Atlanta & All Things Writerly

I am in Atlanta--well technically I am in Alabama writing this blog but by the time it posts, I'll be in Atlanta. Any rate, I will be doing all things writerly with my two CPs. One of them is a Linda Howard finalist with me this year, a Linda Howard 2010 winner, and a four time Maggie finalist and one time Maggie winner. The other is a Golden Heart finalist and a Maggie finalist and winner!! I am in very good company!

We'll be brainstorming new book ideas, talking about craft, listening to a Harlequin podcast (if you are writing category romances this is a great resource and it's free!!), eating, drinking, digesting information. My contribution mentally is my ideas and my knowledge of social media. Although I'm not a techno geek, I am further along the Internet Highway than they are. They are contributing ideas, knowledge, experience. We're all storytellers with different approaches to wrangling our WIPS. That's Works In Progress for my non-writer readers :-)

Which brings me to this question. If you are a reader, a genuine romance fan, and you like category series books like Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Riva, Harlequin Desire, and Harlequin American what kind of stories are you looking for and what are you missing? What kind of heroine and hero are you interested in meeting? Is there a story of your heart that you wish a writer would write so YOU could feel even more connected to the story?

In other words, what do YOU want to see on the bookshelves when you shop for a good Romance Novel?

Off to the Workshop-- Hooray!

I am so excited. Today I leave for Atlanta with my writing friend. It's about a four hour drive, and the BRAVES are playing this weekend, so we're heading out early to beat the crowds and traffic. She should get here around 9AM, and then we'll load up for our road trip.

Oh glorious day! Four hours with a writing friend where we can talk to our hearts' contents about our passion without worrying about boring the listener. This is my favorite thing to do (well I DO have a few other favorite things--but that's romance research LOL).

Here's what I am bringing for the trip:

*wine
*clothes
*toiletries
*chocolate
*lap top
*a book
*jammies
*my workshop homework

I had to print out four different parts of my current MS in Revision. Sounds easy, right? Not really. First I had to export the various scene info out of Scrivener and into WORD. Always a minor snafu when I do that--next time I meet my CP in Birmingham I will get a tutorial from her. Then I had to look at the stuff I wanted to bring with my own critical eye and redo it to the best of my ability. And I can tell you that rewriting stuff with the knowledge that Mary Buckham or Diana Love will critique it is, well, *gulp* very motivating.

But I managed to churn out a reasonable stash of homework pages. I have my 150 word opening, my approximate 100-150 word setting scene bit for deep POV analysis, my sagging middle scenes (help me please! I have to figure out if these even are the middle part!), and my scene to check for hooks in general. Most of the homework I am bringing is taken from the first 15 pages of the current WIP. Only the mid-section is not.

Before I could even determine what to bring for the mid-section, I had to finish my structure outline/label scene cards in order for the WIP. I worked solidly for 2 hours to wrap up that work. Then I analyzed the number of scenes, calculated the word count necessary for each story Act, and I approximated where the major plot points should fall.

You know what? I am pleased to say that I have a clear set up, a clear ending, solid dissecting plot points to break the 1st Act and 2nd Act as well as the 3rd Act from the 4th Act. Now only the MidPoint is nebulous, but it is within striking distance in the mid 40-44 scene range. I also have a pretty darned good idea about the PINCH POINTS (Larry Brooks Story Structure) in Acts 2 & 3. In working on the resolution/Act 4, I realized I had introduced new information, so I quickly marked it, changed it to reflect the way the Act was supposed to flow and voila, brainstorming occurred that would affect the rest of the book in a positive way.

The MAJOR issue I have is TONE. I'm still working on lightening the tone without losing the emotional elements I feel are necessary for my WIP to come to life.

Getting ready for this workshop deadline has helped me focus on my overall story structure. But I know that what I learn in this workshop MIGHT force me to reevaluate my PLOT. Or, if I am super lucky, the workshop will CONFIRM my plot's direction and give me more fodder to support the structure. Or maybe it will lead to my realizing how to fix the mess regardless of the outcome/analysis.

Stay tuned! I'll keep you posted about my writing adventures in Atlanta.

(PS--I see some of my fellow bloggers on blogspot have lovely links to other pages and the blogs look like web pages--any information about that would be greatly appreciated)

Driving to Hotlanta for M&M

The big day has arrived and I am awake and ready to go at 4:45AM!!! Argh. I need my rest. But never mind. I'll muddle along and things will be fine. I'll rest up at the hotel after I arrive in Atlanta.

We got yucky news yesterday about Darling Hubby's dad. He had prostrate cancer, but it was contained. The military vet docs said something else would kill him before prostrate cancer would so they had a wait and see attitude. Well, his PSA numbers jumped, and the cancer has spread. If they'd taken care of it two years ago, he'd be fine today.

I am so angry for him!

He's always been a great supporter of my writing. More so than my own parents. Even my dad, who was a good man, flat out told me that it was too late for me to be a writer 7 years ago. Well, I proved him wrong. My mom, well, let's just say that anything I have attempted has been denigrated, and if I do accomplish something (like graduate Summa Cum Laude from university at the top of the Dean's List), I don't really deserve it. I no longer adhere to her opinions one way or another. About the only good thing that comes out of that kind of lousy parenting is great angst and emotion to put into my novels. I'll be churning them out till I'm 102, God willing.

But my DH's Dad is another story. He's always asking about my writing. And bless him, he can't wait to have a copy of my book on his shelf when I am published. Now I doubt he'd read a Contemporary Romance with a lot of sizzle, and I believe he would be scandalized by my sex scenes, but what a darling man for wanting to display my work. He believes it is attainable. And that makes me love him all the more.

Argh. Mad for him again.

So now this weekend takes a sad turn. But it's still going to be a great weekend. I am happy to go to Atlanta and see my friend again. I am excited about the conference and learning more about this crazy industry. And I am looking forward to the big awards night.

If I win this one, I am calling my father-in-law and sharing the good news. But even if I don't, he'll still be cheering me on.