So last night I was trying to rest, but I was very uncomfortable. I distracted myself with two avenues of a plot twist. I was amazed. There is was, just right in front of me, waiting to be used. I forgot all about the discomfort I was having. And I got up to sketch [...]]]>

So last night I was trying to rest, but I was very uncomfortable. I distracted myself with two avenues of a plot twist. I was amazed. There is was, just right in front of me, waiting to be used. I forgot all about the discomfort I was having. And I got up to sketch it out and took a pain pill.

It’s amazing to me still how a plot twist will come out of nowhere. I find it thrilling and humbling. Where do these ideas come from? And hey, the pain pill induced writing is almost always productive for me.

So, while the iron is hot, I’m going to write!

So, we got a new puppy last week. He’s a cutie, a yorkie-shu (yorkie/shih tsu). Introducing him to the family was easy. The three year old poodle, not so much. He’s having to learn to share. Attention, toys, you name it. And I’m having to learn to cope with twice the duties, doody duty, [...]]]>

So, we got a new puppy last week. He’s a cutie, a yorkie-shu (yorkie/shih tsu). Introducing him to the family was easy. The three year old poodle, not so much. He’s having to learn to share. Attention, toys, you name it. And I’m having to learn to cope with twice the duties, doody duty, bath duty, walking, feeding, doody and bathing. Four times as much hand washing. Egads. He doesn’t act like a normal puppy. Except that he’s playful. I think he thinks he’s a cat. He slinks in a feline manner, but he nips like a dog. My sweet miniature poodle doesn’t share well. His favorite toy, a black and orange bone that used to squeak, is now a source of teasing by the 5 month old. The baby will grab it, prance in front of the poodle and when the poodle sees it, there’s a chase. Then play fighting commences. 

It’s all rather entertaining. 

So how do you manage when a new character comes into the story. You may have anticipated the arrival, or maybe not. I’m not talking secondary characters that are only in a few scenes. I’m saying characters that seemed innocuous at first but suddenly you need a new book for that character. (Take Cager Abrams, who shows up in Constance of the Carolinas only to be the hero in Genevieve of Georgia. [another aside, i hope the publisher likes the names of each of my colonial series, 13 in all.])

Have you had this happen to you? A character be more than meets the eye?

So, I thought I’d get an hour of writing everyday. That’s not working out as I’d hoped. I just seem to have writing malaise. I have the ideas and the hint of motivation, but then I feel sleepy and overwhelmed sitting at the computer. I’ve even thought to try pen and pad for a [...]]]>

So, I thought I’d get an hour of writing everyday. That’s not working out as I’d hoped. I just seem to have writing malaise. I have the ideas and the hint of motivation, but then I feel sleepy and overwhelmed sitting at the computer. I’ve even thought to try pen and pad for a while. That’s usually a nice little quick fix for me. I even bought a new set of colorful pens. (Stationary, it’s my weakness. So purdy!)

However lethargic I feel toward my writing, I must needs to get over it, and quick. I just pledged myself to write 50K this month. (Well, I tried reverse psychology saying that I will NOT do it.) So we’ll see. But I also stated that by the end of this year, this book that will not die, nor write itself, will be complete. Can I do it. Probably. Will I procrastinate, most likely. Will I beat myself up until it’s accomplished? Definitely.

Oy vey.

~ Leigh 

A few years ago I took an online editing workshop. The main point I took from it was that when writing, I should turn off the internal editor until I finish the manuscript and then edit. The lovely lady even suggested I change the font to white so I’m less tempted to read it [...]]]>

A few years ago I took an online editing workshop. The main point I took from it was that when writing, I should turn off the internal editor until I finish the manuscript and then edit. The lovely lady even suggested I change the font to white so I’m less tempted to read it as I go. This was the lovely Rhonda Stapleton. (more on her at her site: http://rhondastapleton.com ) And she’s successful. But that method didn’t work for me. Maybe it was lack of discipline. I don’t know. I’d hate to take good ideas but not be able to implement them.

Maybe it’s the inner pantser in me, but I feel I can’t move forward if a chapter is not quite right. I just got back my first chapter and want to fix it before I write the next. December Gephart (http:decembergephart.blogspot.com ) is my fantastic critique partner and has given me invaluable insight into that chapter. And it’s a beautiful relationship. Very much tit for tat, in my humble opinion. (yeah, i don’t want to abbreviate it.)

The whine of it, though, comes in trying to edit this while still writing. A few aspects of it stall me. First, the physical logistics of it. I could open up her marked up document and minimize and shrink the screen, putting that window up next to my screen of the current wip. Doing so makes it hard to read. I really can’t print it out right now and look at the copy and compare to the original. And it’s quite tedious to toggle between screens.  Another niggling factor is how much do I change. She has great suggestions. Am I to take them all to heart and take it? Well, only if I agree. (which mostly, I do.) Regardless of her input, it will serve only to improve the work. What I take from it or don’t is entirely up to me. But again, this is an invaluable service. And so much appreciated. Having a critique partner allows me to see things that I would have missed. 

But the edits won’t end there. Even if I do manage to edit as I go, when I’m done, I would need to have a beta, and then another full edit. Then ONE more before I send it off. Sounds like a lot of work to just send it off. But the competition is so stiff and rejections can certainly outnumber acceptances. 

So, share, what are your editing tales? Thoughts?

So there are only so many original ideas and ways to tell those stories. That’s a pretty depressing thought. Why then do we write if we are only reiterating the same old love story.

Because we have to. I mean, I do. I can’t NOT write. It’s in me. I’m always writing something; a poem, [...]]]>

So there are only so many original ideas and ways to tell those stories. That’s a pretty depressing thought. Why then do we write if we are only reiterating the same old love story.

Because we have to. I mean, I do. I can’t NOT write. It’s in me. I’m always writing something; a poem, a song, a story. Lately, it’s been songs. But I’ve not strayed far from the literary world. I’ve got ideas I jot down, scenes that will not go away. And that’s a good thing. I don’t want my fount of creativity to go away. It’s part of who I am. I truly identify myself as a writer/singer/lyricist.

That being said, on another forum, someone posted a question about how to handle the similarity in her work and another’s. I was one of the ones included in saying, ‘move on, it’s not exact, you’re work is different and in your voice.” Nontheless, I was nonplussed when two days later I received my copy of “The Art of Sensuality” by Jax Cassidy (thanks hon!) and realized that she and I have similar affection for a name.

At first I was trepidatious about continuing my character with that name. But I remembered my own advice: Move on. It’s different. My voice. Plus…my genre is different from that of Miss Cassidy. Mine is historical; hers, contemporary, erotic romance.  So, the french name starting with a G? Yeah, I’ll own it. And the last name, while similar, is not the same. I’ll own it.

That is regarding my WIP #2. The ‘oh-no-what-to-do’ with WIP#1, I read an author whom I adore, Woodiwiss, and realized that a book of hers, which I’d never read until 3 years after I started Constance, bore similar plot lines. But I didn’t give up. Similar, but the characters’ motivations are different. Not even the same time frame, although, both are in America. (how’s that?)

The bottom line: There are an infinite possibility of ways to share and to show a love story. The only limit is our creativity. We seem to have a collective conscience though, and when we tap into it, we get something remarkable that while apparently similar, will be dissimilar in closer comparison.

So, write on, author, write on!

So you have your routine, or not, of how you write. Some play sexy or sweet music, have their latte and wine. Others need quiet and order to get the creative juices flowing. And still, there are those who operate in chaos. Amid all the sleeve tugging, constantly bugging, Mom, mom mom mom  mom, [...]]]>

So you have your routine, or not, of how you write. Some play sexy or sweet music, have their latte and wine. Others need quiet and order to get the creative juices flowing. And still, there are those who operate in chaos. Amid all the sleeve tugging, constantly bugging, Mom, mom mom mom  mom, they manage to eek out a page or 5 (as I did Sunday. Yay me!)

But WHO do you have with you when you write. It could be real, it could be fictional (think the author Jody Foster plays in Nim’s Island. –A movie I adored, by the way.) Or it could be, as in my case, my dog.

He’s always trying to see what is going on. He’d type on this thing if I’d let him. It’s so cute the way he brings all of his toys out of his toy basket only to play with them at my feet. If I happen to just look his way he pauses with his favorite toy or bone in his mouth and looks right back at me, anticipating my next move. Is she gonna play? Is she gonna get up? Whatcha doin’ mommy, huh, huh, huh? Wag thump wag thump.

Now he seems to be bored with his toys and is smelling my shoes. But he’s fun. He’s usually obedient, and he is my writing companion. Along with a few imaginary characters.

I think I’ve titled previous posts the same, but simple pleasures really are the best. My intention of writing related posting today was to discuss how an article I received in my e-mail affected my thinking on writing. It was about ‘getting messy with your first draft,’ as put forth by Writer’s Digest. 

But as [...]]]>

I think I’ve titled previous posts the same, but simple pleasures really are the best. My intention of writing related posting today was to discuss how an article I received in my e-mail affected my thinking on writing. It was about ‘getting messy with your first draft,’ as put forth by Writer’s Digest. 

But as I typed in my name and address for a subscription to that magazine, which I didn’t fulfill, because I’ll get it another time, I remembered when I got my mail the other day I noticed something neat. (Yes, I’m a bit of a nerd.)

In my neighborhood, each mail box has a small plastic card holder on the inside of it’s door. Within this card holder is a card stating the names of the resident(s) of that address. Leigh Royals is my pen name. So I was pleasantly surprised to find Royals added to my RL surname. Ha ha! There is another person here. It’s for real! Nothing like being validated by the government. At least Ms. Royals doesn’t have to pay taxes, yet. But that’s going to come. 

I intend at this time next year to have Leigh Royals entrenched on the grid, so to speak. That means that I’ll sell, and that I’ll have to file taxes for my sales. It’s coming. oh, yes, just wait and see. 

Ok. Ok. No, I’m not getting all political on you. I’m talking about the writing stimulus. I need a writing stimulus package. Forget the muse. I think I felt a tiny thrill of the elusive thing the other night. I was veritably HUMMING with excitement to write. My fertile brain was churning scene after [...]]]>

Ok. Ok. No, I’m not getting all political on you. I’m talking about the writing stimulus. I need a writing stimulus package. Forget the muse. I think I felt a tiny thrill of the elusive thing the other night. I was veritably HUMMING with excitement to write. My fertile brain was churning scene after scene. I did five pages. It felt so good. Call it an effect of the planting moon. Ok, I’ll take it. But I can’t wait to write with each planting moon. 

So, what do you do? 

I have read other books to try to imbue some inspiration. I’ve scavenged loops and boards to do pseudo-research or just, let’s be real, commiserate with fellow authors. But what really works is work. 

Yeah, you heard me. Work. You have to do something. Challenge yourself. See how much you can get in 10 minutes, 20. Clean it up later. I got 150 pages last year doing dozens of those challenges. Do it with a friend. With a group. 

The rest of your book is waiting. Are you?

It’s funny how sometimes things you used to want happen and things you now want have yet to happen. I love music. As a writer, I also pen lyrics. Lately, an old dream has begun to come true. It is so exciting that it has infused my novel writing as well. This, my friends, [...]]]>

It’s funny how sometimes things you used to want happen and things you now want have yet to happen. I love music. As a writer, I also pen lyrics. Lately, an old dream has begun to come true. It is so exciting that it has infused my novel writing as well. This, my friends, is definately a plus.

The dream was to record some of my music. I won an auction in which I was given the opportunity to have 2 songs recorded for free, including studio musician(s). I have more than two, and the ‘producer’ has let me record ten. He’s already had his pianist make arrangements for three, and is working on the others. When he gave me the rough accompaniament, I was giddy to sing along with it. What was so amazing was how well they fit with my style for each song. Especially the lullaby. I asked for something like a music box with a tinkling intro, and voila! It is there.

I have no aspirations for stardom via music, but it is nice to know that I will no longer only sing for myself.

Now, to get more of “Constance” done so I also no longer write for just myself. I think as time passes, I’ll find that to be true.

…simply because you’re near me.

Well, that can be true. But what of desire for one who is away? The following poem I wrote in August of 2005. I was missing my love: \

His kisses like wine intoxicate me

I’ve been sober for too many days.

This thirst can be quenched by no other,

I desire his amorous [...]]]>

…simply because you’re near me.

Well, that can be true. But what of desire for one who is away? The following poem I wrote in August of 2005. I was missing my love: \

His kisses like wine intoxicate me

I’ve been sober for too many days.

This thirst can be quenched by no other,

I desire his amorous ways.

I need the touch that stops my breath

That quickens my heart and need

Like a man with much money

I horde those memories

For such ardor I have much greed

For Him to come to me and smile

To offer his love unto me

I’d gladly share such delight and more

And to him would I give freely

Surely he pines, as I do, for pleasures

       that make us one.

Has he not grown heavy for want of me

     with each passing of the sun?

He smiles at me and shows his love

     in less tangible though still lovely ways.

But this sobriety cannot endure

     for very many days.

*sigh* He’s a good man, and great lover.

Who inspires your mood?