Extra! Extra! Special

Ohmigosh -- a new computer (Rae -- Santa DID bring me one, via three of my kids, *total* surprise!), new boards and deadline dementia is a wicked scary combination!   But I can already tell I'm going to love the new boards once I figure them out.  And the computer.  Maybe even the book.

Ami -- thanks so much!  Violet and Rudy were so much fun to write, so I'm delighted that readers are loving them, too.  Next up is Kevin's story, BABY, I'M YOURS, out in stores in April but available on eHar Mar. 1.

Karen T.

Wow...this is a cool playground! Lots of new toys to play with here... now...if I can just get it all figured out!

Okay, back to writing now!

I love reading Silhouette Special Edition books.  But there was very little going on on the old thread.  Hope it gets busy.

Whew, still trying to navigate around the new forum, but at least the old room names are still here! Glad to see some familiar (and larger) faces.

Tina

Glad to see everyone here . . . I'm trying to find all my favorite threads.  I panicked for a minute, not sure how to find everything, but I think it will all make sense after a few days.

How's everyone doing?  I was really busy over the holidays, but now that things have slowed down, I'm back to working on my new ms--sixty pages done! 

Exciting news--I finished first runner-up in the Conflict of Interest contest!  See my pic over on the Writing Challenges page.  The best part is that I got a call from an editor at Superromance who is sending me revision suggestions and asked that I make the changes and send her the full!  I'd love to write for both Super and Special Edition so I'd best get writing . . . fast!  Take care!

Yay Shelley. Great news.

 Mary Beth

Of course, the dude of the cover of YMOO doesn't even remotely resemble Ray Stevenson (Titus Pollo of ROME fame!), but that's okay.  I absolutely adored both of these characters...although Violet probably wouldn't agree with you about the hair!

Way to go girl. Good luck with those revisions. Can't wait to have another first sale party.

 I don't normally post on this loop but I love SE's. I've added this loop to my favorites and I have a story in mind that I think would fit this line. Now, if I just had more time.....  

Well, Karen, that makes perfect sense. I*Love*Titus*Pullo! And the resemblence to him and Rudy are exact!

Cindy T.  weeping all over again over the loss of Rome

YAYAYAY!!! What a huge accomplishment! Go you and get that baby done and sent! Fingers and everything else crossed for you!

Hi'ya Jennifer!

I've forgotten what everyone posted about... ok, so ^5 and hugs for whoever wants and needs it.

<Somebody talk about something!>

OK so shall we talk about the rainy nasty cold weather I am presently experiencing????? Or the fact that I got my Feb SSE's read and can't wait for more of the DADS IN PROGRESS series?

Nope, Jennifer. I mentioned that same thing in another thread a few days, or yesterday?, ago.

We're supposed to get 1-2 inches of snow by tomorrow morning.

How's Mark, Rae?

I can't seem to make myself sit and write! I can sit at the 'puter for hours, but I can't seem to write!

<must go try!>

The more I think about it, the more I think I should just scrap the wip and start all over. The motivation is there, the chars are wonderful, the emotion is real-ish for a rough draft- but when I ask myself where this couple is going I get a big fat BLANK. So, I'm seriously thinking, or realizing, that something's wrong with a) the story line, b) the plot, c) my execution of it all. Also, I don't really know where this one is targeted. With SSE, HAR, or HR. So, I'm just thinking... New beginning time! Any suggestions?

Lisa, I'm afraid I would agree with Jennifer, that maybe you should plot your story before throwing away a partial ms that sounds like it has great potential. It truly does sound as simple as figuring out first what their goals are and going from there.

There are many craft books that can give you ideas on how to go about realizing your story before writing (or continuing to write). Of course, the obvious way is to write a synopsis, but you could  also storyboard, use Debra Dixon's GMC method, etc. And the good thing is you can do one or all of these things, whatever you need to do to understand your story.

My method is to start with a synopsis, then as I go deep into the story, begin with the storyboard. I finish my synopsis, but don't always flesh out my stroyboard, simply because it is an aid to my synopsis and I don't need it filled out to know what scene needs to be next.

Without the synopsis, my biggest weaknesses shined through. They are conflict and motivation. Yours might only be conflict, but using a method to realize your stroy will help aliviate any problems you might have.

If you move onto another story now, you might find yourself in the same boat with the new one. It truly is better to stop writing and figure out what your writing process should be to be able to write the best book possible.

This is all my HO, but I hope I've been able to help you!

Cindy T.

Although you've been given great advice about how to fix your ms, there's something I'd like to point out.

A few years ago I went through a phase where I felt everything I wrote just sucked.  I'd be all excited about an idea, start writing it, then hate everything I wrote.  I'd try to fix it, then ultimately end up scraping it and starting all over.  This went on and on and on for months. 

I finally fix the problem by waiting until I further into the story before I went back.  I've found that if I stop to edit after only a few chapters I would end up deciding what I had wasn't worth saving.  But if I was six, seven chapters in, I wouldn't as tempted to scrap it.  I'd have more invested in the story.

I don't know if this even applies.  You may be farther in your story, but if you start over you run the risk of getting into that habit every time a storyline gives you trouble.  And let's face it, what first draft doesn't suck?

Hope this helps.

Sandy 

Lisa, I feel you pain. I floundered from one method to another, all of which I hated as well, because I was a pantster. And I also considered myself a wee bit lazy because I didn't want to do the synopsis and other things. But now I don't see it as laziness, I see it as being overwhelmed with all the different methods, everyone telling me something differenent, and that it's the ONLY way to make your story work perfect. Now I see the limitations I put on my writer were all bogus. I needed to remember that what works for one person (and that is including my advice to you ) may not work for anyone else. You're not lazy you just don't know where to start, and the thought of working your way trough all the techniques until you find what clicks for you is daunting.

I wish I could tell you it was easy to know what method worked for me, but it wasn't. I happened on storyboarding long after I knew the benefits of a suckopsis. I hated them so much. Now it's still a love/hate relationship. But the storyboarding helped me visualize, which naturally helped me understand where the story was going. In other words, I fell into my method.

As for this story, do whatever feels right right now, even if that's to stop working on it altogther. You have to allow yourself time to get in tune with your writing process. For me, and I'm sure for most, it didn't happen overnight. But when it happens, you will see a definate improvement in your structure and in your progress from unpublished to publshed author. I say this now as an unpublished author knowing full well I will become published because I've found my method--not so much arrogant as determined beyond all measure.

Cindy T.

Finally I'm ready to print out my requested SSE.  I'm still doing a bit of proofreading, and a few final tweaks to the wording, but basically I'M DONE!!! 

Now all I have to do is sprinkle it with fairy dust, hope the ms gods are paying attention and send it off.  Although all this talk about a year or more wait times has me a bit depressed. 

But as they say onward and upwards.

Sandy 

Mary Beth and Rae :)

 Wouldn't you know my printer is broke.  <sigh>  Probably won't get a new one until later in the week.  I was so determined to submit this week, but oh well, what's another few days. 

Good luck to everyone with whatever project you're working on.  I'll keep the submission gods handy for you.

Sandy 

Thanks for the heads up, Rae :)

I'm having a bit of a problem.  My last tweak of my ms turned into more than just a tweak.  The more I looked the more things I found wrong <sigh>.  After stalling out for three days on chap 6, trying to rewrite a scene that I ended up putting it back to the way I orginally had it (don't ask why, long story) I finally just said, That's it!  I'm done.  Whatever happens, happens.

I should be getting a printer tomorrow, and I'm not even sure if I'm going to attempt a final proofread because I know I will find things that I hate, that I just have to change, and I'll be at this FOREVER.  Well, okay, I'm exaggerating, but you know what I mean.

Basically what I'm ranting about is have any of you ever felt like you're doing more harm to a ms than good by continually editing it?  I just loved the way my last ms turned out and I'm not nearly as satisfied with this one, but I'm starting to think this one is about as good as its going to get.  Well without additional input from someone more in the know.

So to edit or to not edit?

Sandy 

What Rae said! Step away from the ms! Now!