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What do I Wish I'd Know When I First Started Writing?

What is something you wish you’d known when you first started writing? (Craft or career).

That's the question Coffee Time Romance asked authors this month.

Want to know my answer? Be sure to check it out.


https://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/adjune2019-nj-walters/

Writing Advice That Stuck With Me

What is the one piece of writing advice that stuck with me and why? That's the question Coffee Time Romance asked authors this month.

Want to know my answer? Be sure to check it out.

https://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/adaug2018-nj-walters/

 

New Contract

I'm thrilled to announce that I just signed a new contract with Ellora's Cave for Stroke of Sapphire, which is the final book in the Awakening Desires series. This book is about the final Jewel sister--Sapphire. No date yet, but I will keep you up to date.

In the meantime, back to my WIP--what will probably be the final Tapestries book!

In the Edits Cave

I'll be working on edits over the next few days. Planning to take my time with them so I get them right. Have a wonderful day!

Monday, Monday

A question to ponder for sure. lol I'm a vegetarian, but I've been known to indulge in animal crackers a time or two.

Up very early this morning as hubby is gone on an overnight business trip and his flight left very, very early. It's eight o'clock and I've written 2K so far this morning. Not bad, but I think I need a nap.

Hoping this is a better week for writing as this has been a very slow summer for me. Some writers can write for long stretches at a time. I find I have about two hours in me for the day and I'm usually done. The old brain won't do any more creatively. I find it fascinating how different authors work--some need quiet, others can write anywhere; some write at night, others in the morning; some can write for long stretches, while others can only write in short spurts. Personally, I'm at my best in the morning before my brain gets cluttered with other things. And I need quiet. Can't write to music as my attention gets fractured.

I try to take weekends off from writing, not that it always works out that way, but I figure if I want to keep doing this for the next twenty-plus years I need to have some kind of schedule to keep from burning out.

Authors are always working--creating new stories, writing blog posts, checking social media and yahoo groups, working on advertising and promotional items, etc... The list is long and varied and can be overwhelming at times, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I love what I do and feel privleged to be able to do it. But living and working in the same space can leave you feeling like you're always working, even when you're not.

I'm thinking about taking August away from all the other distractions and concentrating solely on my writing. A lot will depend on what happens between now and the end of July. If I get my writing back on track, I'll simply keep on going as I am. But if I keep stalling, I'll probably unplug from eveything else for a while and throw myself into what I like to do best--writing!

Have a fabulous Monday.

Hmmm...now I want animal crackers. *g*

It's all about perspective

So hubby and I went out for breakfast this morning to the local A & W and we got to talking about writing, which is going to happen from time to time because we're both writers. I was saying how I plan to write one more Tapestries book, but that I'm finished with the Legacy series for now.

"I have nothing left to say in that series," I foolishly said.

"What character do readers ask about most?" hubby asked.

"Damek," I replied. "And his book is coming out in October." I hesitated and said in a small voice. "They ask about Craig too, but it's a paranormal series and he's human."

"Think of what it's like for him living in that world among all those other extraordinary creatures while he's human."

"Hmm," I replied, fearing I heard the creak of the wheels starting to turn in my head.

"He's living on the fringes of that world without really being a part of it," hubby continued.

I guess it's all about perspective and hubby's comment started an entire conversation in my head and before long the ideas were flowing. We talked a while longer about other things, but as we left the restaurant I turned to him and said, "Damn you, now I'm going to have to write Craig's book."

The storyline is churning in my brain. I won't get to it until December or January at the earliest as I have two other books that HAVE to be written first. But then...then I think I'll revisit the Legacy series and Craig Lawton. Turns out, I only thought I was done with this series.

Over at Self Publish or Die!

Be sure to stop by the Self Publish or Die Blog and check out my interview!

The Voices in My Head...Part 2

So, the plan this week was to get back to work on my WIP. I put in a full morning and things were going well. I got through about half of the manuscript, making changes as I went. I'd planned to finish going through what I already had written this afternoon and be ready to start writing fresh tomorrow morning.

The best laid plans...

Just after lunch, I recieved the second round of edits for Damek's Redemption. I'm about halfway through the manuscript again and hope to finish tonight. So tomorrow I'd get back at my WIP. Right?

Not so fast.

Just before supper, I received galley proofs for Finding Chrissten (which will be releasing in print next April). Since this is time-sensitive, I will do these first. Hopefully, I'll be able to do them in two days. Which means by Thursday I'll be back at my WIP. Right?

Nope.

Thursday morning, we have to head out of town. Hubby has a speaking engagement to promote his own work. It's in his hometown and since we haven't been there in more than a decade we decided to go. We'll be back home on Friday since he has other professional obligations.

So I'll be back at my WIP by Friday. Right?

Probably not. By the time we get home, I'll probably be exhausted from the drive. I do my best work early in the morning. I don't mind doing edits in the afternoon, but fresh writing is much harder for me then. Who knows, maybe I'll get inspired. Maybe I'll curl up with a book. Maybe I'll take a nap.

Saturday, right?

Probably not. It's the one day of the week I try to take off. Hubby and I go out for breakfast and run errands. I figure if I'm in this job for the long haul, which I most definitely am, I need to treat it like a regular job, and that includes some time off every week. It's too easy to get burned out or work all the time.

Sunday? Sunday is a family thing, combining my brother's birthday with father's day.

Monday? Absolutely! I'll be back, hard at work on my WIP by Monday morning, and hope to finish the rough draft by Friday.

Lest any of you think I'm complaining, I'm most definitely NOT. I love being this busy. It means I am a working writer.

And this is the best job in the world!

The voices in my head...

Welcome to friday! Edits for Damek's Redemption are done and sent back to my editor. I added quite a bit of new material to the book. Now I wait and see if she likes it.

The voices of the characters in my latest WIP have been silenced by edits for two different books over the past ten days. Time to reread what I've already written so I can get their story back into my head.

The book I'm currently writing is for Ellora's Cave. My upcoming EC release is Touch of Topaz, which is due out on June 20th. I can't wait! My latest work is about the remaining Jewel sister--Sapphire--and her former bodyguard, Jake Knight. All is not smooth on the path to love, but I'm having a heck of a lot of fun getting them there.

Hope you all have a fabulous Friday!

Will Summer Ever Come?

I've mentioned it's been cold her the past week. It's dipped to below freezing with the windchill. Working on edits this morning, I was forced to break out the fingerless gloves to help keep my hands warm. Yes, you heard me right--fingerless gloves. Silly me, I had them put away for the summer, but winter seems to have swung back around.

Hopefully, I'll be able to put them away again soon. Hope it's a lot warmer wherever you are. :)

Interview!

Be sure to check out my interview over at KATHY KULIG'S BLOG!

Writer's Wednesday

People are always asking for writing tips and one of the best I can offer them is to simply sit in your chair (whether at your desk or at a coffee shop or the kitchen table, etc...) and write. There is no substitute for actually writing. The more you write, the more you learn and the better you will become at your craft.

Good luck!

Relaxing the Writer

Saw another author talking about this blog and thought I should pass on the link. It's focused on writers, but I think it's great for everybody!

Check out Relaxing the Writer.

The Renovation Starts Now...

Okay, so I'm not exactly doing renovations. What I am working on is edits for an upcoming book. But, really, it's not so different from a full-scale renovation.

What do they have in common? Well, for one thing, tearing things apart. Sometimes a book has a problem that requires a writer to cut some things out of a scene and rebuild it. Sure it requires time and work and can make you want to rip your hair out. But, in the end, the book is much better for it.

The revision process can be a long one or a short one. It really depends on the book. Sometimes something that might seem like an easy fix will really require a lot of fancy maneuvering and quite a bit of time. Sound familiar. Sure, honey, I can just take down this wall here. It won't cause any extra work. NOT! The revision process can be very similar.

The whole idea of both is to make whatever your working on better. And that's why I love the revision process. Sure it's messy. Yes, it requires ripping apart something you've already sweated over and built over weeks and months of work. But it's worth it when you see the final product and the book is even better than you imagined it could ever be.

So, thank you to all the editors I've had the honor to work with over the past seven years. You've all taught me so much and made me a better writer.

Now it's back to edits before my editor catches me goofing off.

Have a wonderful day!

Snow Day!

Today was a snow day for many people in the city, but not for me. Working from home means that I can always go to work. At least I no longer have to put on boots, coats, gloves, earmuffs, etc...and slog to the bus stop to go to work. I am eternally grateful for that blessing.

So, I spent the morning writing and took a break this afternoon to watch a movie with my hubby. Watched the original Fame movie. Great performances, but slightly disjointed and not well ended. I enjoyed the TV series more. :)

Hope you all had a great day. And yes, like the cat in the picture, I can't wait for spring!

I Need to Get Organized...

Going on vacation is fun but it beats the heck out of me. I'm a homebody by nature and though I've enjoyed having two four-day weekends in the last couple of weeks it's played hell with my schedule. Because we left on Friday and returned on Monday both times, I also lost the Thursday before we left (gotta pack and do errands) and the following Tuesday (gotta recover from the trip and run errands).

So now it's time to get organized and see what needs to be done before the end of the month. My WIP is limping along due to lost time and I have a list of things piled up to do.

But...

There is hope in sight. I wrote 3K today on my latest work and I updated my website tonight. I've added new "coming soon" covers on my "BOOKS" page and I added several new covers, including the ones for the print version of Stefan's Salvation and my upcoming Carina release, The Gift of Shayla. I also posted the back cover copy and an excerpt for The Gift of Shayla. Be sure to check it out.

Tomorrow...

Maybe I'll get a little more organized and cross a few other things off my to-do list.

The Writing Life

I love what I do. I love writing stories about wonderfully flawed characters who find love after much anxiety and problems. For some reason, some people look down on romance writers. And those of us who write erotic romance are considered even worse.

Why?

I write my books the same way every other author does. I sit at a computer for hours on end, pounding out a story, revising and refining until I get something I'm happy with. It's hard work even if it is a lot of fun.

I make no apology for what I do for a living. I love writing and will never stop. My writing will change and evolve over the years...that's inevitable. But I'll always be a romance writing. I love a happy ending. And, unlike many people in the world, I'm lucky enough to get to do something that makes me happy for a living.

Life is good.

Now, I'm off to actually do some work. Here the clicking of keys...that's me. :)

Editing, editing, editing...

The last few days had been spent editing. Not that I procrastinated or anything. lol (Or procatstinated either.) But it is all about spelling and word choice and continuity when you're editing a book. It's all about making the work better and stronger. Some books are easy edits. Others, you wonder what the heck you were thinking. The book I edited this week was somewhere in between.

But it's done now and off to my editor. Today's job is to try to remember what the heck was going on in the story I was working on before I had to break for edits. I see a reread in my morning. Then I may try to jot a few notes about where I want to go with the story. If I'm really lucky I might actually get something written.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Pondering on a Wednesday

Good morning and welcome to Wednesday!

I decided I'd work on a short story before I started to rewrite my current WIP. I figured the break away from the book would be good for the revision process. I hope to finish the story today. Writing a short story is a challenge because of the low word count. The trick is to concentrate on one main scene and have the characters connect quickly. It's not always easy, but it's always fun. Figuring out their motivation and what they want is key.

So that means I'm back to pondering...

Have a great day!