Shoshanna Evers's Blog, page 17

Agony/Ecstasy Book Cover - Revealed!

Hello Fellow Writers!

Here's a sneek peek of the Berkley Heat Agony Ecstasy book cover, which will be in bookstores everywhere December 1st. My story "The Wooden Pony" will be in this anthology!

My First Advance! Woot!

Hello Fellow Writers!

Today is a momentous day in the Evers household. I got my very first advance for my writing, for the Berkley Heat Anthology Agony/Ecstasy. I'm so excited, I can't wait to go to the bank tomorrow with my check, LOL!

To celebrate, I'm buying myself an extravagant (well, extravagant to me at least) gift. Since I already have and love the Roomba, now I can get the Scooba. The Roomba is a robotic vacuum that vacuums for me. I have it roam around the first floor of my house every day. The Scooba mops, which means now I won't have to clean my floors manually at all! Tee hee :) If only I could find a robotic duster...

I made a New Banner

I made a new banner and I'm trying it out!

How to Write a Novella in 30 Days

Hello Fellow Writers!

Right now, I have two books under contract (Hollywood Spank with Ellora's Cave and Taste of Candy with The Wild Rose Press) that still need edits done. I also have two completed manuscripts (Protecting Emily and New Developments) that I need to do more revisions on when I get notes back from my beta readers.

But, I can't spend all my time working on books I've already written. I need to write new material. That's why I've made a goal for myself that in the month of February I will write a complete novella, 25K words.

I've already written the blurb and one-page synopsis, something I don't normally do *before* writing a book, but I had to in this case since the novella (tentatively titled Bedhead) is going to (hopefully) be part of a proposed series some other Ellora's Cave authors and I cooked up.

In order to write a 25k novella in 30 days, I will write 1K a day. Yup, it's The Writer's Challenge. In this case, if I write 1K a day I should have a couple days left over at the end of the month to reread and edit a bit before I send it to my beta-reader. I'll be using a different beta-reader than usual for this one since I need to have someone who knows the series bible well.

By finishing my novella in a tight time frame, I'll have time to revise it completely if needed. It seems everything I write needs to be completely revised. I'm not complaining, I know it's part of the process, but I'm looking forward to the day when I can write the words The End and just ship it right off to my editor and have it go straight to copy edits! Ha, in my dreams. :)

So there ya have it. To write a novella in 30 days, first figure out what you're going to write. What's the hook? Who are the main characters? What's their conflict? Then write the "back cover copy" blurb. Then write a one page outline of the main plot points you intend to hit to keep your story on track. Then write 1k a day to and from those plot points and Bam! Novella in a month.

Anyone else feel like doing this with me? We can cheer each other on!

SOLD! To The Wild Rose Press

Hello Fellow Writers!
I'm thrilled to announce that I've sold a light BDSM erotic romance titled Taste of Candy to The Wild Rose Press. The story will be released in their Scarlet Rose (erotic) line and is a "Rosette" (short).

I tell ya, 2011 is looking up! I can't believe January isn't over yet and I've already got three books scheduled to come out this year, with three different publishers. Hollywood Spank with Ellora's Cave, The Wooden Pony in the Agony/Ecstasy anthology with Berkley Heat, and now Taste of Candy with The Wild Rose Press.

There's more books in the works, too. I've been staying up late every night after my son goes to bed and writing, so I've got three more books written that I'm hoping to do something with, and I've got two short stories out on submission for anthologies (although I don't expect to hear back till August or September on those).

One of the books I wrote is full length (75K) so I'm going to polish it when it comes back from my beta-reader and try to get an agent to represent it. I've been following a few select agents on Twitter and have a very short list of agents who I will query when the manuscript is ready.

I'm looking forward to meeting all the other Wild Rose Press authors on the loops and online. I've heard wonderful things about this publisher from several of my multi-published author friends, so I'm very excited.

And that's my big news :) SQUEE!

How Beta-Readers and Critiques Make my Writing Stronger

Hello Fellow Writers!
I'm loving my beta-readers right now. I write a lot, and I try not to overwhelm any one person, so I utilize the help of several authors before I dare submit anything anywhere. In exchange, I beta-read and line-edit their manuscripts as well.

It's so worth the time I put into it. So, so worth it. Not only do I get a chance to read a hot story before it gets published, but I get to hone my own editing skills by applying them to another author's work. It's easier to spot problems when you're not too close to a piece. That's why there's only so much I can do with self-editing.

I may think I've polished something to perfection, but every single time I get a manuscript back from a beta-reader I learn something new. When I take the advice my manuscript gets stronger. There might be little things I disagree with, and that's fine. I don't need to do every thing they say. But a lot of times I do.

To beta-read/line-edit a manuscript, I do a Save As and rename the document - Title_ShoshannasNotes. Then I turn Track Changes to On and go through the manuscript carefully, line by line. I make comments when something stands out - whether a certain bit is so funny I LOL'd or so hot I squirmed in my seat, I let the author know. I also make comments (using, in MS Word, the Review, New Comments) when I have a question or think something doesn't work. I also fix typos, grammar, etc.

Right now I've got two full length books out with two different beta readers. I just got back a short story from a third, and after revising I'll probably submit it to an anthology tomorrow. It may get rejected, it may not. At this point I've decided that when I get rejections it isn't meant as an insult to me personally. Of course, I prefer contracts to rejections any day of the week :)

In conclusion - yes, I said in conclusion (the 9th grade essay writer in me just made an appearance) if you're getting rejections and you're not sure why, find another writer whose work you admire and ask them to critique your manuscript. Don't get offended by anything - use their comments to make your writing shine!

Computer Word Count Vs Traditional Word Count

Hello Fellow Writers!

I have been driving myself nuts lately trying to figure out if all those word counts we hear about are referring to computer word count or traditional word count. Traditional word count meaning 250 x the number of pages in your manuscript when you use Courier New 12 point double spaced with one inch margins and 25 lines per page.

Why, you ask, am I driving myself nuts? What's the big difference? In my current WIP, the difference is about 13,000 words. Yikes.

One agent blog I follow wants traditional word count. But there was an #askagent on Twitter today (which means you ask a question followed by the #askagent hashtag, and agents answer! Very cool), and three agents all replied that they want to see computer word count. A few days ago I randomly Tweeted about it, wondering if anyone knew, and the overwhelming response was also computer word count.

So there ya have it. Give them computer word count unless they ask specifically for something different.
Hope this helps anyone going through the same confusion as I went through. :)

My New Year's Resolutions

Hello Fellow Writers!

Happy New Year!

This past year has been an amazing one for me. Right before my 30th birthday I finally got published, with Ellora's Cave. This year I've had two books come out (Punishing the Art Thief and Ginger Snap), sold a third (Hollywood Spank, releasing sometime next year) and sold a story to Berkley Heat for publication in November!

I've also written four other books which are all in various stages of revision. Some may see the light of day, some may not.

My goal for this next year is to get a literary agent. Now, I can't control whether or not a literary agent wants to represent the single-title erotic romance I wrote, so my resolution will be to submit query letters to agents this year. I've already written a query I think is friggin' awesome, now I just have to get the book ready to match it.

What are your goals for 2011?

How Bianca Sommerland went from Rejected to Published

Hello Fellow Writers!

Today I'd like to welcome a new author to The Writer's Challenge. Bianca Sommerland spent years getting rejection letters before finally pushing through and getting published by Total-E-Bound. This is her story, told in her own words:

Bianca: 
I had written a story I thought was wonderful, just sweet enough to be called romance, with plenty of sex and no controversy—well, unless you consider sleeping with seven men simultaneously controversial—but I digress. Every other rejected story had aspects that I knew would work against them, and no matter how much I loved them, I accepted that their road to publication would be rough.
But not this new one. This new one was a sure bet.
Then I got the response from the one publisher I'd sent it to. They liked it, but...
I remember staring at my laptop like it had suddenly sprouted a tongue and stuck it out at me. But? Huh? How? Why?
They wanted me to make some changes and resubmit. Then they might reconsider.
Now, if you've been writing for awhile, you know that an editor giving you the option to resubmit is good. You should go for it, be encouraged. You've been validated as a writer; you're that much closer to your goal.
Unless there's not a thing in your story you're willing to change.
For the first time in years of writing and being rejected and moving on, I broke down and decided I was done. I told myself I sucked and felt like my soul had shattered because I didn't think I'd ever write another word.
My father gave me a big hug and asked what was wrong. I told him and he looked confused.
"This isn't the first time you've been rejected. Haven't you told me some of the greatest authors have gotten tons of rejections?"
I told him this was different. I wrote the story just for them. I did everything right.
"Well, who else have you sent it to?"
Umm...
So I sent it out to three more publishers. Total E-Bound contracted me days later. Within two weeks I had a contract. And an editor helping me polish the book (much luv to Andrea Grimm), a cover artist making me a beautiful cover. A release date!
Maybe I didn't suck.
Now, the point, my dear friends who's spirits might not be all high during these holidays because your dreams seem like they'll never come true, is that maybe you do suck. Most definitely if you're giving up. But that's okay, go ahead and suck for a bit (and yes, I know that sounds dirty. I am an erotic writer after all). When you're done sucking, stand up and get out of your own freakin' way.
You wanna be a writer? Well then get used to the fact that not everyone's going to like you. If you can't deal with a rejection from a publisher, than what will you do when a reader leaves a great big post on Amazon telling everyone that your book was the crappiest thing they've ever read?
Quick tip: Go to Amazon now and look up your favorite writer. See the ratings near the bottom? Well, read a few of the comments next to the ones and twos. That's what you've got to look forward to. Still want to get published?
Then go for it.

Thanks Bianca, for joining us today on The Writer's Challenge, and congrats on your book! Here's the blurb for Rosemary Entwined:

One kiss might save her, but if Rosemary has to lose even one of her men, she doesn't want a prince.
The only role of Rosemary's nest of men is to feed her insatiable hunger for lust, but that's not what she wants for them. Or what they want from her. While Rosemary presses for them to live their own lives, they each find ways to steal into her heart. With the threat of her mother's nest hanging over them, Rosemary decides to surrender to the love they offer and focus on building their combined strength to stand against the inevitable attacks.
When her control over her powers slips, another problem arises. The nest is incomplete. A prince must be chosen, and if he is not among her men, she'll be forced to let one of them go.
She once feared her heart wasn't big enough to hold them all. Now she fears she's not strong enough to release even one. Even if it costs her her life.

Click here for more info about Rosemary Entwined.

Published at 50 - Interview with Author Tory Richards

[image error] Hello Fellow Writers!I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! I spent last night working as a nurse, which wouldn't have been too bad except for this gosh-darn cold I managed to get. Today it's snowing and we're expecting a storm, so I'll have all day to hole up and read and write. Ahh, heaven. :)
I've finished my first round of revisions on two WIPs and sent them to a beta reader. I also have some beta-reading to do. I enjoy it so much that sometimes I wonder if I'll ever end up as an editor. Hmm, possibilities abound.Today we are fortunate to have an author interview from a woman who first got published at the age of fifty and continues her full-time day job while writing books for several different publishers, including my publisher Ellora's Cave.Please welcome multi-published Ellora's Cave author Tory Richards to The Writer's Challenge. Shoshanna: How long have you been writing? Tory Richards: Since about the age of ten but I really got serious when I received my first typewriter at thirteen. 
Shoshanna: When did you first get published? Tory Richards: The year was 2006, right before I turned 50. You see, before that writing was just a hobby for me, and I would go for years without writing a word. Life has a habit of getting in the way ;)
Shoshanna: Did you get rejection letters before that?Tory Richards: Of course! I still receive rejections. Everyone is looking for something different.The key is not to let rejection get you down to where you give up. Believe in yourself and someone else will, too!
Shoshanna: Do you have a literary agent? Are you looking for one?Tory Richards: Nope. Writing is a hobby for me. If I were looking to get into the big New York houses I might try to find one, but at this time I'm not that ambitious. That's not to say that if one approached me first, I wouldn't be flattered and have a change of heart. Buy link to All the Right Moves Tory RichardsAuthor of sizzling romances! Website Blog