Paranormal Romantics

 Hi Everyone,

 

Today’s post is about being a writer. It's ups and downs and maybe some life hacks.  I see things through my author's eyes, but a lot of this can be applied to life in general.

What have I learned over the years?

Perseverance and patience are needed because writing can be a long process. People ask all the time. When is your book coming out? When it’s done to the best it can, has to be the answer.

Disappointment and rejection happen. We learn what we can from criticism and let the rest go. Each comment teaches me something about writing and myself.

Editing is often frustrating and tedious. There is so much to learn/know. Sometimes painful decisions need to be made with parts of the story or character you love but need to change vastly or eliminate altogether. In a rush of emotion, words pour over the page, often in an unruly fashion. Cohesion and logic take a back seat to growth. Once you step back, the delete key becomes your surgical scalpel and critique partners your nurses. For instance, I love telling this about my husband.

Pete had a love-hate relationship with a Holly bush in front of my house. For years he tried trimming to keep it under control. One day he’d had enough. Grabbing his saw, he went to the ground and cut it down. The funny thing, a couple of weeks later, green sprouted from the stump. Today Pete carefully trims it to keep it from becoming the overpowering entity it once was. The holly today is healthier, and so are the plants around it.

Editing used to be my arch nemesis, but over the years, I’ve come to that same love/hate relationship as Pete and his Holly bush. Sometimes my work is overwrought and drastic steps need to be taken. In the end, though, I’ve found the worth of a worn-out delete button.

Writer’s block can happen, and here are a couple of tricks I’ve used.

Go to the end of your book. Do you know where you want the characters to end up? For instance, a romance usually ends with a happily ever after. Then work backward. What steps does your protagonist need to take to get there?

Get to know your characters. I’m a visual person. As a character develops, I’ll scroll through images of what I believe they look like and put them in my heading. Ask them what they want. What would they do in this particular situation?

Pay attention to your choreography. How do the characters move from one place to another? Since I also write fantasy, there is a play sword in my office. I’ll grab it to play out a scene.

And finally, take care of yourself. I’m guilty of staying at my desk for long periods. Focus is good, but so is life. Get out of the chair and take a short walk. Make time. A brisk ten-minute walk around the block can clear cobwebs. Go out with your significant other or friends. If you’re not living life, how can you write about it?

What are some of the things you use to work your way out of a rut?