Weekly Lecture Schedule for May 21 – May 25, 2012


http://www.RomanceUniversity.org

Take a front row seat for this week’s fabulous lectures. Blogger and writer Ollin Morales starts off the week with a discussion on the importance of imagery in romance. On Wednesday, popular and prolific romance author Lucy Monroe shares a personal story about getting healthy and her new fitness endeavor.  Author Traci Bell rounds out the week with a post on writing an ending that leaves the reader satisfied.

Mon, 5/21 – What do Charlie Chaplin movies and writing romance have in common? OLLIN MORALES explains the use of tableaus for setting an unforgettable scene.  Courage 2 Create

Wed, 5/23 – Whipping your pages into shape is only one side of the story. USA Today bestselling author LUCY MONROE tells us why she started the Lucy Monroe Reader’s Fitness Challenge. http://lucymonroe.com

Fri, 5/25 –  You’ve typed “The End” and slapped yourself on the back. But does your ending tie up all the loose ends? Will it leave the reader with the warm fuzzies or make them want to fling the book across the room? Author TRACI BELL talks about the necessary elements you need for a happy ending. http://tracibell.blogspot.com/

All Romance University lectures are generously provided by our Visiting Professors. RU is a tuition-free zone!

All our best,

Kelsey Browning, Adrienne Giordano, Robin Covington, Carrie Spencer, Tracey Devlyn, Jennifer Tanner, and Becke Martin Davis

I recently led a friend of mine through an exercise designed to shape a character, and with her permission, we’re going to discuss that exercise here. We run into this sort of issue pretty frequently: a character has a strong backstory, but that doesn’t quite translate into a strong, solid character. In this case, the character – we’ll call her Ashley – was defined as a woman in her mid-20s whose father is an abusive alcoholic.

That single fact drove most of the character creation, and was the answer to almost every question about this character. What was Ashley’s romantic history? Light and sporadic, because she can’t trust men because her father was an abusive alcoholic. What does she look for in a man? Sobriety. And so on, each question leading back to that single backstory detail. No matter the question, the answer was, “Daddy was a mean drunk.” In fact, here is what my friend offered as a brief character description:

She’s been conditioned that people will always disappoint her. Her father disappoints her by constantly falling off the wagon. Every time she puts any faith in him, he blows it. Her mother (although she has a good relationship with her) disappointed her because she never had the strength to leave Ashley’s dad and give Ahsley a more stable environment.

This is good, as far as it goes, but it doesn’t go far enough. My friend, to her credit, knew something was off with this character but was having trouble grasping the smoke. The problem is one of focus. Daddy’s not in this book. The story isn’t about letting go of the original family. This is a straightforward romance novel with a strong external plot that doesn’t involve Ashley’s dad at all. So this means that every time we were talking about the backstory, we were talking about events that occurred outside the scope of this plot. Those events have no relevance OTHER THAN the way they shaped Ashley’s character.

So we had to reframe Ashley’s character. We had to focus on the results (how she behaves in real story time), rather than the cause (Daddy was a mean drunk).

Step one in this exercise was to come up with a list of character traits. I forbid my writing friend from mentioning Ashley’s father at all. I told her to come up with a simple list of character traits to describe Ashley. Each trait should be expressed in a word or two. Here is what she sent:

Suspicious

Controlling

Self-contained

Lonely

Miserly (in that she can pinch a penny until the head pops off. LOL)

Dependable (if she wants it done, she does it herself)

Driven

That’s a sad list, isn’t it? The traits seem overwhelmingly negative. This is a romantic heroine we’re talking about. The reader will want to be able to identify with this character, so that negativity might be a barrier. Also, keep in mind that we’re trying to understand how a formative situation shapes character. Ashley was forged in fire, and these kinds of circumstances can make you hard, but they can also make you strong.

So the next step was to challenge my friend to find a positive way to express these traits. Almost every aspect of character can be positive or negative, depending on how it is expressed in the story. So I asked her to look at her list and think of positive ways these traits might manifest. For example, a suspicious character might be hard to fool, which would be a good trait in a romantic suspense novel, right?

Here is what my friend generated:

Negative                      Positive

Suspicious                   Won’t be fooled

Controlling                  Orderly

Miserly                      Responsible with money

Self-contained             Self-sufficient

Lonely                          Doesn’t need to be entertained

Driven                         Wants to do a good job

Now we understand the different ways that the same basic trait might be expressed in the course of the plot. After getting this far and looking at her list more closely, we realized that Ashley’s core trait is that she’s cautious. This caution is expressed in multiple ways, and almost every trait on the above list, both positive and negative, can be seen as an expression of that cautiousness. Now we’re starting to really understand what drives Ashley, but there’s still one more step.

That final step is figuring out how these traits manifest in the world Ashley inhabits. This is where things get really interesting. Look at that list and think about some aspect of Ashley’s present world and how it might be impacted by each trait. Do you see any potential conflicts? I do. For example, if she’s good with money, but miserly, does she buy an investment property like an apartment building to live in, or a tiny condo with low payments, or something else? If she’s self-contained and entertains herself, does she have a great television system and movie collection, or does her miserliness keep her from spending money on this sort of thing? If she’s put on a work project team with a sexy, smoking hot hero, will she agree to work late and discuss the project over drinks?

By thinking of these kinds of potential issues in the character formation stage, you not only develop a deeper understanding of the character, but you develop a sense of how different aspects of that character are prioritized. Which will she value more, saving money or protecting her privacy? In times of stress, does she hide or does she try to control everything? In the end, when this exercise is complete, you will have a more fully developed character, and you will understand better how to portray her in a deep, complex way.

***

RU writers, what’s your process for developing your character?

Join us on Monday with Ollin Morales’ post What Charlie Chaplin Can Teach You About Writing A Great Love Story

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Bio: Theresa Stevens is the Publisher of STAR Guides Publishing, a nonfiction publishing company with the mission to help writers write better books. After earning degrees in creative writing and law, she worked as a literary attorney agent for a boutique firm in Indianapolis where she represented a range of fiction and nonfiction authors. After a nine-year hiatus from the publishing industry to practice law, Theresa worked as chief executive editor for a highly acclaimed small romance press, and her articles on writing and editing have appeared in numerous publications for writers. Visit her blog at http://edittorrent.blogspot.com/ where she and her co-blogger share their knowledge and hardly ever argue about punctuation.

Weekly Lecture Schedule for May 14 – May 18, 2012


http://www.RomanceUniversity.org

Let’s face it, RU Crew, it’s May, which means the weather is getting hotter. Good news is RU’s schedule will help you keep your writing cool through the next few months. This week, we have some great lectures planned for you. MONDAY Carrie Spencer takes us back to one of the great romance writers, Kathleen Woodiwiss. Wednesday, Sara Megibow is back to give us the secrets of finding a good agent. On Friday, we host monthly columnist Theresa Stevens.

Mon, 5/14 – Go back in time with CARRIE SPENCER as she reviews the impact Kathleen Woodiwiss had on the world of romance writing.

Weds, 5/16 – SARA MEGIBOW tackles the question “Who is a Good Agent?” and will give away a copy of Courtney Milan’s Unraveled. www.nelsonagency.com

Fri, 5/18 – Editor THERESA STEVENS returns with her fabulous monthly column. Don’t miss Theresa’s insights on the writing and editing process!

All Romance University lectures are generously provided by our Visiting Professors. RU is a tuition-free zone!

All our best,

Kelsey Browning, Adrienne Giordano, Robin Covington, Carrie Spencer, Tracey Devlyn, Jennifer Tanner, and Becke Martin Davis

5 tips to write a book blurb

Thanks to Robin and Romance University for inviting me to guest-blog today!

I’m not an author, but part of my job at Harlequin does involve writing copy—back cover copy, that is! I write on average eight BCBs per month for Harlequin’s ebook exclusives (including Spice Briefs and Harlequin Historical Undone) and Carina Press.

Being able to write a good blurb for your book is an important skill to have, whether it’s for your website, a query to an editor or agent, or for your self-publishing book. But it can also be challenging—it’s completely different than writing a book or synopsis. So here are my five tips for writing compelling copy to grab any reader’s attention:

1) Hook the reader with your protagonist or world.

I usually start a blurb by asking myself what the reader has to know right away that will hook them. For me, that’s usually presenting an interesting protagonist and/or their quest that they will want to know more about. E.g.:

- “When Delia Forrest talks to statues, they talk back.” – Stone Kissed
- “There is nothing Aleron Pitre can’t steal, nobody he can’t con and no situation he can’t slip out of—until he’s sent to the prison planet Tantoret, where every sentence is death.” – Outcast Mine

Other times it’s more important to set the scene by establishing the world of your story, especially if it’s set somewhere unusual. For example, for the steampunk novella Steam Heat, I started with an opening paragraph about the world so readers would know right away they aren’t in Kansas anymore:

“In a world of speed steamers, poisoned air and soulless paranormal beings, two people hold the fate of millions in their hands—and their bodies….”

2) Shoutlines: yes or no?

Shoutlines are that bit of bolded text at the start of a blurb or between paragraphs that grab the reader’s attention and entice them to read on. Good shoutlines are unique, short, and convey at least one hook to the story; unsuccessful shoutlines are tired clichés, too long or don’t add anything of value. Some shoutlines I like are:

- “It wasn’t that she wanted to live forever. She just didn’t want to die.” – Stealing Time (hook—heroine is dying, how will that be resolved?)
- “’Which sexual fantasy is your ultimate turn-on?’” – Her Fantasy (tells right away it’s a hot book!)
- “Their First Christmas, Bound Together…” — Believe (conveys the popular holiday theme, but also hints that this is a BDSM romance)

Some things to ask yourself about adding a shoutline: Do I really need this? What does this shoutline add that the reader won’t get in the rest of the blurb? Is it a cliché (e.g. “Second Chance at Love”)?

3) Perform plot triage.

One question when it comes to writing book blurbs is how much plot to include. When you really a love a book, it’s tempting to mention every plot point and character, and it can be difficult to determine what the reader really needs to know. But including too many plot details can bore your reader or confuse them about what the book is about. I recently read a blurb that had too much about the heroine’s horrible boss…and it made me think he was the hero! It was a turn off until the actual hero was mentioned in paragraph three, but I could have already stopped reading and moved on….

Some questions to ask yourself to avoid putting in too much plot: Does your reader really need to know that (and be harsh)? Could it be considered a spoiler? Are you telling the whole plot, including how the conflict will resolved?

So I don’t go overboard on plot details, I pick a spot in the book, usually a quarter or a third of the way in, and don’t include anything that happens after that point. That’s usually enough to set up the overall story, without giving everything away. I consider anything within the first quarter a spoiler-safe zone.

For a romance specifically, the focus should always be on the hero and heroine, and their relationship. If a plot detail doesn’t directly contribute to the progress of their relationship, consider cutting it from the blurb.

4) Use the manuscript.

Sometimes authors’ own words are the best tool to sell a book. Using lines from the manuscript gives readers a sense of what the book is like by showcasing the author’s voice. For this reason, I always read at least the first 15 pages of a book and highlight passages of the manuscript that I might use.

For example, here’s the opening paragraph for The Hollow House by Janis Patterson:

“I decided to use the name Geraldine Brunton. It’s not the name I was born with, nor the name I married, but it will hide who I really am…and what I have done.”

That is almost straight from the book, with some tightening. It’s perfect for copy because it sets up so much: the protagonist’s name, the fact that she’s under disguise, and she’s done something in her past she has to run from. It also conveys the voice and the fact that the book is written first person.

If you’re not writing your own book blurb, one thing you can do to help the copywriter is to provide a well-written, accurate synopsis—it’s invaluable for the copywriter and you may just see your own words in the finished copy.

5) End with conflict.

Always leave the reader—or agent, or acquiring editor—wanting more. The last line should leave them dying to read the book to learn how the story ends, and the best way to do this is by beefing up the conflict in your final line. When we read a great blurb out at Carina Press meetings, they often end with the team saying “dun dun duuuunnnnn!” because it closes on conflict and drama. Your reader should wonder “How on earth are they going to solve that?”

There are few different ways to hook your readers:

- End with a question (“What will Adam do when he discovers Florentina’s deception?” – A Scandalous Proposition)
- Hint at future danger (“When their investigation leads them to a city hall conspiracy, both their lives and their newly reignited flame could be permanently extinguished…” – Risking Trust)
- Remind them what’s keeping the h/h apart (“But amidst rival reporters, eager fanboys and overzealous role-players, it’s Emma’s secret that may put the brakes on their sizzling attraction for good…” –Defying Convention)

Resist the urge to hint at how things will work out—editors and agents will find that out in the synopses and readers will find out by reading the book!

***

So, do you have any questions for Amy about writing the book blurb or other types of copy?  Questions about her job at Harlequin? Maybe a little curious about the social media aspect of her job? Let ‘em rip!

On Friday, Theresa Stevens talks about understanding heroes.

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Bio:

Amy Wilkins is Assistant Manager, Digital Content and Social Media, in Harlequin’s Digital & Internet department, where she’s worked since 2008. She manages Harlequin’s ebook program as well as a number of social media properties, and is a member of the acquisition team for Carina Press, Harlequin’s digital-only imprint. You can follow Amy on Twitter @amywilkins or on Tumblr at http://amy-wilkins.tumblr.com.

What’s it like to be a man writing romance? What’s it like to be a black man writing romance in a predominantly Caucasian and female romance industry? We are thrilled to have Wayne Jordan here to give us the in-his-shoes perspective on publishing in romantic fiction.

People always ask me – Since you’re a man, what is it like writing romance?
On one level writing and reading romance isn’t easy. I started reading romance while in my teens and I’ll be 50 next year, so it’s been a long time. I endured years of silent ridicule at school, college and even in the workplace because I read romance. For a few years, in the early 1980s, because I thought a literature major should be reading ‘proper’ literature, I gave up my secret fantasy…or should I say fetish.
But as any romance lover knows, it’s not easy to give up reading romance novels, so I returned to the genre. However, I was a bit more mature now, and found that, I really didn’t give two ‘hoots’ what anyone thought of my preference for romance. I was a man who loved reading romance!

In high school, I discovered that I loved writing and ‘had a talent for it’, said my teachers. Scenes from stories would flash in my mind’s eyes, and I’d quickly write them in my never-ending supply of notebooks. Like the stories I read, there would always be a beautiful heroine and a handsome hero. In the stories I created, I would become that hero and in the end too, I’d get my heroine and swoop her into a passionate embrace. Even then, writing romance came naturally. The words flowed freely from my brain. I created wonderful heroes and heroines, placed them in situations with intense, sexual tension, the customary misunderstanding, but eventually I’ve give them their ‘happily-ever-after’.

I submitted my first romance novel years ago (the late 80s), submitted a query and was rejected. Now I look back on that attempt, I’m not surprised that it got rejected. It was almost twenty years later that I submitted my first ‘fit-to-be-published’ manuscript to BET Book for their Arabesque line. I received the CALL. Today, I know a lot more about romance and have published eight books; my ninth, To Love You More, will be released in April 2012 under the Harlequin Kimani Romance line.

However, almost six years after my first book, Capture the Sunrise, went on sale I still feel like the ugly stepbrother of romance. Why? You ask me.

Because, I have two things going against me….I’m still a man (lol) and I’m black.

I’M STILL A MAN
I’m still very much a man writing in a woman’s world and that’s definitely a negative when it comes to writing romance. I’m not saying this is a problem with all readers, but the majority of women still believe that a ‘real’ man can’t write romance.
Have you ever heard these? Or even heard them echoed in your mind?
A man can’t write romance because:
• He would find it difficult to get into the mind of woman.
• He lacks the sensitivity needed.
• He can’t be emotional.
• He can write about sex, but he definitely won’t be able to able to write love scenes.

Crap! Or should I say poppycock!

For me, there are two important factors which define the ‘good’ romance writer. There are others, but these are significant.
1. An individual (male or female) who knows and loves the genre.
2. An individual (male or female) who loves to and knows how to write.
Those are the qualities I possess and have helped me to create the stories I write. I know I’m a good writer. But I also know I still have a lot to learn to become a great writer.

I’M BLACK!
In the world of romance, black writers are the ugly step-sisters! While the acceptance of and respect for African-American romance writers is slowly changing, it’s far from the equal acceptance that should be the norm.

When I started reading romance novels in my teens, I never found it strange that the hero and heroine looked nothing like me. In fact, since my reading at school was comprised of the works of Shakespeare, Keats, Dickens and many of the British elite, I didn’t find it strange at all. It was only when Sandra Kitt’s Harlequin American, Adam and Eva, that I realized that stories could be written about people just like me. In 1999, with the increasing number for African-American romance writers and the growing success of the Pinnacle Arabesque line (eventually sold to BET who created BET Books) I created a website, www.romanceincolor, which focuses on promoting African-American romance authors and their work. Since then, I’ve become a strong advocate for African-American romance. My dreams of being a romance writer changed. I wanted to write about characters who looked just like me.

The state and acceptance of African-American romance in 2011 is still of serious concern to me. The works of African-America continue to be segregated and shelved under the African-American romance, thus limiting the audience potential. While this is technically true, I’m yet to hear a category called Caucasian romance. For me, romance is romance and love is love and has nothing to do with the color of the reader’s or author’s skin. This can change and has to change.

I have the ideal solution. The same way black readers have been embracing books with Caucasians hero/heroines for decades, the reverse is necessary. I read a wide cross section of romance. I have a diverse taste and enjoy all. I read from several Harlequin series lines (Love Inspired Historical, Blaze, Romantic Suspense, Intrigue, Kimani Romance, Superromance, Desire and Presents). Along with this, I read from several other genres (mystery, suspense, mainstream). My favorite authors are Brenda Jackson, Nora Roberts, Beverly Jenkins, Catherine Mann, Mary Balogh, Maureen Smith, Tami Hoag, Marie Force… and the list goes on.

How many of you can say without hesitation that your reading is a diverse are mine; that when you pick up a romance it’s not about the color of the hero and heroine, but the promise of a story that will transport your into a world where love conquers all.

***

What’s on your bookshelf?  What are your thoughts on the distance between the races in romance fiction? Do you have favorite authors who are males writing under a pen name? Do you have any questions for Wayne about how he handles the female perspective in his books?

C.J. Redwine continues her HolyCowAwesome story series on Monday.

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Wayne is giving away two copies of his July 2011 book, SAVED BY HER EMBRACE to to two lucky commentors

After dumping her cheating boyfriend, Sandra Walters doesn’t trust men…especially men in white coats! So when she runs into Troy Whitehall in Barbados, she vows to steer clear of the heart-stoppingly handsome surgeon. The passion they once shared is something she’ll never forget, but she isn’t going to let down her defenses again. Even if the good doctor has a bedside manner no woman can resist.

BIO

For as long as he can remember, Wayne Jordan loved reading, but he also enjoyed creating his own make believe worlds. This love for reading and writing continued, and in November 2005 his first book, Capture the Sunrise, was published by BET Books. Wayne has always been an advocate for romance, especially African-American romance. In 1999 he founded www.romanceincolor.com, a website that focuses on African-American romance and its authors.  Wayne is a high school teacher and a graduate of the University of the West Indies. He holds a B.A.  in literature and linguistics and an M.A. in applied linguistics. He lives on the beautiful tropical island of Barbados, which, with its white sands and golden sunshine, is the perfect setting for the romance stories he loves to create. Of course, he still takes time out to immerse himself in the latest release from one of his favorite authors.

The Kid in You

Strong-man poses by Kieran (right) and two of her siblings. This is the way kids see themselves - strong and fierce!

Have you ever met a boring kid?

No.

Seriously.

Every single kid is interesting.

If you’re unaware of this fact, get yourself to the nearest elementary school and meet  a classroom full of them. They’re fascinating. They’ll make you laugh and they’ll make you cry.

They’re little walking, talking beacons of truth. Truth wrapped in story–and sometimes peanut butter and jelly or spit balls, but still.
Beacons of truth. Compelling ones.

Art Linkletter knew this was true. In the 50’s, he had a television show called House Party. And at the conclusion of each episode, he’d interview children, asking them off-the-cuff questions and getting back hilarious and often poignant replies. Later, Bill Cosby followed up with his own show, Kids Say the Darndest Things, in which he employed clips from Linkletter’s interviews with kids.
We can’t get enough of kids and their unique perspectives on life.

Why am I bringing this up?

Because you’ll write better stories if you relate to The Kid In You.

Yes, my friends, there’s a person lurking in the shadows of your life, a wise, sensitive, original person who can take your writing from blasé to blazing, green to great, from flimsy to flat-out spectacular.

What a shame you’re ignoring The Kid in You.

I would never ignore anyone! the kind writers among us are insisting right now.

Well, you are. You’re just as guilty of turning your back on The Kid in You—this all-powerful, untapped writing resource–as the rest of us heartless, ignorant schmucks who decided to become storytellers.

Whether you had a good childhood or not, if you’re reading this right now, you had a childhood. We all did.

Obviously.

But what you may not be doing is talking to that child—that funny blabbermouth or shy genius or sensitive survivor who’s going to make your writing shine–as you write.

Even those of us who do look back tend to do it from an adult’s perspective. We categorize. Look for logical answers and patterns. Use all the wisdom gleaned from living over our lives to make sense of our childhoods. But I promise you, you’ll never know why Mary Kaputnik pulled your chair out from under you in fifth grade! Or why Cousin Joe refused your apology. Or why your late mother cried two days after Christmas, every year, without fail, even though she insisted she was happy.

But it’s adult of us to try to make sense of all that stuff, isn’t it?

Yes. Adult and once-removed.

Once removed from the feelings.

But there’s a reason for this. It’s because the feelings alone are so powerful, you’re practically lifted out of your shoes just going back in time to that Kid In You, which is why you’re Mr. or Ms. Smarty Pants Professor Sensible Person while you travel down Memory Lane most of the time (unless you’ve had too many margaritas or are in the presence of a relentless therapist).

A lot of us tend to write our stories removed from the feelings. It’s our status quo state when we get to the computer. We write as if we’re outside a scene, watching the characters, recording, and trying to make sense of what’s happening—

Because we should.

Because everything’s kinda gotta be logical.

Right?

And fit together.

Sigh!

Like pieces of a puzzle.

Yawn…

So we can protect ourselves.

From ourselves.

Because we’re dangerous when we feel too much. Dangerous and damned intuitive. Dangerous, damned intuitive, and alive. Ignore the goosebumps on your arms because you just remembered how powerful you are and listen to me: being that alive is uncomfortable when you’re a grown-up used to putting up walls to defend yourself, when you’ve spent years putting up a million social filters. It’s exhausting, quite frankly, to connect with The Kid In You.

You’ll think of all kinds of reasons to put a lid on the Kid.

But you’re a writer. You have to write the truth, and the truth can hurt. The truth can throw you for a loop. The truth can chew you up and spit you out—the fake part of you anyway. The real you will be left, gasping for breath, reminding you that nothing you write matters if you aren’t writing from the deepest part of you.

The truth demands you pay attention to The Kid In You.

Now, unless you were severely traumatized, to the point that going back is going to make you want to jump off a bridge, and you’ve been told only to do so under the supervision of trained professionals, I want you to consider doing an exercise with me:

1) Close your eyes.

2) Breathe in and out.

3) Get onto the Star Trek transporter deck of your memory and go back to The Kid In You, at the age that resonates with you most, maybe between 8 and 10.

4) Remember something—something you had feelings about.

5) Feel it.

6) Really feel it. Sometimes this means metaphorically holding onto The Kid In You’s hand or putting your arm over The Kid In You’s shoulder and following along. Stay in imaginary physical contact as much as you can. Don’t observe. Dwell. Ask The Kid In You how he or she is doing. Ask The Kid if he or she has anything to say to you about your story.

7) Come back to the grownup you.

Write.

9) Whenever you get stuck, ask The Kid In You to help you out. Even when it comes to grown-up subjects, The Kid In You will come up with something, a great zinger or a pithy truth that will get you going again.

10) If you stop feeling as you write, stop writing. Reconnect with The Kid In You. Remind yourself you used to feel first, think second. Indulge in some Kid behavior. Play putt-putt. Watch the Brady Bunch. Read a favorite childhood book. Interact with kids.

11) Poke the grownup you every time you forget to feel as you write your story.

That’s it. I hope you’ll find that channeling The Kid In You is like rediscovering your very best friend. Haywood Smith, the author of the Red Hat books, reminded me of this a couple of years ago. She told me she’d learned to go to a place in her head where she’d invite her inner child to sit on her lap. And she’d hug that child close.

I’ve always been connected with my own inner Kid—I think that strong connection helped get me published–but Haywood’s advice reminded me more than ever that there’s something special neglected in our lives.

Ourselves.

The deepest, most vulnerable, intuitive part of ourselves, the part that hides and watches yet yearns to be heard and loved.

Channeling The Kid In You can bring back all kinds of emotions, some of them not easy to handle. But you know what? Those feelings mean you’re still alive. The Kid In You reminds you of that. Most important of all, the Kid In You begs you to be you. No one else can.

I think that after you reacquaint yourself with The Kid In You, you’re going to be surprised at how your characters and plotlines take on new energy and feeling. Something will hum there, something bigger than your story. It could be a truth you may have forgotten about. Or a truth you may have been supressing, intentionally or not. Or perhaps it’s a truth that draws you back over and over, like a sparkly jewel.

That’s your Voice.

Cherish the Kid.

Cherish your Voice.

And tell us a story. Tell us something that will make us lean closer to the fire, so we don’t miss a word.

Kieran is offering a Regency-inspired porcelain tea bag rest along with some “tea time” goodies and a signed copy of CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE to one commenter at Romance University!

***

How do you cherish the Kid inside you? How do you find your voice? How does it help your writing?

Join us on Wednesday when Josh Lanyon, talented author of M/M romance and gay fiction, joins us to discuss how to make your male characters in your M/M romance more realistic.

***

BIO: USA Today best-selling author and double-Rita finalist Kieran Kramer writes lighthearted Regency historical romances for St. Martin’s Press. IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A VISCOUNT, the fourth and last book in her Impossible Bachelors series, will hit the shelves in November 2011. Her new Regency series, House of Brady, premiers in 2012. A former CIA employee, journalist, and English teacher, Kieran’s also a game show veteran, karaoke enthusiast, and general adventurer. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and at www.kierankramerbooks.com <http://www.kierankramerbooks.com/> .

Some of the best writing advice I ever got came from the news editor at the paper where I landed my first job.

Don’t write from your chair.

Huh? Most writers I know are very fond of their chairs. We like to sit in them for hours at a time crafting beautiful prose, or conducting fascinating research, or checking out shoe sales on Zappos.com.

But unfortunately, spending all your time in your chair will not give you some of the key things you need to write a compelling story.

Details.

Details are those magical ingredients that you sprinkle into your prose to make it come to life. How do you get these magical story ingredients? The answer is simple: research.

A lot of writers feel at ease with any research that involves books or the Internet. What’s not to like about sitting in the comfort of your office and learning everything you need to know about eighteenth-century undergarments? Books, Web sites, and other reading materials can be helpful sources of information. For example, many of my stories are set in Texas, so I keep a “Guide to Texas Trees and Wildflowers” on my desk so that I have plant names at my fingertips when I’m describing a setting or trying to come up with a street name.

But if you really want to get the good stuff for your story, you need to go beyond thumbing through reference books and surfing the Net. You need the face-to-face interview.

As a reporter, I discovered over and over that while is possible to write an article by getting a few quotes over the phone, that article is infinitely better if the writer goes out and actually meets the people affected by a news event.

Is your main character a cop? A veterinarian? A sous chef? No matter what you’re writing about, that story could be improved by a little research–the more hands-on, the better. Some of the most fun I’ve had as a writer was touring the FBI Academy at Quantico and shooting a Glock on their firing range. You may not have access to the FBI, but if you’re writing about gun-toting tough guys, you can go to a gun shop and handle some firearms. Or set up a ride-along with your local police department and get a glimpse of what they do.

My upcoming novel Snapped opens with a sniper scene on a college campus. The book’s hero is a former military sniper who now serves on the SWAT team called to confront the shooter. Having never stormed a building and taken down a gunman, I decided to do a little research on this topic. The police sniper I interviewed helped me understand the inner workings of a SWAT team and gave me details that allowed me to cram the maximum amount of tension into my opening pages.

Maybe you’re not writing about cops and bad guys, but more ordinary folk. One of my books features a heroine who is a hairstylist at an upscale salon. When I began the story, I knew next to nothing about this job. So I got my hands on one of the best resources for any writer The Complete Idiot’s Guide to (fill in the blank). Whatever profession or hobby your character has, there is probably an Idiots or Dummies book out there that covers it in detail.

After getting a grasp of the basic tasks and jargon related to haircutting, I found a high-end salon in my community and set up an interview with a hairstylist. Over coffee (my treat) during her lunch break, she told me about the ins and outs of her job and gave me a tour of her workplace. There, I picked up the sights and smells of her day-to-day life. I learned about what makes her love her work, and also her pet peeves. (Always ask about pet peeves, by the way. People love to talk about them and it gives you some great details to use when fleshing out a character.)

But what if you are writing about, say, a medical examiner and you don’t know any? Or a countess in regency England? Again, be resourceful. If you’re writing historical fiction, find a historian who specializes in the time period. Many experts, including forensic scientists, write books or journal articles about their field. Read them. Then track down the author’s email address through their university or their Web site and ask for an interview. When you mention that you enjoyed his or her book, the person will probably be happy to talk to you. If you sense reluctance, offer to email a few questions (so the person can take more time answering and not feel put on the spot).

Don’t be afraid to interview anyone around you who has an interesting job, because you never know what could spark a story idea. Practically everyone is an expert in something, and you might be surprised by how willing they are to share their knowledge. Many people find it flattering to be interviewed by someone who has a genuine interest in what they do.

As writers, we are competing for an ever-shrinking sliver of people’s leisure time. You need to hook your reader in quickly. You need to immediately let the reader see the world through your character’s eyes. They key to doing this? Good details. They key to good details? Good research.

And the key to good research? It’s all about getting out of your chair.

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How much time do YOU spend on research? Have you ever interviewed anyone to strengthen your story?

Join us tomorrow for Laurie Schnebly Campbell for her post on your hero – How Fabulous is TOO Fabulous?

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Bio:

On September 13th 2011 Mills & Boon launches their second global search for fresh writing talent to their galaxy of romantic fiction stars.

A celebration of romantic fiction and romance, New Voices will put entrants through their romantic fiction paces – and they want the Mills & Boon readership to have their say every step of the way!

The winner of the competition will win some fantastic prizes, including publication by Mills & Boon and a Mills & Boon editor for a year!

You can find out all of the details on the Mills & Boon Website.

Good Luck!

Series Business: Three Types of Series by Misty Evans

I love reading books in a series, don’t you? No matter what your favorite genre, you can find a series that grabs you by the imagination and refuses to let go, story after story. The best series are like Calgon…they take you away from your world and give you a free pass to live vicariously through the characters.

As an author, I enjoy writing series as well. When my muse produces a fun character who takes me on an exciting rollercoaster ride, I hate to write ‘The End’ when their story is finished.  I want to spend more time exploring their world, watching them get themselves in and out of trouble, and help them on their quests to find true love, save the world, or fight the devil. They become good friends who make me laugh and cry, and sometimes, they even show up in my dreams.

There are three basic types of series: serials, sequels and spinoffs.

Serials: The same main character is featured in each book, but each book can stand alone.  Most mystery/suspense and action/adventure series fall into this category. While you learn more about the character as the series progresses, the stories themselves are mostly episodic. A few examples:

Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich)

Tempe Brennan (Kathy Reichs)

Kay Scarpetta (Patricia Cornwall)

Spencer (Robert B. Parker)

Eve Dallas (Nora Roberts)

Sookie Stackhouse (Charlaine Harris)

Sequels: Sequels have a finite number of books where the plot is introduced in the first book and concludes with the last. Many fantasy and science fiction series fall into this category. While the individual books can be read as standalones, readers get more out of the story if they begin with the first book and follow the series in order. A few examples:

Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)

Lord of the Rings (Tolkein)

Mortal Instruments (Cassandra Claire)

Twilight (Stephanie Meyer)

Witches Anonymous (Me, Misty Evans)

Spinoffs: Spinoffs take a minor character, setting or plotline from the original standalone and develop it. In many cases, the series characters are a specific team engaged in a heroic profession. Spinoffs, or ensemble series, work well for romance writers who need a fresh couple for each book’s romance. A few examples:

Troubleshooters (Suzanne Brockman)

Black Ops (Cindy Gerard)

Black Dagger Brotherhood (J.R. Ward)

Dream Hunter Novels (Sherrilyn Kenyon)

Rosatto and Associates (Lisa Scottoline)

Super Agent Series (Me, Misty Evans)

One of my favorite resources to find series and sequels is the Los Angeles Public Library’s Index for Series and Sequels: http://www.lapl.org/resources/indexes/sequels.html . Type in an author and get a list of books in their series, including the main characters and special notes about location or other important facts. Also, try the interactive search through this library: http://ww2.kdl.org/libcat/WhatsNextNEW.asp

For Historical Fiction series, check out: http://1mpages.com/HistoricalFiction.html

A great list of Inspirational Series: http://www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner/bibliographies/inspirationalfictioninseries.asp

Small, but concise Western Series:

http://www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner/bibliographies/westernfictionseries.asp

Sequels and Prequels to Classic Literature: http://sachem.suffolk.lib.ny.us/advisor/sequels.htm

SciFi Series classics are listed here (though the site is hard to read): http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/topscifi/features_series.html

Even Fictionwise has a series list, although it’s not inclusive to all the series on their site: http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/serieslist.htm

Series allow readers (and writers) to get to know fabulous characters and explore their world in detail. Often when a series ends, we feel disappointed and a little lost. The great thing is, there are more great series out there, in every genre, and written by many of our favorite authors under pseudonyms. All we have to do is find them. Check out these lists, then head to your local library, independent bookstore, or online bookstore to find a new series. Happy reading!

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Would a likeable character or storyline entice you to read the sequel or spinoff? Please share some of your favorite series and sequels with us!

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Literary agent Sara Megibow joins us on Wednesday with her debut column. Sara’s column will appear every third Wednesday of the month.

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Bio:  Misty Evans writes the best-selling Super Agent Series and light paranormal Witches Anonymous series. She likes her coffee black, her conspiracy stories juicy, and her wicked characters dressed in couture. To learn more about Misty and her books, visit www.readMistyEvans.com or follow her on www.twitter.com/readmistyevans . And don’t miss her two-week online workshop in September on writing a series: Series Business – Is Writing A Series Right For You http://www.carolinaromancewriters.com/september11.htm.

How manuscripts did you write before you sold? Five. The first one doesn’t count though. That was my practice book. =)

How long was it from the time you began writing seriously and the time you sold? Oooh, tough question. I’m going to focus on the writing seriously part because the practice book alone took me a few years. I was probably writing (in spurts) for six or seven years before I thought I had something good enough to shop. I was submitting for five years before I got the call.

Tell us about The Call. Was there singing? Dancing? Drinking champagne out of a stiletto? There was shock. For sure. Maybe a little disbelief. LOL. I actually wasn’t home when Angela James called. She left me a message (which I still have saved) and when I picked up the message, I listened to it three times. I had to put the phone on speaker because my hands were shaking. In the message, she said she would send me an email so I ran to my office to see if the email was there. I refused to let myself get excited until I saw the email. The email confirmed it for me. It was also a special day because it would have been my father’s 80th birthday. So, I think my Dad sent me a gift from heaven. For more on that see this RU post. As a side note, the second book I reference in The Call post was also acquired by Carina. The book needed fairly major revisions, but I was determined to get it published because writing it helped me get through the brutality of grief.
What are your favorite Man Laws? I have a few:
Never mess with your best friend’s sister.
Never wonder if you should have thrown the asshole off the roof.
Never mess with another guy’s grill.

Was there a challenge in writing a man’s POV? Or does it come natural? I loved, loved, loved writing this book. It was the first time I really let myself go in terms of finding the character’s voice and it was so much fun. The interesting thing for me is that the male POV usually comes much easier than the female. I have no idea what to think of that, (considering I’m a woman!), but I’m not going to analyze it. =)

Who are you dedicating your first book to, and why? My dad. He, in every way, represented strength and dignity and he never, ever gave up. When he believed in something, he fought hard for it.

After years of submitting my work, I was getting discouraged, but I knew if I wanted to be published, I couldn’t give up. If my dad taught me anything, it was to keep fighting.

Why do you think this particular manuscript sold? The hero. Hands down. Don’t get me wrong, I had fun with the plot, but the hero in this book isn’t your typical hero. He’s the sort of guy you meet and think “Yikes. What an idiot.” But then you get to know him a little bit and realize he has a huge heart and is extremely loyal, so you’re willing to forgive his unintentional slip-ups.

What surprised you about the sell? I’d been submitting the book for a few years and had been getting great feedback on it, but no one was willing to take a chance. I submitted it to Carina after a friend sold to them, but decided if they rejected it, I would rewrite the story. I love the hero in this book and wanted his story to be told. I had actually started outlining the revised plot when I received the call from Carina. So, I guess the answer is I was surprised the book sold when it did.

What challenges have you faced since “the call” you didn’t realize you would encounter? Time. Time has been my enemy for the last four months. People always say to have other books ready when the call comes because your editor will ask to see them. Well, believe it. In my case, I had two other books in the series and an idea for a fourth. Carina bought the second and third books, but wanted revisions on the first in the series. I immediately dove into those revisions. By the time I was done with the rewrite of book one, I received the first round revisions on book two. In the last five months I’ve done revisions on three books. At one point in May I was revising two books at the same time.

Let me just mention that in between all of this, I’ve had to get my website revamped (thank you, Carrie!), get my Twitter and Facebook pages up and running, create author accounts at all the various social networking sites and create a newsletter. Be warned gang, the marketing end of being published can be a full-time job in itself. Figure out ahead of time, what kind of time you’re willing to sacrifice from your writing. I promise, you will never, ever be done with marketing. There will always be something to do. You just need to decide what the most important tasks are because you will need time to write.

Is there anything you wished you’d done before you sold? Not really. And I say that honestly. I’m a big believer in learning experiences. Whether the experience has been good or bad, I always want to walk away knowing more than I did before. The road to publication continues to be a tremendous learning experience and I don’t think I’d change any of it.

What’s your best advice for writers who are still waiting to sell? I’m sure you’ve all heard this one. I know I did, but it’s true. Keep writing. When you finish a book, start the next one. While you’re submitting books, write the next one. Don’t sit around waiting for answers on submissions. Keep writing. Here are three reasons why:

My first book just launched.
I have a September 2011 release.
I have a November 2011 release.

Last year at this time, I was contemplating taking a break from writing because the grind of trying to get published was wearing me down, and then— bam!—I sold three books. That’s how it works. If you have books ready, you’re editor will want to see them.

Do you have anything else you’d like to share with the Romance University readers? Just that I think you all are a smart, savvy bunch and I’m so proud to tell people I’m a co-founder of this blog. We have the most amazing readers. Time and time again, we hear from Visiting Professors that we have great conversations at RU. That wouldn’t happen without our readers, so thank you all for making this blog what it is.

And last, will you tell us all about your debut book?
As if I’d say no. LOL. Man Law is about security consultant Vic Andrews. Vic lives by his Man Laws:
Never mess with your best friend’s sister
Never get caught
Never get attached
When one of Vic’s assignments goes wrong and the target selects Gina Delgado and her kids for revenge, there’s nothing Vic won’t do to protect the family he realizes, too late, he wants. He’ll accomplish his mission but he breaks most of his Man Laws in the process and almost loses his only chance at true love.

If you’d like to read an excerpt of Man Law click here. I’m also giving away a copy of Man Law to a commenter. And because this is RU (and I’m crazy about you readers), I’m also giving away a pair of bullet earrings. Oh, heck, why not? Let’s do a third giveaway of a bullet key chain.

So, get those comments rolling if you want to win one of the three gifts.  Psst…RU, Crew, I’ve teamed up with our own Tracey Devlyn and two other mystery authors for a NOOK giveaway at Romance and Suspense.com.  So, if you’re in the market for a NOOK, just click here for the details!

Man Law available at:

Carina Press
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

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RU Readers! Do you have a particularly manly man in your life? What are some of HIS Man Laws?

Join us on Monday as Misty Evans walks us through helpful pointers on writing a series.

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Adrienne’s Bio: Adrienne Giordano writes romantic suspense and women’s fiction. She is a Jersey girl at heart, but now lives in the Midwest with her work-a-holic husband, sports obsessed son and Buddy the Wheaton Terrorist (Terrier). She is a co-founder of Romance University blog. Adrienne’s debut romantic suspense, Man Law, will be released by Carina Press on July 4, 2011. Her second book, A Just Deception, will be available from Carina Press on September 5, 2011. For more information please visit www.AdrienneGiordano.com. Adrienne can be found on Twitter and Facebook.