One Writer’s Perspective
Earlier this week, I dreamt I was dying. I awoke to my husband stroking my cheek to tell me he was leaving for work. I sought out his hand, smiled and kissed him goodbye a little more deliberately than usual.
After he left, I remained in bed looking out the window at the achingly blue sky and wondered why I would have dreamt about something so dramatic. There are no obvious reasons (I’m not sick, no one I love is sick, nor have I watched any end-of-life movies lately), but I began to wonder if it was a message about perspective.
Mobile Optimized Website Tips
Surfing the internet on my phone is wonderful. And maddening. I love the freedom to access information anywhere, anytime. But, oooo, do I hate the horizontal scrolling that’s even more of an issue when you enlarge the screen enough so you don’t need a flipping magnifying glass to read it. And sites that take too long to download (due to large graphics or bells and whistles) don’t have a chance with me. I don’t think I’m alone, either.
So how does your site work on a mobile device? If the answer is “not so good,” or you’re just starting to think about this next step in the digital, on-the-go world, read on for a few tips.
Dialog Differentiating Tips
“Sure enough, there he was, cresting the hill on foot—a naked man wearing nothing but a black cowboy hat, a pair of boots and a go-to-hell sneer.”
Intrigued? Welcome to Storm’s Interlude by Vonnie Davis, a wonderful story filled with heat, heart, and memorable characters. Part of what makes them memorable is the way Vonnie writes dialog. She crafts her characters so distinctly it’s easy to tell who’s speaking even without verbal tags or beats. Today, I’m so lucky to have her with us to share how she does it. An excerpt follows below. Be sure to share your own ideas on crafting killer dialog in the comments section below.
Take it away Vonnie! 
Getting to Know Your Cast
So, I’ve started plotting my next manuscript and guess what… I know the plot line, I know the female lead like she’s my shadow, but…I’m stuck on the male lead. If this has ever happened to you, you feel my pain. Who *is* he? What’s he all about? I know what he wants, but I don’t know why. He’s driving me crazy because he’s playing hard to get. What’s a writer to do?
3 Takeaways from RWA National
This was only my second RWA conference, so I still had a little of that “holy crap” demeanor as I mingled with romance writers from all over the world. But even so, this time it was more about the networking for me. The workshops were awesome, of course, but really, it was the people who made the experience special. I volunteered for several events, and that was a fantastic experience. In fact, it solidified the 3 most important lessons I left NYC with.
Blogging Tips from 4 Pros
I’m still a fresh egg to this blogging business, and though I’ve already learned a few lessons, I was recently blindsided by a situation that I hadn’t anticipated. The bottom line? I very unintentionally ticked someone off. My takeaway lesson? As writers, we’re probably going to irritate/anger/offend a few people now and then…even when we don’t mean to…even when we can’t possibly imagine how we could. It’s part of the writer’s package, I guess. If it doesn’t ever happen, perhaps it means we’re being too safe.
Exploring Erogenous Zones
There’d be fewer divorces if couples would own a metal headboard. I’m kidding (or mostly anyway). Of course sex (or lack of it) isn’t a primary reason for divorce, but a healthy sexual relationship can generate intimacy, which usually leads to better communication, which translates to feeling understood, valued and loved in any manner of partnership, married or otherwise. It’s no surprise then, that sexual tension is a chunk of the relationship puzzle writers—especially romance writers—spend time developing. But the question is, how can we keep it—the writing of it—fresh?
Engaged Idea Mining – Part 2
Last week, I challenged you to get out there and mine some writing ideas via engagement, or more specifically, by asking questions in a variety of situations. This is one way to get beyond the observational, or passive, method of generating ideas. So this week, I want to talk about engagement via doing. In other words, the whole Nike nine-yards.
Engaged Idea Mining – Part 1
To the vast surprise of non-writers, most word people don’t have a problem coming up with story ideas, though I’d wager that most of those ideas come via observational, or passive, sources (reading, watching, overhearing, etc.). Not a single thing wrong with that, of course. But I challenge you to take it a step further. Get out there and mine some ideas via engagement. It’s empowering, invigorating, and a hell of a balance for a writer’s solitary, sedentary lifestyle. Part one of this topic addresses engagement in terms of asking questions. Sound boring? I beg to differ…
Selling Out? A Case to Ponder
Most genre readers have certain expectations, even if they aren’t aware of them. But say those expectations don’t work based on who and what a writer’s WIP characters are all about. So what happens when that writer—even a multi-pubbed author steeped in a particular genre—doesn’t meet those expectations? What if the publisher won’t support (read: publish) the book without those genre expectations being met?
What would you do? If you make changes that don’t feel quite right—or actually change the heart of your story—in order to appease your editor, is that selling out?
