Category Archives: Writing Advice

Writing Advice

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Invest in a good dictionary.

I know you can google or use an online dictionary. But there is something about flicking through a paper dictionary and seeing all those fascinating words.

Plus, if you keep the dictionary away from your desk, consulting it makes you get up out of your chair and move … for occupational health and safety reasons, that is a definite bonus.

My dictionary of choice?

Of course, given Carina Press is an American publisher, I then have to go through and spellcheck for American spelling … life’s little ironies.

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Writing Advice

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Borrow wisdom.

Last week, thanks to a heads up from Maria Zannini I won a copy of the Writer’s Companion by Carlos J Cortes and Renee Miller. So I dipped into it and was hit over the head by the obvious.

Sometimes I wonder if that’s the point of how-to books…to slow us down enough to think about and comprehend the basics.

Anyway, this was the bit of wisdom that fell on me: You can’t tell at what point a reader will stop reading your book, but when they pick it up again, you have to hook them again at that point.

So that means, the necessary hooks aren’t just at the first page and last pages of chapters, though these are vital. At every point, the reader must want to read more. The hook will vary (character, description, action, etc), but the need to have a hook won’t.

As authors, we are continually competing for readers’ attention. It’s real easy to put a book down to talk, to watch television, to walk the dog. We have to give the reader a reason not to do any of those things.

No pressure then :)

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Writing Advice

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READ

Well, that was easy–and probably unnecessary. I find it hard to imagine a writer who isn’t an omnivorous reader.

When you read you get information, but you also get a sense for how others tell stories and use words. I’ve given up worrying whether what I’m reading will help my writing. I read what interests me, and I try to expand my interests.

There’s one other aspect of reading that’s important to me: inspiration. Wonderful books remind me why I write: to share joy. A good book begins a conversation…an idea that is fast becoming more than a metaphor in this social media age of digital books where we can share highlights and notes. Reading may yet become a social activity :)

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Writing Advice

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Typically, Tuesdays have been for writing updates. However, there are only so many times when I can say “writing happily” before it gets boring. So, while I continue writing happily, I will share some advice, or thoughts, on the process every Tuesday. Of course, if I have any fabulous writing news, I’ll ditch the advice in favour of the news. I love sharing good news–mine or other people’s. Celebrations brighten life.

My advice today is simple: Believe in your dream.

I know that sounds like an over-used cliche, but there is an inferno of energy in the heart of it, so keep reading.

A few weeks ago, I was reading “The Heart of Christianity” by Marcus J Borg. Relax, I’m not going to discuss religion. I want to discuss a word he uses. That word is “believe“.

According to Borg, the Latin origins of “believe” mean “to give one’s heart to”.

When you give your heart to something you prize it, you commit to it, you love it. The result is your energy aligns behind that promise you make to yourself.

I’ve given my heart to writing stories that bring joy to people.

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Secrets Uncovered

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Secrets Uncovered is a collection of blog posts from Mills and Boon editors and authors on writing romance novels. Have I mentioned it’s a free ebook at Amazon?

It’s also very informative. I have a feeling it’s based on the most common (disappointing) mistakes us writers make in our rejected manuscripts. Characterisation, plot, dialogue (apparently you can never have too much), a whole raft of issues are covered. The friendly style almost–but not quite–disguises the tough demands of writing for Mills and Boon.

I learned a lot reading this, not least, finding words for something I’ve known but never really been able to express. Writing category romance novels is about respecting romance conventions, but not relying on romance cliches.

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