The Writing Process and Keeping it Fresh

[CaliGirlRae, Mod Squad]

I'm making my way into that market, Jasmine as I've become a HUGE YA IR fan and would love to write my own stories for readers. I'm holding off querying at the moment as I'm trying to focus on one epub to send to for a themed story (if I write too much at one time, I tend to go a bit nutty lol). Are you querying at the moment?

I'm currently reading Living Violet by Jaime Reed (YA IR) and I'm really enjoying it. Nice mystery elements and the main protag works at a bookstore. Love it!

[Jasmine]

I have not read that one. I'll have to check it out. I added you back thanks for the add. I'm not querying yet but I am on Inkpop and have been top 5. A Harpercollins editor has read it and seemed to like it. They said my readers would be more in line with those who loved the Perfect Chemistry books.

The novel I'm working on right now is called Anywhere but Here but I have to do a few rewrites before I query and am now working on a darker book. It does have a IR romance in it but that isn't the main element of the story.

[CaliGirlRae, Mod Squad]

Np! And congrats on making the top 5. :-D

Let me know what you think of Living Violet when you get a chance to check it out.

I'd love to check out your books when they are available. Especially the latter one as it fits one of my fave elements (IR but not the main element).

[Jasmine]

Thank you and I will. :) Also that would be awesome maybe sometime soon. I'm hoping to get it published so I won't be posting a ton of it online.

[Nana]

Just added Living Violet to my TBR file. Can't wait to check it out. I've had a YA IR percolating in my head for a while now, but think i need to read more in the genre.

[Jasmine]

Nana that's awesome! add me :) Are you published?

[Nana]

Hi Jasmine, I'm adding you now :) Yep, I'm published, in Contemporary romance and Paranormal romance.

Nana

[Jasmine]

Nana wrote: "Hi Jasmine, I'm adding you now :) Yep, I'm published, in Contemporary romance and Paranormal romance.

Nana"

Wow that's awesome it's my dream to be published some day. Did you self or was it traditional?

[Nana]

It's a good dream to have Jasmine :) If you keep working at it and plugging at it. I trad published my first novel and decided to go the indie route on the second one. Waaay more control! But so much work.

[Jasmine]

That is sooo awesome. What are your books called? I had an offer on one of my books but they wanted it to quickly and I wanted to do rewrites before I submitted to them. Also their house was small and I wanted to get it published big once the rewrites were done.

[Nana]

Game, Set, Match was my first with The Wild Rose Press. Reluctant Protector is my second that I self pubbed.

You absolutely want to make sure you're happy with your story before you submit. Though, I'm sure you can submit to this publishing house when you're done.

You can access all my books through Goodreads or amazon:)

[Michelle, Mod with the Bod]

I'm not a writer, but there are some great tips listed in this thread!!

[Michelle, Mod with the Bod]

Alexandria wrote: "I tend to read things outside my genre; and often times this gets my creative juices flowing. My undergrad creative writing prof said, when you get stuck, or you need a plot change or inspiration, ..."

Those are some great ideas Alexandria :)

[Jessica]

I find that I like writing female leads with dark childhoods or at least less than pleasant ones. I feel like your childhood shapes a lot of who you become as an adult, and I like to have my characters overcome their past, and if not find a happily ever after, then at least find the peace within themselves that will allow them to lay their demons to rest. I sometimes have to check myself and make sure that I add new elements to each of my characters, so that each story is different from the last. I also want to make sure that I'm sensitive enough to the subject manner- especially if I've got my characters dealing with the aftermath abuse or abandonment. I find that I write my best work when I let my characters come alive, and tell their own stories to me. When I remain the observer and not the creator is when I'm the most proud of the way a story turns out.

[Echo]

Jessica wrote: "I find that I like writing female leads with dark childhoods or at least less than pleasant ones. I feel like your childhood shapes a lot of who you become as an adult, and I like to have my charac..."
I think most stories turn out better when you observe rather than force the character into a plot b/c it's easy to tell if a story's been overwritten.

[Ines]

I want to write a story about a criminal turned good guy but I don't want it to ..."

Danielle, I didn't know you wrote. What are your titles?

[AlTonya]

I agree with others who mentioned activities to let the brain relax. I'm a huge film buff, so that does it for me and you never know what unexpected little instance in a film may spark a creative flow.

Also... READ!!! You seriously jeopardize your ability to create effectively if you don't spend enough time reading. Okay, I'm off my soapbox now :-)