Reading and Editing, A Writer's Recovery Period

So I sent in my entry for the Harlequin contest, and it was intense getting those pages ready. Afterward, I was completely burnt out. I couldn't read, and I couldn't edit, and basically I sat on the couch like a slug for a few days. 

Thankfully, that passed, and I've read a few books since then, and I got right to cutting those extra 13,000 words from my novel. See, Love Inspired has strict word count guidelines, and my book was too long. I'm happy to report that I've cut just over 12,000 words from the book, so I'm in the 60,000 range, but I still have about 900 words to trim.

Even that got old. The thought of opening the book one more time and reading it again... Nausea may have set in. 

So I took a few more days off. Watched a lot of Burn Notice. Every reality TV show available. 

I think these recovery periods are essential for writers. Deadlines are important, and it's good to learn how to work with them, but there's always a price to pay afterward. For me, my recovery periods include a lot of movies and going to performances and just getting away from the computer.

Now that I've had several days, I've decided to write again. Yay! I outlined (sort of) and started a new book over the weekend, putting in almost 8000 words. Drafting is my favorite thing to do, so I'm glad I'm most recovered and ready to dive into that pool again.

What do you do during your recovery periods?

Buying Books for Research

Yeah, that's right. That's what I'm doing... Ha! But I am getting ready to start submitting my contemporary romance to agents and editors. I've been doing a lot of research on the books I've read that I think are like mine. I'm checking out who sold those books, and to what publishers. I'm researching the publishers and agents using QueryTracker, AgentQuery, and some good old fashioned stalking on twitter and company websites.

Two books I just bought this week are LOVING YOU IS EASY by Wendy S. Marcus and CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT by Chelsey Krause.

I'm excited to read both of these titles and see if they compare to mine. Because they're both Random House Lovestruck titles, and if they fit, I'd like to submit to the publisher.

I think it's important to take the time to do the research when getting ready to submit. I recently sat in on a panel where someone suggested buying the books of a publisher you're interested in. I think it's really sound advice.

After all, it's not a race to submit. I want to make sure I'm trying to make the best match with my work to publishers and agents.

And if that requires me buying books, so be it! It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

A Hero's Profession

I've been reading a ton of romance recently. I've been taking notes about when certain plot points happen, and the types of heroines and heroes in the novels I love -- and the ones I don't. 

I've noticed that the hero's profession is something that draws female readers in. I've seen carpenters and contractors. Very tall, handsome, and strong, with all that lifting and stuff. And they're very handy, if you catch my drift.

I like the construction type, mostly because I can't even pound a nail into the wall! :) 

I've seen professional athletes, in football and bull riding. Again, tall, handsome, and strong. Really know how to play the game. I've liked those too.

I've read helicopter pilots, musicians, police officers, firemen, ranchers, cowboys, and actors. 

I'm starting to wonder how important the hero's profession is. I haven't quite put my finger on it yet. I want my heroes to be familiar, but also unique. Sometimes that's really hard to do, because if you stray too far out of the lines, readers will be turned off.

So for now, I haven't tried coloring outside the lines. My heroes have fallen into the "acceptable" romance tropes for now. 

What do you think about a hero's profession?

What Should I Be Reading?

I just got Julie Coulter Bellon's ALL FALL DOWN, and I'm looking forward to reading it. However, I feel like most of the romance I've read is now "old." I want to read something that's being published right now.

Since I'll be gearing up to submit and/or query my romance soon (hopefully by the summer!), I want to know what's getting published right now. Not what was hot in 2013 or 2014.

I'm a clean romance reader. I like there to be romantic tension and kissing, but I'm not really into fully realized sex scenes.

Got any recommendations of new titles that fit this bill? Let me know!

Falling For Her Fiance by Cindi Madsen

I love a good contemporary romance--obviously! It's what I write--and one of my favorite novels is FALLING FOR HER FIANCE by Cindi Madsen. This book's been out for a while, but I find myself going back to it all the time.

About FALLING FOR HER FIANCE: Danielle and Wes have been best friends since college, so when Wes needs a date for his sister’s wedding and Dani needs a partner for her company’s retreat, they devise the perfect plan: a fake engagement to get through both events unscathed. Adrenaline-junkie Wes can prove to both his ex and his family that he’s well and truly moved on, and serious-minded Dani can prove to her boss that she’s worthy of the promotion he seems to only want to give to a family-oriented employee. But amid the fake swoons, fake kisses, and forced proximity, neither expects the very real feelings that develop. There’s nothing more dangerous than falling for your best friend…but what if the landing isn't worth the fall?

First, this is a clean romance, and that automatically makes it valuable to me. Second, I really liked Dani's plight. I think I always sympathize with a character who is working hard to get what they want. And that's Dani. She's concerned about doing a good job and being reliable.

Wes is also likeable, and I hadn't read a book with a helicopter pilot before. So this felt fresh, with a different kind of hero than the same old billionaire's and rock stars.

The romance develops smoothly, and by the end, I really wanted them to be together! And that's the mark of a well-done romance novel. I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't yet!