Peggy Jaeger's Blog - Posts Tagged "romance-writing"
A relaxing Retirement?
I retired from my full time job in April of this year to devote myself full-time to writing. I wanted to give you a little view into what my daily schedule now looks like. This is what I did today:
Wrote:
2 blog entires for my own website to be held in storage until needed
3 blog entries for sites I will be visiting soon
Edited:
final edits in a novella to be published next february
final edits in the third MacQuire Women series book, First Impressions, release date sometime later this year
final edits in current WIP ( writing work in progress)
Updated my website; continued Twitter marketing campaign for current book giveaway; answered "reader"emails, emailed my amazing Editor to discuss edits mentioned above.
Sent in two blog entries/release promos to websites I will be visiting this week and next
Registered for the New Jersey RWA chapter conference in October
This was all before 2 p.m., mind you - sometimes it pays to have chronic insomnia.
When my fingers got tired from typing, I did the stuff that needed to be done: grocery shopped, went to the bank, went to the recycling center to drop off, well, recyclables, went to Target, Michaels Craft store and Hallmark ( numerous graduations this month!) I did three loads of laundry, ironed, vacuumed and painted.
This is retirement?? I should go back to work, it was less exhausting!
Wrote:
2 blog entires for my own website to be held in storage until needed
3 blog entries for sites I will be visiting soon
Edited:
final edits in a novella to be published next february
final edits in the third MacQuire Women series book, First Impressions, release date sometime later this year
final edits in current WIP ( writing work in progress)
Updated my website; continued Twitter marketing campaign for current book giveaway; answered "reader"emails, emailed my amazing Editor to discuss edits mentioned above.
Sent in two blog entries/release promos to websites I will be visiting this week and next
Registered for the New Jersey RWA chapter conference in October
This was all before 2 p.m., mind you - sometimes it pays to have chronic insomnia.
When my fingers got tired from typing, I did the stuff that needed to be done: grocery shopped, went to the bank, went to the recycling center to drop off, well, recyclables, went to Target, Michaels Craft store and Hallmark ( numerous graduations this month!) I did three loads of laundry, ironed, vacuumed and painted.
This is retirement?? I should go back to work, it was less exhausting!
But what's it ABOUT?
I was speaking to an acquaintance the other day and she asked me what I was working on, writing-wise. I told her a new series of contemporary romance books concerning several members of the same family. She floored me when she then asked, "but, what's it about?"
Really? Didn't I just say it's a series of contemporary romance stories about a family? What part didn't she understand? A series of books? Contemporary Romance? Family members?
Then it hit me.
This chick is not a writer. Of anything. Not letters, not emails, not lists. I don't think she even writes a check, just pays everything electronically with a swipe of her index finger on her smart phone. And it was me who wasn't understanding her, not the other way around. If she had been a writer, or even remotely acquainted with some sort of writing, she would have understood the description I gave her. But she wasn't, so she didn't. She really did want to know what the book was about - everything from the plot line down to the characters and where it was taking place. To her, that's what the book was about, not my clinical, yet apt, description.
Sometimes I take for granted that people know what I'm talking about when they ask me about my writing. In truth, the only people who ever understand completely what you are saying when you discuss writing are actual writers. My non-writing friends do not know, for instance, what ARC's are. Nor do they understand the difference between line editing copy and galleys. To them, ARC is what Noah sailed on - just spelled incorrectly. Writers know it's an acronym for Advance Reader Copies of books. Line editing I still think is self explanatory(!) and galleys are not the area in the bottom of boats where you cook your meals, but the final copy of your book you need to check for any and all mistakes before it goes to print with those mistakes on the page forever.
I enjoy writing contemporary romances, but I love reading Regencies. I mentioned this to another acquaintance once and she asked, "what's a regency?" Again, really? Not her fault. Her sum total of reading concerns biographies of celebrities, PEOPLE, and Cosmo. The funny thing is when I explained what a regency romance was and told her some of my favorite authors and titles, she actually became a fan. She asked once if it was possible to turn a regency romance into a contemporary one. Hello! Anyone remember CLUELESS!??
I really do need to have more patience with, and be kinder to, my non-writing friends - of which all my close close friends are. There are so many times, though, I am happy that I belong to the NH Romance Writers of America group and the national RWA. It's so great to be able to talk about my writing with some people who never require detailed explanations of what my book is about! They get it on the first try.
Really? Didn't I just say it's a series of contemporary romance stories about a family? What part didn't she understand? A series of books? Contemporary Romance? Family members?
Then it hit me.
This chick is not a writer. Of anything. Not letters, not emails, not lists. I don't think she even writes a check, just pays everything electronically with a swipe of her index finger on her smart phone. And it was me who wasn't understanding her, not the other way around. If she had been a writer, or even remotely acquainted with some sort of writing, she would have understood the description I gave her. But she wasn't, so she didn't. She really did want to know what the book was about - everything from the plot line down to the characters and where it was taking place. To her, that's what the book was about, not my clinical, yet apt, description.
Sometimes I take for granted that people know what I'm talking about when they ask me about my writing. In truth, the only people who ever understand completely what you are saying when you discuss writing are actual writers. My non-writing friends do not know, for instance, what ARC's are. Nor do they understand the difference between line editing copy and galleys. To them, ARC is what Noah sailed on - just spelled incorrectly. Writers know it's an acronym for Advance Reader Copies of books. Line editing I still think is self explanatory(!) and galleys are not the area in the bottom of boats where you cook your meals, but the final copy of your book you need to check for any and all mistakes before it goes to print with those mistakes on the page forever.
I enjoy writing contemporary romances, but I love reading Regencies. I mentioned this to another acquaintance once and she asked, "what's a regency?" Again, really? Not her fault. Her sum total of reading concerns biographies of celebrities, PEOPLE, and Cosmo. The funny thing is when I explained what a regency romance was and told her some of my favorite authors and titles, she actually became a fan. She asked once if it was possible to turn a regency romance into a contemporary one. Hello! Anyone remember CLUELESS!??
I really do need to have more patience with, and be kinder to, my non-writing friends - of which all my close close friends are. There are so many times, though, I am happy that I belong to the NH Romance Writers of America group and the national RWA. It's so great to be able to talk about my writing with some people who never require detailed explanations of what my book is about! They get it on the first try.
Synopses and Blurbs and Word Count, oh my!
Book 3 in the MacQuire Women, FIRST IMPRESSIONS, is in final production right now and I’m hoping it will be released in September, since it’s a fall themed book.
But it isn’t enough just to write the story any longer. Along with the story a writer must also pen the dreaded SYNOPSIS and (gulp!) the official BOOK BLURB. The synopsis is a detailed (or not) outline of the plot of the book. For most authors, writing a synopsis is tantamount to being tossed into the ninth circle of hell for all eternity. And that’s not an exaggeration. The blurb is that little mini description the publisher places on the back of the book or for hardcover books, on the inside jacket cover. It’s supposed to be the tease that lures the reader into wanting to purchase and read your book.
Until I had my first book published I never knew the author was responsible for writing this. You’d think it would be easy. Just sum-up the book’s main theme, right?
Ha!
It’s about as easy as putting together a car from scratch without directions, diagrams, or pictures. Or any outside help, mechanical or human.
Not kidding.
First of all there are word count restrictions of between 100 and 150, maximum. I am a verbose writer. And by verbose I mean I write A LOT of words. The task of paring down the storyline into what amounts to about 10-15 sentences is torture. Add that you must hit the high points of the story, identify the hero and heroine, describe them and the conflict resounding around their relationship ever coming to fruition, PLUS make it sound exciting and buy-worthy, well…this is why I’m sweating right now as I write this piece. Writing a blurb gives me more indigestion than Crispy Crème donuts – and I had to have my gall bladder removed after eating just one of those suckers. I really did.
But I digress. Again.
Back to the blurb. I have been told by manymanymany people in the publishing realm that a blurb can make or break a sale. Pressure, much? When I wrote my first one for SKATER’S WALTZ I thought I really did a great job. I was proud of it and the hours it took to do, so I sent it in and just knew it was perfect.
Not so much.
It took three back and forth trials between me and the burb committee (yes, there is one, and it is made up of WONDERFUL and SMART PEOPLE!) before the blurb was deemed publishing-worthy.
For THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, I took everything I learned from the first blurb debacle and did my best not to make the same mistakes. I must have done something right this time because it only came back to me once.
For book 3, FIRST IMPRESSIONS, I let myself get cocky and knew – knew! – there was no way the blurb I wrote was coming back this time.
Yeah, no.
It took two tries, but I think they did a fabulous job guiding me in the right direction. Read for yourselves, this is the official blurb:
Family Practice Doctor Clarissa Rogers’ first impression of Padric Cleary is biased and based on gossip. The handsome, charming veterinarian is considered a serial dater and commitment-phobic by his family and most of the town. Relationship shy, Clarissa refuses to lose her heart to a man who can’t pledge himself to her forever.
Pat Cleary, despite his reputation, is actually looking for The One. When he does give his heart away, he wants it to be for life. With his parent’s marriage as his guidebook, he wants a woman who will be his equal and soul mate in every way.
Can Pat convince everyone – including Clarissa – she’s the only woman for him?
I truly can not wait until the book is released. It’s my favorite so far – and I know every writer says that when they’ve got something new coming out, but this one really is. Pat and Clarissa’s story was an absolute pleasure to write and I’m thrilled I get to share it.
I’m currently editing the 4th book, The Voices of Angels, and I am putting off the blurb until I absolutely need to submit it. Trying to come up with something that will wow the reader is much too exhausting right now. Better I write the story down and get that good and right. Then and only then will I tackle the blurb.
I’ll also have to make sure I have a couple bottles of Rolaids handy as well when I do.
But it isn’t enough just to write the story any longer. Along with the story a writer must also pen the dreaded SYNOPSIS and (gulp!) the official BOOK BLURB. The synopsis is a detailed (or not) outline of the plot of the book. For most authors, writing a synopsis is tantamount to being tossed into the ninth circle of hell for all eternity. And that’s not an exaggeration. The blurb is that little mini description the publisher places on the back of the book or for hardcover books, on the inside jacket cover. It’s supposed to be the tease that lures the reader into wanting to purchase and read your book.
Until I had my first book published I never knew the author was responsible for writing this. You’d think it would be easy. Just sum-up the book’s main theme, right?
Ha!
It’s about as easy as putting together a car from scratch without directions, diagrams, or pictures. Or any outside help, mechanical or human.
Not kidding.
First of all there are word count restrictions of between 100 and 150, maximum. I am a verbose writer. And by verbose I mean I write A LOT of words. The task of paring down the storyline into what amounts to about 10-15 sentences is torture. Add that you must hit the high points of the story, identify the hero and heroine, describe them and the conflict resounding around their relationship ever coming to fruition, PLUS make it sound exciting and buy-worthy, well…this is why I’m sweating right now as I write this piece. Writing a blurb gives me more indigestion than Crispy Crème donuts – and I had to have my gall bladder removed after eating just one of those suckers. I really did.
But I digress. Again.
Back to the blurb. I have been told by manymanymany people in the publishing realm that a blurb can make or break a sale. Pressure, much? When I wrote my first one for SKATER’S WALTZ I thought I really did a great job. I was proud of it and the hours it took to do, so I sent it in and just knew it was perfect.
Not so much.
It took three back and forth trials between me and the burb committee (yes, there is one, and it is made up of WONDERFUL and SMART PEOPLE!) before the blurb was deemed publishing-worthy.
For THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, I took everything I learned from the first blurb debacle and did my best not to make the same mistakes. I must have done something right this time because it only came back to me once.
For book 3, FIRST IMPRESSIONS, I let myself get cocky and knew – knew! – there was no way the blurb I wrote was coming back this time.
Yeah, no.
It took two tries, but I think they did a fabulous job guiding me in the right direction. Read for yourselves, this is the official blurb:
Family Practice Doctor Clarissa Rogers’ first impression of Padric Cleary is biased and based on gossip. The handsome, charming veterinarian is considered a serial dater and commitment-phobic by his family and most of the town. Relationship shy, Clarissa refuses to lose her heart to a man who can’t pledge himself to her forever.
Pat Cleary, despite his reputation, is actually looking for The One. When he does give his heart away, he wants it to be for life. With his parent’s marriage as his guidebook, he wants a woman who will be his equal and soul mate in every way.
Can Pat convince everyone – including Clarissa – she’s the only woman for him?
I truly can not wait until the book is released. It’s my favorite so far – and I know every writer says that when they’ve got something new coming out, but this one really is. Pat and Clarissa’s story was an absolute pleasure to write and I’m thrilled I get to share it.
I’m currently editing the 4th book, The Voices of Angels, and I am putting off the blurb until I absolutely need to submit it. Trying to come up with something that will wow the reader is much too exhausting right now. Better I write the story down and get that good and right. Then and only then will I tackle the blurb.
I’ll also have to make sure I have a couple bottles of Rolaids handy as well when I do.
What a conference can REALLY teach you
I recently attended the New Jersey Romance Conference and took a master class with Margie Lawson. Who, you ask? Well, if you don’t now who she is, you really are missing out. Margie Lawson is a woman who wears many metaphorical hats. She’s a psychotherapist, an editor, and a very smart, savvy woman, just to mention three. The master class I took was all about Empowering Character Emotion and it was the best 3 hours and the wisest money I ever spent on a day course.
Seriously.
In fact, I learned so much in that short 3 hours, I knew there had to be more to learn, and boy was there! When I clicked on her site I found she has on line instruction classes and packets and I purchased two right at the conference. I’ve been editing away ever since in my current contracted novel. You can see the efforts in the picture I’ve included. Now, Margie’s stuff is proprietary so I’m not going to tell you what she suggests doing, but I highly recommend you go to her site and click around.
I can say with all honesty my writing and editing skills have improved significantly since I started following her suggestions. She helps you hone in on places where you can add punch to character emotions and scenes where you can dial up the conflict from easy to complex with just a rephrasing of a few words, or the addition of a power word or two. She helps you see where you may have too much of one thing – like exposition, which makes readers skim the page – and not enough of another – like conflict, and we all know romance writers need conflict between their characters.
If you are determined to get that first book published or if you are a multi-published author already, Margie can literally take your writing skills to the next level and maybe even 3 or 4 more beyond that.
Just saying.
Seriously.
In fact, I learned so much in that short 3 hours, I knew there had to be more to learn, and boy was there! When I clicked on her site I found she has on line instruction classes and packets and I purchased two right at the conference. I’ve been editing away ever since in my current contracted novel. You can see the efforts in the picture I’ve included. Now, Margie’s stuff is proprietary so I’m not going to tell you what she suggests doing, but I highly recommend you go to her site and click around.
I can say with all honesty my writing and editing skills have improved significantly since I started following her suggestions. She helps you hone in on places where you can add punch to character emotions and scenes where you can dial up the conflict from easy to complex with just a rephrasing of a few words, or the addition of a power word or two. She helps you see where you may have too much of one thing – like exposition, which makes readers skim the page – and not enough of another – like conflict, and we all know romance writers need conflict between their characters.
If you are determined to get that first book published or if you are a multi-published author already, Margie can literally take your writing skills to the next level and maybe even 3 or 4 more beyond that.
Just saying.
The art of Storyboarding...
On Saturday, my New Hampshire chapter of RWA was given a treat: our chapter President, Christyne Butler, gave us a masterclass on storyboarding. What is storyboarding? I am so happy you asked.
Typically used in visual media, a storyboard is defined as such: a sequence of drawings, typically with some directions and dialogue, representing the shots planned for a movie or television production. This helps the film people plot the story, frame by frame, sequence by sequence.
But writers use storyboarding as well.
Most books are comprised of chapters, scenes within chapters, and actions within scenes. Instead of framing the novel action by scene by chapter, writers approach the storyboard a different way. Christyne showed us her way, which is how her characters are plotted out. She boards each individual character and things that might pertain to him/her when she starts to write. She has a complete visual reference for the entire book at her fingertips when she begins to write her story. She must be doing something right because she is a multi-published, very popular author!
Now, when I plot a new story it looks something like this:
dashboard2 dashboard
I write everything out longhand once I find pictures of my characters. I fill entire composition books with pictures, descriptions, motivations, and backstory. It takes a while, but so far it has worked for me. With Christyne’s method – a more visual one – it seemed like it was worth a try, so I did it. Here’s where I’m at after 2 days: ( those are my feet in the bottom of the photo – damn crop app didn’t work!
dashboard3
This is a three book arc. My heroines are on the left side of the board, my heroes on the right. Just from viewing this I can see I know a whole bunch more about my girls than my boys!! SO right away, this has become a valuable tool for me. Since I am character driven, I have pictures of my peeps, their bedrooms ( I always want to imagine where they sleep!), things about their careers – quotes or pictures of occupations, and the colors on their individual blocks are foils for one another. For instance, the top is black and white because those two love interests perceive everything emotionally in shades of black and white – no gray. My goal is to get them to the gray! I love assigning colors to characters because I think of them in shades of colors. It’s hard sometimes to explain how my brain works, but the black and white instance is the easiest way for me to get you to understand how I envision people/characters.
This is all after 2 days. I’m hoping ( wishing?praying?) to have it done this weekend. I’ve already written two chapters, but I feel as if now I’ll know my characters much better when I write the rest.
So, if you’re a writer, do you storyboard? Write out everything in longhand? Fly by the seat of your pants? What? let’s discuss……
New release 3 WISHES (A Candy Hearts Romance)perf5.000x8.000.indd
Valentine’s Day is chocolatier Chloe San Valentino’s favorite day of the year. Not only is it the busiest day in her candy shop, Caramelle de Chloe, but it’s also her birthday. Chloe’s got a birthday wish list for the perfect man she pulls out every year: he’d fall in love with her in a heartbeat, he’d be someone who cares about people, and he’d have one blue eye and one green eye, just like her. So far, Chloe’s fantasy man hasn’t materialized, despite the matchmaking efforts of her big, close-knit Italian family. But this year for her 30th birthday, she just might get her three wishes.
Get it here: Amazon // The Wild Rose Press // Nook// Kobo //
Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me //Pin Me//Friend Me// Google+Me//
to see the actual pictures in this article, visit peggyjaeger.com
Typically used in visual media, a storyboard is defined as such: a sequence of drawings, typically with some directions and dialogue, representing the shots planned for a movie or television production. This helps the film people plot the story, frame by frame, sequence by sequence.
But writers use storyboarding as well.
Most books are comprised of chapters, scenes within chapters, and actions within scenes. Instead of framing the novel action by scene by chapter, writers approach the storyboard a different way. Christyne showed us her way, which is how her characters are plotted out. She boards each individual character and things that might pertain to him/her when she starts to write. She has a complete visual reference for the entire book at her fingertips when she begins to write her story. She must be doing something right because she is a multi-published, very popular author!
Now, when I plot a new story it looks something like this:
dashboard2 dashboard
I write everything out longhand once I find pictures of my characters. I fill entire composition books with pictures, descriptions, motivations, and backstory. It takes a while, but so far it has worked for me. With Christyne’s method – a more visual one – it seemed like it was worth a try, so I did it. Here’s where I’m at after 2 days: ( those are my feet in the bottom of the photo – damn crop app didn’t work!
dashboard3
This is a three book arc. My heroines are on the left side of the board, my heroes on the right. Just from viewing this I can see I know a whole bunch more about my girls than my boys!! SO right away, this has become a valuable tool for me. Since I am character driven, I have pictures of my peeps, their bedrooms ( I always want to imagine where they sleep!), things about their careers – quotes or pictures of occupations, and the colors on their individual blocks are foils for one another. For instance, the top is black and white because those two love interests perceive everything emotionally in shades of black and white – no gray. My goal is to get them to the gray! I love assigning colors to characters because I think of them in shades of colors. It’s hard sometimes to explain how my brain works, but the black and white instance is the easiest way for me to get you to understand how I envision people/characters.
This is all after 2 days. I’m hoping ( wishing?praying?) to have it done this weekend. I’ve already written two chapters, but I feel as if now I’ll know my characters much better when I write the rest.
So, if you’re a writer, do you storyboard? Write out everything in longhand? Fly by the seat of your pants? What? let’s discuss……
New release 3 WISHES (A Candy Hearts Romance)perf5.000x8.000.indd
Valentine’s Day is chocolatier Chloe San Valentino’s favorite day of the year. Not only is it the busiest day in her candy shop, Caramelle de Chloe, but it’s also her birthday. Chloe’s got a birthday wish list for the perfect man she pulls out every year: he’d fall in love with her in a heartbeat, he’d be someone who cares about people, and he’d have one blue eye and one green eye, just like her. So far, Chloe’s fantasy man hasn’t materialized, despite the matchmaking efforts of her big, close-knit Italian family. But this year for her 30th birthday, she just might get her three wishes.
Get it here: Amazon // The Wild Rose Press // Nook// Kobo //
Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me //Pin Me//Friend Me// Google+Me//
to see the actual pictures in this article, visit peggyjaeger.com
#RWA16 Day 3…Can I get an “Amen?”
I will admit this freely ….I’m starting to fade!! There is sosososososos much going on at this conference that I have truly had to choose wisely and miss out on some things just so I could attend others.
The first year I attended RWA I was OVERWHELMED. I wish someone had told me to just take it all in, don’t try to do everything and be everywhere at the same time. Just breath and enjoy the moment. I did try to do everything and because of that I forgot half the stuff I learned about industry and the craft of writing. I left the hotel 1 time and that was to have a meal with my chapter mates. I spent 5 days in a hotel and it nearly broke me!
Last year I knew better and when you know better you do better. I went to a lot of worshops, but took time to enjoy other things likes the publishing spotlights. Since were in NYC I also got out 2-3 times per day, saw my lovely New Yorker daughter several times, and basically had some fun.
This year, there is so much to do, I haven’t even done a 10th of what I wanted to do. But that’s okay. I’ve taken a daily walk outside the hotel ( you can see my video updates on my fb page of my little jaunts around the San Diego marina,) and I’ve spent more time meeting people and chatting them up than I ever have before. Maybe this is because no one from my chapter is here and I miss my lovely chapter mates. Maybe it’s because I realize I need to learn to network and get my name out there. Maybe it’s just because I’m lonely. Whatever the reason, I’m doing okay. I’m bone weary tired, but doing okay.
Yesterday I attended the Kensington book signing ( my new publishing home!!) and this was the haul from just that 30 minutes:rwa12
This is my book haul so far, overall at the conference:
I’m so glad I brought a spare suitcase!!
And I do want to add a correction. Yesterday I said I skipped the luncheon and that Beverly Johnson was the speaker. it was BEVERLY JENKINS!!!!! This is what you get for relying on stupid spell check!
While I’m in San Diego, here’s where you can reach me: Tweet Me// Read Me//Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
*** Click on to http://peggyjaeger.com for images
The first year I attended RWA I was OVERWHELMED. I wish someone had told me to just take it all in, don’t try to do everything and be everywhere at the same time. Just breath and enjoy the moment. I did try to do everything and because of that I forgot half the stuff I learned about industry and the craft of writing. I left the hotel 1 time and that was to have a meal with my chapter mates. I spent 5 days in a hotel and it nearly broke me!
Last year I knew better and when you know better you do better. I went to a lot of worshops, but took time to enjoy other things likes the publishing spotlights. Since were in NYC I also got out 2-3 times per day, saw my lovely New Yorker daughter several times, and basically had some fun.
This year, there is so much to do, I haven’t even done a 10th of what I wanted to do. But that’s okay. I’ve taken a daily walk outside the hotel ( you can see my video updates on my fb page of my little jaunts around the San Diego marina,) and I’ve spent more time meeting people and chatting them up than I ever have before. Maybe this is because no one from my chapter is here and I miss my lovely chapter mates. Maybe it’s because I realize I need to learn to network and get my name out there. Maybe it’s just because I’m lonely. Whatever the reason, I’m doing okay. I’m bone weary tired, but doing okay.
Yesterday I attended the Kensington book signing ( my new publishing home!!) and this was the haul from just that 30 minutes:rwa12
This is my book haul so far, overall at the conference:
I’m so glad I brought a spare suitcase!!
And I do want to add a correction. Yesterday I said I skipped the luncheon and that Beverly Johnson was the speaker. it was BEVERLY JENKINS!!!!! This is what you get for relying on stupid spell check!
While I’m in San Diego, here’s where you can reach me: Tweet Me// Read Me//Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
*** Click on to http://peggyjaeger.com for images
#Music to write by…or not. #MFRWauthors
The topic of this blog is supposed to be the music we, as writers, listen to when we are in the creative mood. I have to be honest about this – I need total silence when I’m in writing mode. If I put on any music – even classical without words(!) music, I will invariably stop what I am doing just to listen. God forbid I put on pop music. Then all I will do is sing along. And believe me – no one wants to hear my rendition of Baby, Baby, or Stop in the Name of Love.
Insert full body shudders here at the thought!
Music is very distracting to me when I write, so I’m going to talk about the music I listen to as I Prepare to Write. That, at least, is something I do, do.
Once I have my characters thought out and the storyline plotted, I go back to the characters and insert little idiosyncrasies into their backstories, which include the kinds of books they read and the music they listen to and favor. For my newest release, COOKING WITH KANDY, my heroine Kandy Laine is a total pop/rock-diva listening gal. If she is alone at home, or driving in her car, she will have Pat Benatar, Madonna, vintage Joan Jett, or the Heart sisters blasting away and she will be singing at the top of her lungs, not caring a whit she can’t carry a tune in a bag! These rock warrior women are her musical soul sistahs. In the privacy of her kitchen she will dance like no one’s looking, a wooden spoon as her microphone as she belts out Heartbreaker or I Love Rock and Roll to her heart’s content. When I was trolling around on Pinterest trying to find the perfect image of Kandy, these were the ladies I listened to in order to find Kandy’s essence.
My hero, Josh Keane is a little more, shall we say, sedate, in his musical tastes. He’s a Jazz and Blues man, pure and simple. He’s got Al Jarreau and Miles Davis CDs by the truckload in his car and when he’s doing corporate computer research, or simply kicking back in his condo with a glass of Glenlivet 21 after a hard day, he’s a man who likes the complex simplicity of a solitary horn or a raspy, tortured voice weaving a tale of love, loss, and redemption. As Josh’s soul and spirit came to me, I had my iTunes opened, listening to jazz and blues by the hour. Those discordant chords and slip-timed keys brought to my mind the man Josh was, through and through.
Listening to music is, like writing, an individualistic endeavor. Whether for inspiration, motivation, or clarification, music helps a writer dig deep down, straight to the heart and soul, to bring forth the crux and core of character and story.
Plus, singing at the top of your lungs like no one’s watching is pretty fun to do!
When I’m not listening to music, you can find me here:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triberr
Stop by the other #MFRW authors participating in this 52 week hop and leave them some love.
Blog Hop Author:
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/02/17/mu...
1.
Heather Boyd
2.
Me, Music and Writing, Oh My!
3.
Music Fuels Me
4.
Music or Silence?
5.
Songs that Have Inspired Me
6.
Robin Michaela – Music to Write by
7.
The Sound of Music
8.
(No) Music to Write By
9.
Adriana Kraft
10.
Let the Music Play~Cathy Writes Romance
11.
What Kind of Music Do You Feed Your Ears?
12.
The Music Of My Soul
13.
The Write Tune
14.
Silence is My Sanctuary (Shari Elder)
15.
Silence is Worth a Thousand Words
16.
Finding THAT song. . .
17.
Kenzie’s Place
18.
The Tunes in My Head
19.
Musing on Music
20.
Music Like a Declaration of Love Demands a Respons
21.
What Gets Me In The Mood
22.
In the Mood
23.
#music to write by. . . or not
24.
Dance, Fu!*%!er, Dance
25.
Music & Writing My Two Favourite Things!
26.
Soundtracks: Music To Write By
27.
Madness – Music to Write By
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Insert full body shudders here at the thought!
Music is very distracting to me when I write, so I’m going to talk about the music I listen to as I Prepare to Write. That, at least, is something I do, do.
Once I have my characters thought out and the storyline plotted, I go back to the characters and insert little idiosyncrasies into their backstories, which include the kinds of books they read and the music they listen to and favor. For my newest release, COOKING WITH KANDY, my heroine Kandy Laine is a total pop/rock-diva listening gal. If she is alone at home, or driving in her car, she will have Pat Benatar, Madonna, vintage Joan Jett, or the Heart sisters blasting away and she will be singing at the top of her lungs, not caring a whit she can’t carry a tune in a bag! These rock warrior women are her musical soul sistahs. In the privacy of her kitchen she will dance like no one’s looking, a wooden spoon as her microphone as she belts out Heartbreaker or I Love Rock and Roll to her heart’s content. When I was trolling around on Pinterest trying to find the perfect image of Kandy, these were the ladies I listened to in order to find Kandy’s essence.
My hero, Josh Keane is a little more, shall we say, sedate, in his musical tastes. He’s a Jazz and Blues man, pure and simple. He’s got Al Jarreau and Miles Davis CDs by the truckload in his car and when he’s doing corporate computer research, or simply kicking back in his condo with a glass of Glenlivet 21 after a hard day, he’s a man who likes the complex simplicity of a solitary horn or a raspy, tortured voice weaving a tale of love, loss, and redemption. As Josh’s soul and spirit came to me, I had my iTunes opened, listening to jazz and blues by the hour. Those discordant chords and slip-timed keys brought to my mind the man Josh was, through and through.
Listening to music is, like writing, an individualistic endeavor. Whether for inspiration, motivation, or clarification, music helps a writer dig deep down, straight to the heart and soul, to bring forth the crux and core of character and story.
Plus, singing at the top of your lungs like no one’s watching is pretty fun to do!
When I’m not listening to music, you can find me here:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triberr
Stop by the other #MFRW authors participating in this 52 week hop and leave them some love.
Blog Hop Author:
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/02/17/mu...
1.
Heather Boyd
2.
Me, Music and Writing, Oh My!
3.
Music Fuels Me
4.
Music or Silence?
5.
Songs that Have Inspired Me
6.
Robin Michaela – Music to Write by
7.
The Sound of Music
8.
(No) Music to Write By
9.
Adriana Kraft
10.
Let the Music Play~Cathy Writes Romance
11.
What Kind of Music Do You Feed Your Ears?
12.
The Music Of My Soul
13.
The Write Tune
14.
Silence is My Sanctuary (Shari Elder)
15.
Silence is Worth a Thousand Words
16.
Finding THAT song. . .
17.
Kenzie’s Place
18.
The Tunes in My Head
19.
Musing on Music
20.
Music Like a Declaration of Love Demands a Respons
21.
What Gets Me In The Mood
22.
In the Mood
23.
#music to write by. . . or not
24.
Dance, Fu!*%!er, Dance
25.
Music & Writing My Two Favourite Things!
26.
Soundtracks: Music To Write By
27.
Madness – Music to Write By
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