Release Day! How to Write Compelling Romance Novels Is Here!

I’m absolutely thrilled to share that my brand-new craft book, How to Write Compelling Romance Novels: The must-have guide to creating page-turning love stories, is officially available in ebook today!

And—because of your incredible support—it has already hit #1 New Release in Words & Language Reference on Amazon. I couldn’t be more grateful or excited to finally place this guidebook into your hands.

Why I Wrote This Book

Whether you’re crafting your very first love story or polishing your fiftieth, writing romance is one of the most rewarding and emotionally rich journeys a writer can take. Over the past thirty years, I’ve studied story structure, emotional craft, conflict, chemistry, character transformation, and the art of making readers feel.

This book brings together the very best of what I’ve learned in clear guidance, emotional insight, and tools you can apply immediately to strengthen your storytelling.

What’s Inside

How to Write Compelling Romance Novels is packed with practical lessons and step-by-step breakdowns, including:

❤️ How to create powerful emotional beats

❤️ How to build sexual tension that's organic and character-driven

❤️ How to craft internal and external conflict that keeps readers turning pages

❤️ How to write deep emotional intimacy and chemistry

❤️ How to use subtext to enrich dialogue and amplify emotion

❤️ How to raise emotional stakes in a way that grips readers

❤️ And so much more, including examples I've written exclusively for this guidebook

My goal is to help you write the kind of romance stories readers devour in one sitting—and remember long after they finish.

For Writers at Every Level

No matter where you are in your writing journey, this book is designed to meet you there. If you’re just starting out, you’ll find clear, actionable steps that demystify the process. If you’re an experienced author, you’ll gain new tools and insights to elevate your craft.

Thank You

Thank you to every writer, reader, and friend who has supported this book’s release. Seeing it launch as a #1 New Release is an absolute dream come true, and I hope this guide becomes a treasured companion on your writing journey.

If you’re ready to take your romance writing to the next level, you can grab your copy today and start building stories full of emotion.

How to Write Compelling Romance Novels is available in eBook, Paperback, & Hardback. 

Grab your copy today!

AmazonUS | AmazonUK | Amazon CA | AmazonAU

Happy writing—and here’s to crafting love stories your readers will never forget! 

Pull Up A Chair With Mon. Let's Talk About: Deep POV #writetips #writers #amwriting

Let’s Go Deep... POV, that is!

This is a post I wrote for a guest blog visit last year. I think it might be helpful to me readers, so I'm re-posting it here this month. Hope you find it helpful.

~*~

I remember many years ago—when I was a novice writer—a CP from my first online crit group suggested I go Deep Point Of View (POV).

Huh?

I had no idea what she could possibly have meant and, since she didn’t offer any suggestions, I was at a total lost. It took a while for me to figure out what deep point of view was, but once I discovered this deeper way of writing, I haven’t looked back.

So, what exactly is Deep POV?

It’s a technique authors use to get into their characters minds so that the invisible narrator completely disappears. Your stories become more like watching movies than reading novels. The reader forgets she’s reading a book! Without deep pov the reader always has a vague awareness of the narrator, even if the author tries hard to make her/himself invisible. The only way to eliminate this unseen narrator is to go deep pov.

How do you get into Deep pov?

You need to burrow your way into the depths of your character’s mind, and live through them. You need to hear their thoughts, feel their emotions, experience their dreams, and then illustrate this to your reader. When you do that, your reader merges into your story and experiences your character’s life as if it’s hers, which increases her reading pleasure immensely.

If you think of writing in first person, you’ll instantly write differently because you’ll narrow your focus to a single, specific point. What I mean is, once we think in first person we automatically become the character. When we think in the third person, we retell someone else’s tale. I’m not suggesting you write in first person in order to achieve deep pov, I’m simply encouraging you to think that way because it makes a difference to the way you write. 

Why bother?

I’ll tell you why! When you make the effort to write in deep POV, you tighten your story and draw the reader right into the book. You make her live your story. You will also rid yourself of the “show, don’t tell” problem many writers encounter. You know the sort of things I’m referring to—he/she saw, felt, heard, smelled, thought, decided...and the list goes on.

Stick to deep, active POV, and your character will never say things like, she heard the door slam—but rather, somewhere upstairs in the dark, musty house, a door slammed shut.

Here are some quick rules to ensure you are writing in Deep POV.

Your character can’t know anything s/he doesn’t feel, touch, experience, see, taste, smell, hear, sense, and think. She can’t know that her eyes sparked with temper. She can, however, know that the hero makes her want to throw something at him. She can even grab the cool, glass vase from the table next to her and debate whether she could live without the solid family heirloom.

Another example is something like: Jessica fumbled with her keys; she thought she heard footsteps behind her. The keys fell from her nervous fingers. She bent to pick them up, and someone grabbed her from behind.

How about we go deep with something like: Jessica wrapped her coat tighter around her as she strode across the almost deserted car park at the back of her office building. Cold fog had drifted in late afternoon, dragging down the already dank weather and giving the car park an eerie atmosphere that brought out all sorts of creepy sounds and shadows. A sense of unease crept over her, encouraging Jess to up her pace. Each breath she exhaled frosted in front of her as she dug her hands in her jacket pocket and drew out her car keys.

Why hadn’t she parked closer?

Tomorrow, sound diet advice or not, she was parking right next to the building’s front entrance. So what if she didn’t add those extra steps the diet mag promised would help her to shift the five pounds she put on over Christmas? She’d rather be safe that trek across this car park in the dark again.  

An empty bottle clattered on the asphalt somewhere to her left, snapping her out of her thoughts and she glanced toward the sound.

Nothing.

 Not that she could see beyond the sparse circles of dim light floating down from the few lamp poles in the car park. When did it get so dark? Jess glanced around again. A few cars remained in the lot, scattered here and there, but hers was right at the very end where she’d parked in her effort to give herself the greatest calorie-burning walking distance.

Damn, she hated how easily she spooked. Quickening her steps, she huddled further inside her coat. Great, she’d managed to scare herself. She wanted to run, but forced her feet to keep an even pace. Then an empty can bounced on the ground behind her as if someone had kicked it. Her heart leaped and, without a backward glance, she took off. Jess was not a brave woman, and she saw no reason to change that character trait this instant, because there was no way in hell she imagined someone kicking that can!

Her car seemed twice as far as it had been only seconds ago.

Heavy footfalls hammered behind her and she didn’t dare look back.

Heart pounding so hard she could barely breathe, she fumbled with her keys, trying to find the fob. It had a personal alarm button that would set off her car alarm if she could only find it. In her frantic key search and mad dash to the safety of her car, her bag slipped off her shoulder, almost tripping her. She paused, reached for it, wasting crucial seconds, but she needed it. The thing was heavy enough to cause some damage if she used it as a weapon. The footfall closed in and, in a split-second decision, she left the bag and tore across the car park toward her car.

The person behind her must have picked up speed because a large man-shaped shadow overtook her, someone else’s breath besides hers frosted the air, and a blast of stale sweat stench shot up her frozen nostrils. Lungs screaming for mercy, Jess pumped her arms faster. Wasn’t that what you were supposed to do if you wanted to run faster? Or was that pump your legs quicker?  Lord, help me and I promise—

A big leather-gloved hand clamped over her mouth, her keys flew out of her hand, and an enormous arm snaked around her ribcage, crushing the breath out of her as her attacker swung her off her feet.

He clutched her hard against his huge body. “Did you think you would outrun me?” His harsh laugh drilled into her eardrum. 

Do you see the difference? First of all you add a lot more words when you go Deep POV. If you compare these two examples, I hope you’ll notice how much more involved you are in the story. That’s because you now know what is going on in Jess’s head. Moreover, you should get a sense of the type of person she is. That’s characterization, something that doesn’t happen when you write using shallow POV.

Just remember, stick to only what your POV character can touch, taste, see, experience, smell, hear, feel, sense, or think. Remember also to depict each character only through another character’s pov, and use all of your human senses to create a reflection of real-life.

If you do this, you’ll significantly improve you writing skills.

Dialogue vs. Conversation

Dialogue vs. Conversation

Do you know the difference?

 

Have you ever had a critique partner tell you that the communication between your characters is conversation? 

 

Nobody wants to read conversation. Conversation between the pages of a book is boring. Conversation is what happens in real life and while it works perfectly well there, it doesn’t when translated to story form.

 

According to Thesaurus.com, this is the difference between dialogue and conversation

 

Synonyms for Dialogue

Talk, chat, colloquy, communication, confab, confabulation, conference, conversation, converse, dialog, discourse, discussion, duologue, exchange, flap, interlocution, lines, parlance, parley, powwow, rap, rap session, remarks, repartee, script, sides, small talk.

 

Synonyms for Conversation

Dialogue, discourse, chat, colloquy, comment, communication, communion, confab, confabulation, conference, consultation, converse, debate, discussion, exchange, expression, gab, gossip, hearing, intercourse, jive, observation, palaver, parley, pillow talk, powwow, questioning, remark, repartee, speech, talk, talkfest, tète-à-tète, ventilation, visit, yak.

 

On the surface, not a lot of difference. So why am I saying there is? Because we are speaking in terms of creative writing and when we create a story, we want it to SOUND like real life, but if we imitate the way people speak for real, we’ll end up with dialogue which is hard to read.

 

Listen to people having a conversation. I’m sure you’ll notice how they barge into each other’s points, cut across, leave thoughts half said and ramble all over the place. And don’t forget all the what’s its, thingies, and thingamajigs we use to substitute for things we forget the name of.

 

Don’t get me wrong, using a smattering of this can add depth to a novel, but too much will kill it.

 

So we’re talking about dialogue vs. conversation. Although the synonyms for both  are pretty much the same. The difference is this: Dialogue does a job. It must provide the reader with information that advances the plot, foreshadow a coming event, add subtext, and show characterization, which makes the reader believe these people could be living right next door to her. It should be crisp and unique to each character.  

 

This is a scene between one of my heroines and a housekeeper, taken from Ty’s Plaything, a full-length romantic comedy/suspense I’m currently working on. 

 

Mia kept her attention on her bowl of fruit. She speared a cube of melon. “What did you say?”

 

“I told him I don’t know. It ain’t none of my business. Mr Manning pays me to look after his house and his guests—nothin’ else.”

 

I think you can notice a difference between these two characters, even with so few words spoken.

 

Conversation is idle chitchat—padding—and if it doesn’t do a job ie make a point, it needs to be removed. For instance, having two of your characters in a coffee shop chatting about the purple-haired woman three tables away is idle, gossipy chat if your only goal is to have your characters yak about something for a bit before you get into why they’re really meeting at the coffee shop. However, if the purple-haired woman is concealing a gun, that’s a completely different deal. Now we have a purpose—besides her shocking hair!—for the characters to notice the woman. I imagine the conversation would switch from why would anyone want to be seen in public looking like that, to why would she be carrying a gun?

 

Just like how you wouldn’t let your character chat about the weather for no reason at all, don’t let them chat about anything for no reason!

 

Do you see what I mean? Make your dialogue worth reading. Be firm with it, give it a job and make it deliver.

 

Dialogue should sound natural. The reader shouldn’t notice you giving information a mile off. Obvious dialogue for the purpose of imparting information is distracting. 

 

Example: “Hey, Rita, remember that time you broke your leg and had to spend all those weeks walking around on crutches?”

 

“Yeah, I remember. It still plays up when the weather changes.”

 

Can you say yaaaawwnnnnnnn? This is idle conversation and obvious information. DON’T DO THIS!

 

If we were writing a disaster weather story, this info would be important—a way of foreshadowing—but even so we'd need to deliver it with a touch more skill.

 

You want your reader to sink into your book and lose herself between its pages, so write dialogue that sounds like conversation, but isn’t idle chitchat.

 

Like scenes, let your characters’ dialogue do double duty.

 

To summarize: dialogue serves a purpose while conversation is idle chitchat, and dialogue without a purpose is conversation.

 

Hope this clarifies the difference. See you at the next Pull Up A Chair With Mon post. Until then, happy writing!

 

 

How To Fight The Doubt Monster

After living through many emotion-draining months, and finally burning out, I pulled myself together and got back to writing. Only now I find myself facing the doubt monster. You know the ugly, hairy, big-tooth beast, who creeps up on you when you find yourself staring at a blank page, after a break from writing, and whispers in your ear, "You haven't written anything in weeks! You know you've lost your talent, don’t you? Don’t even bother to write anything today, you’ll only have to rewrite the whole thing anyway. Wait until you get it perfect in your mind!" Or words to that effect.

The only sure weapon I know to use when I need to smack the doubt monster over the head and send him on his way, is to refresh my mind with the craft of writing.  

We can never know too much about the writing craft, and I try to take time out several times per year to learn new writing skills and reinforce what I already know.

The past few days I've been doing just that. I've learned some amazing techniques which I can't wait to use. One of them is a way to increase my writing speed--which I'm dying to try out! :)

If you follow this blog, you'll know one of my great desires is to be among those authors who can write 2,000+ words per hour. This new method promises me the opportunity to do so.

I need to tweak the method a little so it fits me. If it works, I'll blog and share the method with you.

Meanwhile, I'd love for you to share your process of getting rid of the doubt monster.

Do you ever take hits from this negative emotion? How do you get rid of doubt? Does it affect your writing when it attacks?

If It's Good Enough For Films, It's Good Enough For Books!

Recently I found myself appalled by the stuff that's making it onto the book market. There are certain things I don't want to read. I'm not speaking of genre--we all have our preferences--I'm speaking of language. For many years I stuck closely to Harlequin Mills & Book Modern Romance because I knew when I picked up one of those romance novels, I was assured a clean read. I loved the sexual tension, banter, emotion, characters etc and I knew I could relax and simply enjoy because I felt assured I wouldn't encounter my absolute pet hates--the use of the F word or having to read blasphemies. I can't stomach the use of my Lord's name as a curse word!

So you can imagine my shock when I happen across not one--but two! HMB romances which used Jesus' name in this way. Needless to say, it ruined two stories I'd been enjoying and I instantly stopped reading the novels. I can't bring myself to purchase any of the new stories for fear of the same thing happening.

That said, I've been looking at the indie stuff at Amazon and was amazed by some of this stuff--and not in a good way. Thankfully, as I read the reviews of one particular book I was about to purchase, I noticed a couple of readers complained about the over use of the F word. These reviews saved me wasting my money.

Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against authors who feel they lack the necessary vocab to express themselves or their characters; I just don't want to read that sort of stuff. I am aware some authors cater to the market and I'm sure these books sell by the ton.

But there are still a few of us who like clean reads. I'm not jumping on a soapbox to blabber on about flooding the market with bland books. I won't buy them either! Cos I like my books sizzling, emotional and feel-good. What I am saying is: please, oh, please can we find a way to give books a rating?

As I inspect my DVD shelf, I see BBFC ratings on every single one!

When you look at any DVD case you’ll see a rating symbol on the front and back of the case. This is the film’s classification or rating. In the UK films are rated by The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). And in America it’s The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

Film classification gives viewers a guide to the age requirement of the viewer and an idea of the film’s content. Why can't we have something like this on our books? And, like DVDs, give a reason for the rating.

I grabbed a few random DVDs from my shelf and had a look. Here is what I found:

Knight And Day {(12) Contains moderate violence and one use of strong language}
What Happens In Vegas {(12) Contains moderate sex references and language}
Cougar Town {(15) Contains frequent moderate & crude sex references}
Dream Girls {(12) Contains one use of strong language and hard drug references}
Something's Gotta Give {(12) Contains infrequent strong language and moderate sex references}
The Lake House {(12) Contains mild language and accident scene}
Red {(12) Suitable only for persons of 12 years and over}
Two Can Play that Game {(15) Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over}

I can keep going, but I'm sure you get the idea. The fact is, I can read the DVDs' blurbs, look at the ratings, and decide whether I wish to go ahead and purchase/watch these films.

I then look at my bookshelf and grab a novel. I read the blurb and it looks like a fantastic story. I can't wait to snuggle down and start reading! I want to get lost in this story and it does not disappoint. Then bam!! Without any warning, I'm knocked sideways by something I consider to be offensive. Had that book a rating/warning I would've been able to decide whether I wanted to read it or not.

I'm not asking writers to change what they write, I'm simply asking for the opportunity to buy or leave books based an informed choice. I feel we seriously need to have books rated. If it's good enough for films, why, pray tell, isn't it good enough for books!

Left Brain Interruptus

"Pat you head and rub your tummy!" said my little girl to me.

An instant memory of my playground days flashed to mind. I used to be brilliant at this feat. Somehow I doubted I'd still be able to do it. I mean, it's been more years than I care to admit since I'd attempted to pat my head and rub my tummy at the same time.

But if it entertained her, I'd give it a go. To my amazement, it was like no time had passed at all. With easy dexterity I patted and rubbed, then reversed direction and, just to check, I swapped hands and got the same smooth a result. 

Needless to say, Meg was very impressed and I was so shocked I had an epiphany!

For years I've been bemoaning the fact that I just can't shut up my internal editor (what I call left-brain interruptus) and spend all of my writing hours fighting and resisting the need to make sure each word is perfect, every sentence constructed clearly, and all the other editorial tasks that ensures a great read, which, let me tell you, slows output right down. I'm not talking about the editing, simply the resistance that grinds creativity to a halt. 

It was only while patting and rubbing that something dawned on me. To achieve this simple childhood exercise you must be able to use both sides of your brain simultaneously. So while I'm completely right brained, I am super-capable of multitasking--to the point where I get compliments for it. In case you don't realise, you use both sides of your bran when multitasking.

Anyway, back to the point. 

The point I'm making is, it's possible to write and edit and still write fast IF you embrace left-brain interruptus as you natural way of writing. I've always had to write and edit before I can move on--you can see where the trouble came in if all I did was fight myself. I was convinced I had to write an entire first draft before starting all over again with a second draft and on and on until I had my story polished to a high sheen--well that's what the experts would have us believe, isn't it?

But what if we go crazy and write and edit as we go? We may not finish a first draft in six weeks, but when we do finish the MS in two to three months it will be completely finished and polished! To my way of thinking, we can have two authors: Author A and Author B. Author A writes at a cracking pace and finishes an entire novel in no time at all. But she has to start all over again and write another draft and another and another and... Then we have Author B who writes--to her mind--at an excruciatingly slow pace and finishes a novel in three months. But once she types The End she's finished. Perhaps she'll go back and tinker-- because that's what she does--but her novel is finished.

By this time Author A is also finished.

Both authors took the same length of time to write their books, they just took different routes to get there. So whether we write one draft after another, or accept our super ability to polish as you go, chances are two authors starting from the same point, but travelling in opposite directions to an end point, will finish at the same time.

This is my theory, anyway. <*grin*> 

Want to know what I learned while trying to entertain my daughter? I learned not to fight myself ever again--to embrace my natural ability to multitask and allow myself to write the way my mind works! I bet this alone will increase my output. 

Do you suffer from left brain interruptus?

Perhaps you, too, might consider embracing your gift and using it to excel. At the very least, your writing day will be a LOT less stressed!

Why It's Difficult For Some Writers To Write And Listen To Music

Have you ever wondered why some people can listen to music and write, while others can’t?

I’ve heard many writers tell how great it is and how they love to write to music.

I’ve lost tract of the times I’ve tried to mellow out and listen to music while I write, only to get frustrated when every thought seem to dangle out of reach in the back of my mind. Or I end up so distracted I don’t write a word for hours!

I was convinced something was wrong with me. Everyone else could do it, why can’t I? Why couldn’t I concentrate while my favourite song played? In fact, music seemed to have a very negative effect on my writing day. I put on some great pop music and all creativity stopped dead. I tried turning it down low so it wasn’t so in my face, but that didn’t work either. Even my favourite, beloved Josh turner, didn’t do it for me.

Finally, I discovered why. And boy did that breakthrough make all the difference to my ability to write with music playing in the background.

If you’re reading this because you just can’t make yourself write while music plays read on. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you’re about to find out.

Music is a right-brain function.

Yes I know you know that. But did you know that speech is a left-brain function?

Therefore music with words will actually stimulate your left brain, making it impossible to create if you, like me, are right brained. The words in the song will keep pulling you back to the left hemisphere and disrupting your right hemisphere creative flow.

It took me a while to realise why listening to music while I wrote was counter-productive. But I love music and wanted to enjoy the creative stimulation listening to music brings, so a little research brought me to the finding that I could indeed listen to music while I wrote as long as it was soft INSTRUMENTAL music—string or classical, or my absolute joy, soft sax.

You are correct if you guessed that I ran out and got some wonderful romantic sax music! I can now listen to music while I write without it stemming my flow.

If you find yourself unable to write while listening to songs, chances are you’re right brained. Try listening to music without words. It just might turn things around.

The Reason

My blog posts are more sporadic than I would like. Who wants to be a once-on-an-occasion blogger, right? But that's unfortunately been the case since my Meggie got ill.

A couple of weeks ago, she caught mumps. This week we began the second and last block of intensive chemo. After this, she'll still be having chemo for the next two years but it wouldn't be as intense.

I have to say, I am having a hard time torn between trying to market my books--which, sadly I hardly do--and being completely there for Meg. When I'm writing I feel guilty, and when I'm not I feel guilty. How is it possible to have so much guilt?

For the moment I'm pulling back on the amount of time I spend on the Internet, which will more than likely kill my sales. But I'm sure there will be a day when I can look back on these years without beating myself up too badly.

The point is: Megyn! Without her my life would be pointless. And really, she and my other three are the reason my life makes sense.

I have to remind myself of this cos, right now, I feel as though I'm letting my writing career down. I wonder: is there such a thing as a supermum? And if so, can someone tell me how to attain this amazing status?

Update: Lack of Motivation

I am happy to report that I have gotten my motivation back!! I got some really great advice from fellow authors who've been there. While you're in the slump, you feel as though it will last forever--much like when you have a new baby and they go through that first growth spurt at six weeks. You're tired all the time and you start to wonder if it will ever end. Then suddenly, you get a breather. I'm sure I'm not alone in either of these experiences.

So, how did I get back the will to write? I decluttered my house! 

Since last year Spring, I had the job to do, but you know how it is when you're an author--nothing else matters when you are in full flow of a new work in progress--and you can't let hubby do it cause you just know he'll throw out all the keepsakes you have of your babies. I still have some cupboards to tackle, but I was shocked to discover that the very first day after getting started I actually wrote! Now I'm back in the flow and don't want my To Do list to block me again, so I'll take a few days and finish what I started.

If you too find yourself not able to write, my advice would to ask yourself what is weighing on your subconscious mind? I am, quite frankly, shocked by how the things we put off in order to work can affect our creativity.

A fellow author was kind enough to email me one of her articles entitled "Ten Ways To Boost Your Creativity", and has given me permission to share it with you. She has some great advice on getting over writers' block and I'll be sure to keep this handy in case I open a Word doc again and find I haven't the motivation to write. I found this time to be an awful experience because writing has always been a part of my life. To not be able to do it was like losing a valuable part of myself.

If you find yourself in the midst of the dreaded writers' block, try Liana Laverentz's advice and see if it helps.

Ten Ways to Boost Your Creativity

As I’m blog-hopping, I read a lot about different kinds of creative endeavors and people wondering how to deal with getting stuck in the middle of a project. I don’t have that problem to any serious degree, my problem is more like one of time management, (hence the blog-hopping), but I’ve uncovered a few things along the way that can help me get unstuck if I find myself wallowing around in a project that just isn’t going where I think it should.

I have a tendency to think too much, to not relax enough to let my creativity flow. So I procrastinate. But I’m not really blocked, per se, just stumped for a while. So here are a few things that have worked for me, to get me unstuck when my mind won’t cooperate. My muse would do just fine, if my mind wouldn’t keep getting in the way.

Most of these apply to writing, but they can also apply to any creative pursuit such as painting, music composition, organizing a spreadsheet, decorating a house, planning a meal, creating jewelry or other artwork, or just feeling stuck in your life in general.

Journal: It’s just for you, nobody’s going to read it, it doesn’t have to be perfect or even make sense. If you’re an artist, doodle. A musician, write nonsensical lyrics. A cook, write weird recipes. Give yourself time to let your mind roam free, without any goal of producing something worthwhile. Just sit down for five or ten or even twenty minutes and write whatever comes to mind. Do it several days in a row and see if a theme emerges. I bet it will.

Free Associate with sticky notes: Get a pack of sticky notes and write just one thought or word on each. See what arises out of your subconscious. Then lay them out in some kind of order (but don’t stop to think about it or consciously organize the words), right on the spot. Do this on a piece of posterboard, or cardboard, whatever you have handy. Use different colors for different thoughts or moods if you want to. Stick them on the board where your impulse tells you that you need to put them, even if it doesn’t make sense. Later, you can go back and try to figure out the association(s) between the words.

Better yet, do this with a couple of friends. Each get a different color of sticky notes, and play it like a board game, where you each take a turn. One puts a sticky note in the middle, with a word or phrase on it, and you build a spider web of sorts from there, with words that come to you as a result of whatever you see on the board overall. You don’t have to respond to the last note posted. Again, later you can go back and see if any pattern has developed. But while you are posting the sticky notes, don’t stop to think. Just go with whatever comes into your mind.

Imitate/play with your pets: Animals have instincts. They don’t stop to think, should I do this, or should I do that? What if I make the wrong choice? They just “do.” Or, “be” as in the case of a cat basking it in the sun. When a cat basks, it basks. If a threat comes along, the cat will deal with it. If hunger arises, the cat will do the same. The cat doesn’t worry about what’s for dinner. The cat just “is.” And if a cat goofs up, misses the mark or whatever, they always shake it off, lift their heads and walk away unconcerned. I’ve always admired that skill.

Try being like a cat or a dog sometime, and just go with what your instinct tells you. If you goof, just shake it off like a cat does. Your instincts will get better over time.

In the short term, playing with a cat with something soft attached to a piece of string can be soothing and relax you enough to let your mind change gears. The same goes for rolling around on the floor with a puppy or playing fetch with a bigger dog. The point is to give your own mind a break.

Push a child in a swing: This is a wonderful opportunity to get some sunshine, exercise, spend quality time with your loved one, and make a child happy. Meanwhile your mind is free to wander. If you can do this while playing a simple board game or building blocks, more power to you. Or you can put on a video like Winnie The Pooh and hold the child in your lap. The child is thrilled you’re spending time with him or her and your mind is free to relax.

Clean your house: This includes folding laundry, sweeping the floor or (I recommend) washing it by hand (as opposed to just sailing through with the mop), doing dishes, dusting, or anything you can do without having to think about it. Your hands and body are in motion, you’re burning calories, your house is getting cleaner, and your mind is again free to wander. Painting walls works for this, too. Or gardening, or weeding. Or simply watering the plants.

Read something totally different from what you are working on: If you write non-fiction, read fiction. If you write fiction, read non-fiction, or read something in a genre totally different from yours. Good writing is good writing. Bad writing is bad. You can learn something from every book you read, good or bad. Reading is also a passive activity. Writing and editing are active. Again, it’s a way for your brain to switch gears and relax.

If you do art work, go to a show or page through books in a totally different medium. The same goes for music. Listen to something totally different from what you are trying to create. Either go to a concert you wouldn’t ordinarily be caught dead at or listen to some CDs. Not with judgment, but just for the experience. If you feel like your life is in a rut, go do something you’ve never done before. Just one step outside the box is enough to get you kick-started into trying new things again.

Take a nap: Pose a question in your mind about whatever is blocking you, ask for an answer to the problem, then forget about it, let it float away, put on some soft music and go to sleep. This does not always work the first time, or even the first few times, but eventually you will relax enough for your subconscious mind to come up with a solution.

Brainstorm with a friend: You can do this by phone or email. Play what if. What if my character did this? What if I re-wrote the scene from another point of view? What if I turned the painting upside down, or composed the song backwards? Think outside the box. Or, in a personal situation, play “What is the worst that can happen?” Eventually you’ll come up with scenarios so outrageous you’ll both be laughing, and who knows, you might unveil a kernel of truth or a new idea along the way.

Create a collage: (Note: click HERE see Monique DeVere's article on Collages).  This is one of my personal favorites. Get a piece of posterboard. You don’t have to use the whole thing. A half or a quarter will do—whatever you have time for. Go through magazines and tear out whatever appeals to you. Then arrange them on the posterboard, and see what emerges. If you do artwork, simply mix and match colors. If you write, you can create collages for your books, your characters, or yourself. This will work for any situation you can’t seem to get off of your mind. For more information on creating a collage, see my January 9, 2009 blog post and/or read my article on the Musings Page of my website at www.lianalaverentz.com.

Go to a conference or a workshop: Even if it’s not in the area you write or paint or cook or do crafts in. Learn something new, or revisit an old interest. Get inspired by what others are saying and doing. I’ve never been to a workshop or conference or class that I didn’t come home with a host of new ideas. Sometimes just being around real live people who do the things you do and think the way you think is enough.

Liana Laverentz is the author of three contemporary romances, Eppie and NJRW Golden Leaf award-winner Thin Ice, Golden Leaf winner Jake’s Return, and Ashton’s Secret, a murder mystery romance now available at The Wild Rose Press. For more information, go to www.lianalaverentz.com.

Lack of Motivation

Have you ever lost your motivation to write? Lately, this has happened to me. I've procrastinated and procrastinated until I've turned it into a fine art.

But I'm a professional right? So I ought to be able write no matter what. The trouble is, professional or not I'm a perfectionist and just can't move forward if what I've written isn't just right. Even when I allow myself to write badly, I still can't do it. My gaze keeps drifting back to the last sentence until I can't stand it any longer and have to fix the thing before I can continue.

I know this is not a good thing, and I've been actively looking for ways to get myself back in the zone. I've purchase the AlphaSmart in the hopes that I'll be able to produce something if I'm not distracted by emails and word count. This is not working for me. I finally figured out the problem with my Dragon Naturally Speaking software--there was a program conflict--I fixed it but even that isn't motivating me. I even tried posting word count widgets for my WIPs on my blog in the hope that seeing the stagnant counters will motivate me to write. No such luck. I have no idea what to do to get myself writing again.

But I'm going to make it my top priority this week to try just about anything in an effort to find motivation to write.

Plan for tomorrow: Do school run, then go for a walk. Since that used to be part of my routine before Meggie got sick, I'm hoping it will get a few words out of me.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Hugs x

Interviews

Hi, guys,

Just a quick entry to let you all know of my recent interviews.

You can check them out here: Just Me & You 

You'll also find me in the Author Spotlight at Cate Masters Blog.

Do stop by and say hi, won't you?

See you soon.

Rolling Up My Sleeves

Okay Holy week and Easter is now over. We have today as a bank holiday to get over, for some, a long week of church services and for others, copious amounts of chocolates. I didn't do the chocolate overindulgence, but I only made a few services since Meg tires easily and I have to be conscious of exposing her to too many germs and sudden weather changes, which can make her sick. 


Anyway, I haven't been writing much these last few weeks and I am anxious to get some more work out there. Let's Pretend just go released on Wednesday and I'm waiting for More Than a Playboy's galley. Also, Harlequin Mills & Boon is considering the full of Zach's Rebound Girl for their HeatTM line. All good stuff, but I would like to buckle down and see what I'm really capable of.


This said, I'm working on another story to submit to HM&B and a couple more for TWRP. This is Meg's last week of intensive chemo for a little while--she's still on chemo but not as invasive a treatment--so I have seven weeks in which to make real progress.


Wish me great time management & inspiration!
   

Add Richness to Your Writing

Celebrate the Success

I used to daydream of celebrating the success of book contracts. In my head, I must have covered every area. You know the sort of thing. Throw a huge party with Champagne. Take off for the weekend to some romantic getaway—just hubby and I for a private celebration. The list goes on.

When I got the Email-Call from my editor, I realized I wanted to do none of the things I’d previously dreamed up. Instead, I wanted something that was tangible and would last a lot longer than Champagne or a romantic weekend. I wanted something unique that would remind me of the long years of hard work I had to put in before I finally made it.

I wanted something alive with beauty and character, like my books.

So, I started to pay attention to any potential celebration ideas. Then while buying some fantastic books from my publisher’s site, an idea clunked me over the head. The perfect celebratory souvenir would be to buy a Champagne rose bush! After all, Divorce Etiquette will be published under the Champagne line at The Wild Rose Press.

What’s more beautiful than flowers, and more tangible than a rose bush I get to tend and nurture the way I do my WIPs? Okay, I admit I may have a slight problem when it comes to the last-a-long-time part, since I tend to kill off plants by drowning the poor things. Come to think of it...that may be the reason hubby insisted on buying a book on how to care for roses! Prayfully, the two rose bushes can live a long and happy life now.

Yes, I did say two rose bushes. I couldn’t decide, so hubby bought both. Isn’t he sweet? They are Floribunda rose bushes. The first is a creamy apricot colour called Champagne Moment, which was voted Rose of the Year in 2006.
The second is called Champagne Cocktail. It's pale with splashes of carmine pink. Don’t know if you can see the hint of it on the first rose unfurling, but it’s beautiful.
Look carefully. You can see my rabbit, Jack, sampling the foliage to see if the Champagne Cocktail tastes as delicious as it sounds. Since I had to chase him off, I think he decided it did. Naughty Jack!

If you’ve been to my website, you’ll know I find it very fascinating that flowers have meanings. So, of course, I had to find out the meaning of my new roses.

Just in case you’re also intrigued by flower meanings, the Champagne rose symbolizes loveliness and “You are Tender.”

That works for me!

My question to you is this: how do you intend to celebrate your first sale? On the other hand, if you’ve sold and celebrated already, how did you choose to celebrate your transition from writer to author?

I would love it if you’d join me for a Champagne Cocktail while we share celebratory dreams, or even celebratory realities.