In a nutshell it's the fear that you will be a one-book-wonder, that you will never replicate whatever it was that made your first story good and saleable. It's documented! Which in some way should make me feel better about myconstant moaning and self-criticism about Book #2, which I call The Date Pool and my lovely editor calls 'Alice & Harry'. As I wrote it I could imagine my editor reading through it, shaking her head sadly and saying 'she had so much promise...'
Although technically The Date Pool is my third book for Mills & Boon, the second one (The Proposal Plan, release April 2013) was actually written before the first one and was initially rejected (are you with me?). Therefore, The Date Pool is the first thing I've written since being offered a contract. This is the first time I've actually had an obligation to deliver and the first time that I've had anyone apart from myself to let down. And I think that is at the hub of it.
If you Google it, there are TONS of poor souls out there, just like me, who have struggled with their second book. And if you've stumbled on this post because you are Googling it, just like I did, in the desperate desire for some snippet of advice that will magically provide the answer, I'm really sorry to tell you that there is no amazing cure. What I can do is tell you what I've learned from the last six months in the hope that it will help in some small way.
Firstly, know that you are not alone and that all the people I encountered who blogged about their experience did come through it with a finished book.
Secondly, the nearest thing I found to a solution boils down to one thing: DISCIPLINE.
Set yourself a daily word goal (mine was 1k) and do not give up until you reach it for that day, even if you are still fiddling at three in the afternoon and your house is turning into a pigsty.
Keep going. Even if you think you are writing total crap, keep going. Because most of the time, it will turn out not to be total crap. Some of it might be, but you can weed that out when you've got yourself a full draft to revise. I definitely turned a huge corner when I managed to type THE END. The work was by no means done, I still had loads of revisions to do after that, there were scenes that needed ditching or rewriting and lots of dross to cut, but making changes was so much easier than writing from scratch. And the advantage of having invested all that angst and effort into getting to the end of a full draft was that I really knew my characters well by then. Revisions were much easier as a result.
I said to DH as I finally handed it in after the last few tweaky revisions, 'I'm actually pretty pleased with the story now.' 'Great,' he said. 'Because you've done nothing but moan about it for the last four months.' O_O
I am not the only one at Chez Phillips who was pleased to see the back of this one!
And so it is with enormous relief and excitement and happiness that I am able to announce that The Date Pool (that name will SO be changed!) has been accepted and is scheduled for publication in August 2013.
Thanks everyone for all supportive comments and kicks up the butt during the last six months. X
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
My First Cover!
Here it is! My first ever cover for Secrets of the Rich & Famous - I can't describe the unreality of looking at it and seeing my name on it! It's an old-style cover since RIVA is still in its relaunch stage until the end of the year, but I don't care! I'm so delighted with it and I couldn't wait to share!
Here is the back blurb...
"Can she fake it until she makes it?
Join me, journalist Jen Brown (aka Little Miss Ordinary), as I research my next article: can anyone bag a Chelsea millionaire if she looks the part? I'm discovering that the glossy, I-haven't-spent-any-time-on-my-appearance look isn't quick...
To make sure I can fake it with the best of them at the whirlwind of intimidatingly glam Christmas parties, I've blagged myself a secret weapon: the help of genuine billionaire and deliciously gorgeous film director Alex Hammond."
But to be honest, they could have put two warthogs on the cover with my name underneath and I would still have been excited! It's the stuff of dreams.
Secrets of the Rich & Famous is due to be released 7th December, but due to the RIVA relaunch it will only get a limited release - it will be part of the UK Mills & Boon Direct To Consumer programme. There will also be a few print copies available on Amazon UK only, click here if you would like one and it will take you there. Hopefully a wider digital release will happen at a later date.
In other news I have emerged from the revisions cave and have pressed SEND on the full MS of The Date Pool. There are likely to be still more revisions but hopefully not horrific ones now, so I am feeling much calmer and am busy catching up on neglected housework and family stuff for a day or two.
Back with a progress report soon!
Friday, 19 October 2012
Revisions!
Greetings from the kitchen Revision Cave!
And thank you so much for all the lovely supportive comments I've had on here and on Twitter following my recent conviction that I suck at writing. I feel particularly bad about said wallowing in the light of SYTYCW, since so many of the entries I read were fantastic - I have no idea how the judges manage to whittle them down to any kind of shortlist - and I know there are lots of people out there who have as their goal the very thing I have been whinging about.
I thought self-doubt would be something that would simply disappear after I got the magical validation that is the publishing contract, but have to admit I have struggled with this darned book 2 far more than I have with anything I ever wrote on the journey here. I knew the constant thought that 'this isn't as good/sparky/funny as book 1' was inhibiting me, but I couldn't seem to help myself dwelling on it.
I submitted revised Chapters 1-6 of the Date Pool plus new Chapters 7-9 at the end of last week, absolutely convinced that I would receive back the revisions from hell, and very possibly rewrites. And having bitten my nails all week, yesterday I got an email back from my lovely editor.
Yes there are revisions. Of course there are. But they are not the monstrous rewrites from hell that I thought they would be. And she counterbalanced them with lots of things that she likes and that I am doing right. (*fragile ego sighs with relief*) What I have overlooked in my self-criticism is that I am not floundering around on my own to make this story work - she wants it to work as much as I do. And she is a brilliant source of ideas, plot tweaks and suggestions on how to deepen conflict and improve scenes I already have. As I prepare myself for a couple of weeks working through these revisions, I feel part of a team and I feel like I have a sense of perspective again.
I know there will likely be even more revisions down the line. But I feel like the ones I have are doable, I'm even excited about them because I can see already how they will make the story flow and work so much better. And so meltdown is over, for now.
Scuttling off now to the cave and I will keep you posted!
And thank you so much for all the lovely supportive comments I've had on here and on Twitter following my recent conviction that I suck at writing. I feel particularly bad about said wallowing in the light of SYTYCW, since so many of the entries I read were fantastic - I have no idea how the judges manage to whittle them down to any kind of shortlist - and I know there are lots of people out there who have as their goal the very thing I have been whinging about.
I thought self-doubt would be something that would simply disappear after I got the magical validation that is the publishing contract, but have to admit I have struggled with this darned book 2 far more than I have with anything I ever wrote on the journey here. I knew the constant thought that 'this isn't as good/sparky/funny as book 1' was inhibiting me, but I couldn't seem to help myself dwelling on it.
I submitted revised Chapters 1-6 of the Date Pool plus new Chapters 7-9 at the end of last week, absolutely convinced that I would receive back the revisions from hell, and very possibly rewrites. And having bitten my nails all week, yesterday I got an email back from my lovely editor.
Yes there are revisions. Of course there are. But they are not the monstrous rewrites from hell that I thought they would be. And she counterbalanced them with lots of things that she likes and that I am doing right. (*fragile ego sighs with relief*) What I have overlooked in my self-criticism is that I am not floundering around on my own to make this story work - she wants it to work as much as I do. And she is a brilliant source of ideas, plot tweaks and suggestions on how to deepen conflict and improve scenes I already have. As I prepare myself for a couple of weeks working through these revisions, I feel part of a team and I feel like I have a sense of perspective again.
I know there will likely be even more revisions down the line. But I feel like the ones I have are doable, I'm even excited about them because I can see already how they will make the story flow and work so much better. And so meltdown is over, for now.
Scuttling off now to the cave and I will keep you posted!
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Unexpected Happy News!
I received a set of revisions this week on the first three chapters of 'The Date Pool'. Not too bad thankfully, and as usual all the suggestions are wish-I'd-thought-of-that brilliant. I know they will make the story much stronger. I've already started on them and hope to get them out of the way this week, then I move on to writing chapters 4-6 and submit to my editor again at the half-way point.
I wanted to discuss one of the revision points before I got stuck in and emailed my editor to let her know, so when I got a phone call from her later in the day I naturally expected it to be about that. I was absolutely floored when instead she offered to buy my very first MS, the one I submitted via slush back in summer 2010, which went through two rounds of revisions under her supervision and was eventually rejected.
I am thrilled to announce that 'The Proposal Plan' (as I called it, the name may yet be changed) will be published by Mills & Boon RIVA in the UK only, in Spring of 2013!
Following the relaunch of RIVA in the UK and the introduction of the KISS line in North America, the intention is that titles will be simultaneously released in both lines from the middle of next year. In order to line the releases up in this way, there will be a short period early next year where a slot is available for a UK-only release. 'The Proposal Plan' will take up one of these slots.
I am absolutely over the moon that this story - which really was my baby - will finally see the light of day. I started it twenty-odd years ago, stuck it in the wardrobe when life and kids took over and only finished it when I stopped work to have the small one. With the encouragement of DH I finished it and sent it off, thinking that it might be rubbish but at least it wouldn't be rubbish cluttering up my cupboard anymore. The revisions were tough. The final third of the book was total cliche *toes curl as I remember*, and had to be completely rewritten, I had to cut one of the characters out and there were some major scene changes. But I loved the end result and I was so disappointed when it was rejected. I always hoped if I got published that I might be able to rework it one day and get it out there. I just didn't expect it to be anytime in this decade!
I am waiting to hear about the title and release details, and in the meantime I am cracking on with 'The Date Pool' with renewed enthusiasm.
So my message of the week is: never give up hope on those rejected MS's. They might make it out there one day!
I wanted to discuss one of the revision points before I got stuck in and emailed my editor to let her know, so when I got a phone call from her later in the day I naturally expected it to be about that. I was absolutely floored when instead she offered to buy my very first MS, the one I submitted via slush back in summer 2010, which went through two rounds of revisions under her supervision and was eventually rejected.
I am thrilled to announce that 'The Proposal Plan' (as I called it, the name may yet be changed) will be published by Mills & Boon RIVA in the UK only, in Spring of 2013!
Following the relaunch of RIVA in the UK and the introduction of the KISS line in North America, the intention is that titles will be simultaneously released in both lines from the middle of next year. In order to line the releases up in this way, there will be a short period early next year where a slot is available for a UK-only release. 'The Proposal Plan' will take up one of these slots.
I am absolutely over the moon that this story - which really was my baby - will finally see the light of day. I started it twenty-odd years ago, stuck it in the wardrobe when life and kids took over and only finished it when I stopped work to have the small one. With the encouragement of DH I finished it and sent it off, thinking that it might be rubbish but at least it wouldn't be rubbish cluttering up my cupboard anymore. The revisions were tough. The final third of the book was total cliche *toes curl as I remember*, and had to be completely rewritten, I had to cut one of the characters out and there were some major scene changes. But I loved the end result and I was so disappointed when it was rejected. I always hoped if I got published that I might be able to rework it one day and get it out there. I just didn't expect it to be anytime in this decade!
I am waiting to hear about the title and release details, and in the meantime I am cracking on with 'The Date Pool' with renewed enthusiasm.
So my message of the week is: never give up hope on those rejected MS's. They might make it out there one day!
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Loveable Heroines
I thought I'd post this week about heroines, since I am up to my ears in my new MS and (as is usual for me) my heroine, Alice, feels like my best mate and is hogging the story and my hero, the gorgeous Harry, feels a bit of an enigma to me. I have just submitted my partial of the story to my editor and I know the revisions she comes back with will relate to him.
My favourite heroines have always been quirky, funny and loveable and they are exactly the kind I like to write now. I remember watching a romantic comedy while I was at university and wishing I was the heroine, or failing that her best friend. In fact, I think my love of romantic comedy stems from that film even though it wasn't mainstream.
What film was this? I hear you ask.
In the early 1990s Rik Mayall did a series of three hour-long shows for ITV, called Rik Mayall Presents... and one of these was a romantic comedy called 'Dancing Queen'. Rik starred as Neil, a spoilt yuppy whose mates play a stag night prank on him. First they hire a stripper and ply him with alcohol, and then they steal his trousers and stick him on a train. He wakes up on his way to Scarborough with the stripper, Julie, sitting opposite him.
Julie was played by Helena Bonham Carter, totally against her usual type, and she is absolutely adorable.
The music is wonderful - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel singing 'Come Up and See Me' as Neil runs trouserless around Scarborough clutching an alarm clock trying to work out how to get back to London in time for his wedding. And in the final scene Julie is twirling an umbrella about as she dances to ABBA on the beach and Neil speeds across the sand to find her in his BMW.
Rik Mayall is surprisingly perfect as the hero. But Helena Bonham-Carter's Northerner Julie steals the show as she talks about her conflict ('I were too young, he were too fat') and asks about Neil's wedding ('What's your fiancee's name? Sophie? That's a pretty name. Julie's horrible. Makes you think of Julie Andrews.'). I don't think I've ever rooted for someone more.
Unfortunately I think the only way you can watch this now is on YouTube, but if you ever get the chance to see it, I can't recommend it highly enough. Very much in the mould of Four Weddings and a Funeral, the sheer delicious happy-ever-afterness of it is fabulous.
Anyone else remember it? And is there a film or story that really fed your love of romance or a hero/heroine that you really love?
I am off to get to know my hero a bit better.
My favourite heroines have always been quirky, funny and loveable and they are exactly the kind I like to write now. I remember watching a romantic comedy while I was at university and wishing I was the heroine, or failing that her best friend. In fact, I think my love of romantic comedy stems from that film even though it wasn't mainstream.
What film was this? I hear you ask.
In the early 1990s Rik Mayall did a series of three hour-long shows for ITV, called Rik Mayall Presents... and one of these was a romantic comedy called 'Dancing Queen'. Rik starred as Neil, a spoilt yuppy whose mates play a stag night prank on him. First they hire a stripper and ply him with alcohol, and then they steal his trousers and stick him on a train. He wakes up on his way to Scarborough with the stripper, Julie, sitting opposite him.
Julie was played by Helena Bonham Carter, totally against her usual type, and she is absolutely adorable.
The music is wonderful - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel singing 'Come Up and See Me' as Neil runs trouserless around Scarborough clutching an alarm clock trying to work out how to get back to London in time for his wedding. And in the final scene Julie is twirling an umbrella about as she dances to ABBA on the beach and Neil speeds across the sand to find her in his BMW.
Rik Mayall is surprisingly perfect as the hero. But Helena Bonham-Carter's Northerner Julie steals the show as she talks about her conflict ('I were too young, he were too fat') and asks about Neil's wedding ('What's your fiancee's name? Sophie? That's a pretty name. Julie's horrible. Makes you think of Julie Andrews.'). I don't think I've ever rooted for someone more.
Unfortunately I think the only way you can watch this now is on YouTube, but if you ever get the chance to see it, I can't recommend it highly enough. Very much in the mould of Four Weddings and a Funeral, the sheer delicious happy-ever-afterness of it is fabulous.
Anyone else remember it? And is there a film or story that really fed your love of romance or a hero/heroine that you really love?
I am off to get to know my hero a bit better.
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Diving in!
After a couple of weeks of major league character planning, during which I filled out huge character questionnaires and imagined myself shopping, holidaying and goodness-knows-what with my hero and heroine, I am now ready to start writing the story. So in the next couple of days (small one has been ill, so everything has been on hold) I will be revisiting my plot board and getting started on Chapters 1-3 of The Date Pool (my pet name for the story, although my editor is calling it Alice and Harry).
Hope to blog in the next week or so about how it's going, can't deny I am super excited to be starting a new story but I am also trying to ignore Captain Doubt whispering about one-book wonders.
In the meantime I am taking part in Tea Cooper's roundup of the progress made by some of the entrants of New Voices 2011. Come and join me over at her blog if you have time for 'New Voices - Where Are We Now?' www.teacooperauthor.com
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