I’ve written 35 books. Many of them have been on the best-seller list. A number have won awards. And at least half are….romance. When I get to that last sentence, whatever literary cred I’ve earned with the first three statements seems to vanish. “You write Romance?” someone will ask, (as if they haven’t heard me) and sometimes add an accompanying look of…disdain? Disappointment? As if writing romance is somehow less highbrow than general fiction. I hate the assumption that general fiction is better written. Hogwash. Words are words, and the truth is, writing fabulous genre fiction is harder than general fiction. You have to stand out in a category with your words while delivering a plot that follows the genre constructs. General fiction can be wonderful…or it can be a […]
Read the RestTag Archives | How to write a novel
Conversations with an Aspiring Novelist: What is voice and how to you find yours?
Outside, the wind howled, the thermometer dropping to a bracing negative nine degrees as I waited for Sally to arrive for our Monday Morning conversation. I had hoped she’d found a story question as she thought about the themes of her story. Ironically, I’d been thinking about marketing my new book, and had to return to the storyquestion of that book to create the right marketing and PR campaign. I blew on my hot cocoa, glad I’d opted for a large as Sally came in, wrapped in a scarf and hat, the icy blast dragging in behind her. Anne already had her coffee ready. Sally set a stack of books on the table as she retrieved her coffee. I looked at her choices – Jane Eyre, the movies Pearl Harbor […]
Read the RestMBT Christmas Sale!
Give the gift of helping someone achieve their dreams this Christmas! To celebrate the season, MBT is offering a store-wide 25% off sale on our products! Okay, it’s Shameless Promotion day at MBT! To celebrate Christmas, we’re slashing our prices on our entire store by 25%! (Deets on the bottom on how to get this great savings on your entire order!) But you might be wondering…what’s in the store? Well, there’s: From the Inside-Out: Discover, Create and Publish the Novel in You. It’s my foundational writer’s guide to creating a novel, from idea to publishing. It’s our best-seller, and makes a great gift for someone who just needs to learn the basics. Then…there’s Deep and Wide: Advanced Fiction Techniques. This is the advanced guide to writing a novel – all […]
Read the RestThe Construction of Chapter 8 – Kenzie’s scene. Don’t Rush the Drama!
One of the struggles I see with many writers – and even myself – is the rush to the climatic parts of the story. They see the drama of the big pieces and want to get there immediately to wow the reader. However, the problem is when we don’t give the drama resonance – when we don’t show the progression of emotions leading up to it, and the significance of the drama, we miss out on the punch. I always advise clients to take their time, to feel the nuances of the scene and allow the reader to, also. However, sometimes it can feel like eating an elephant. You have so far to go, and today you’reworking on a toenail. (okay, yuck. Maybe I should find another analogy). What […]
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