Songs for the Day

Playing on iTunes

"Look" Sebastien Tellier (heard in the final scene of Ugly Betty this week)
"Chasing Pavements" Adele
"Feels like Home" Chantal Kreviazuk

Titles, Characters and Plots, oh my

What's worse than coming up with a title and character names? Having to come up with movie titles and movie character names within the same book. Of course, currently there is "Action Movie Title" and I think one of his names is going to be "Hero's name". It's NaNo, people. I can't worry about the details right now. :) Back to NaNo sprinting.

Free Workshop

Why So Quiet?

I'm still waiting to here back from a handful of agents. I've got some ideas to expand the word count on Fallen and am pushing forward on my NaNo book. So while Forsaken is on hold, I'll finish up the NaNo and edit Fallen. My brain becomes pretty fried during November, but I'll keep pushing the word count on the side bars.

Ah, I Hear Voices

If you've ever been in a conversation with a writer, you'll slowly wonder if she's actually going insane as she prattles on about the characters that talk to her or interrupt what she's doing. What is it really that goes on in our brains? Well, there are characters and plots roaming around up there. Do we actually hear "voices"? Yes and no. The voices don't tell me to do things or try to control my life. What they are are the characters I've made up revealing themselves to me. They are ideas, conversations, discussions, concepts. They are integral to me actually being able to write. I don't tell the story. My characters do. I don't plot the story. I may have a plan that the characters may or may not choose to do as they reveal their personalities and what makes them special.

Is this the unique voice editors and agents go on about? I think so. Because I have a certain style of writing, but the way it's written is determined by the character whose point of view I'm in. Each character thinks about things differently, expresses him/herself differently. They build the novel not be. I just take dictation from the voices in my head and help them when they get stuck on a word or two. To work on your voice, you have to listen to the characters or in other words walk the story in his/her shoes.

Sven is Back

70 Days of Sweating is back. Go over and see if this writing challenge is more your speed. 1000 words a day for 70 days.

Contest Found

Greyhaus Agency is having a contest from Oct 1 - Oct 31 for category romance writers. Look here about half way down. Because of my word count and the type of stories I write, they might be a fit for Silhouette Nocturne. I don't have a lot to lose, I have Fallen complete and have ideas for multiple stories along the same line. I would love for Fallen to be a single title, but unless I can figure out or have help in bulking it up. But I would be very satisfied to find it at Harlequin. Sharing with the rest of you who may have ideas for category romances.