Pinch Point, Pinch Point

So I've been working on a new romance. It's actually the second in a series, and I feel like I know the setting and I've been working on the characters. One of my biggest problems, though, in writing writing romance is maintaining the conflict between my hero and my heroine. I think I tend to let them get together too fast.

I've been reading some articles (Harlequin did an amazing Boot Camp this past week, with a fabulous article by Harlequin Superromance author Vicki Essex on how to write memorable characters), and I bought a book (The Complete Guide to Writing Heroes & Heroines, above), and I've really been trying to map out the highs and lows in my books before I start writing them.

I also attended a conference over the weekend, where a speaker spoke about pinch points. I'm familiar with them, because hey! They're in the romance planning sheets I found on Jami Gold's website. (You should totally be using these! I love them!)

The presenter said that the pinch points pull the character back to their starting place and the turning points push the character toward their new state.

• Pinch points -- pull the character back
• Turning points -- push the character forward

I loved that. It made so much sense inside my head. It's helped me map out the ebb and flow of my hero's and heroine's relationships.

Do you outline using pinch points? What advice do you have for outlining a romance?

Learning From Rejection

So the Harlequin announcement for the From Blurb to Book announcement was last Friday. It was happening for me at 10:00, and I was attending a writer's conference that day, with a pitch session with an editor at St. Martin's at 10:10. 

I should've waited to check the announcement, but do you think I did?? Ha! No way. And when I didn't find my name on the list, I'll admit, I was disappointed. 

Which is ridiculous really. When you've been rejected as much as I have (which is A LOT), I know better than to be too hopeful, or too optimistic, or too whatever. But still. For some reason, which I still don't know, I really wanted to move on to Stage 3. I still really want to place my books at Harlequin. 

Anyway, I wasn't on the list, and I was with my critique partner and friend, and I had a pitch in literally four minutes. It was a tumult of feelings, and I didn't quite know what to do with them. So I hitched on my smile and went to my pitch session. It went well, and she requested the full manuscript. So yay!

And yet, I still struggled for the rest of the day. I had to leave early for my daughter's dance, and I went home uninspired and kind of down. I missed an super-inspirational keynote, and as I was reading the tweets, I was further discouraged that what I apparently needed (inspiring words from someone who's been where I currently am), I hadn't gotten.

I got my feedback email from the editors, and it's honestly not bad. The things are fixable. It's just a matter of me doing the work--which honestly, sometimes I don't want to do. I think that's the real problem. I always feel like I'm working, working, working, but never making it to SOLD.

I went back to the conference the next day, and I attended an intensive editing workshop. I got the inspiration I needed! The instructor said things that reminded me that I CAN do hard work, that I CAN edit my writing to make it better, that I CAN move forward after rejection to success. 

So that's what I'm going to do. 

What have you learned from rejection?

Some Thoughts on Burning Out

So I made it into Stage 2 of the #Blurb2Book contest Harlequin is doing! Yay! (I blogged about the announcement last week before the lists were posted.)

Anyway, the second stage requires a submission package that includes a 3-5 page synopsis and the first three chapters. I've written my entire book (it needs lots of work still, but it is done), but I hadn't tackled a synopsis yet.

I've written them before, so I wasn't worried about it. I set to it and had a pretty decent one whipped out in a few days. Since my chapters were already written, I re-read the Love Inspired guidelines, combed the boards for more help, and edited the first three chapters.

Again. And then again.

And again. Again. Again. Again.

I felt like the bee on The Bee Movie, when he's trying to get out of the window that first time.

This time. This time. This time!

By Thursday, I seriously wanted to do anything and everything EXCEPT read my own words again. Other people's words were equally as nauseous to me. I tried writing a new book. No dice.

I needed a break. I was burnt out.

I've been writing for several years, so I've reached the Point of Burning Out several times. I've been here before. I know what I need to do: step back and take the break I need. So I passed my submission package on to a few trusted beta readers, and I set a date for when I can come back to my pages.

Between now and then, I'm not reading or writing, and I can't wait for the mental vacation!

Have you ever been burnt out? What did you do to rejuvenate your creativity?

Writing Romance -- Not As Easy As You Think

Okay, so I'm not new to the writing game. I'm going into my eighth year of doing this for real, meaning I'm writing to publish, not just because I think it's fun (though I do). I've been published both in the traditional market and the self-publishing realm under another name, in another genre.

Believe it or not, I used to think reading romance was -- gasp! -- boring. I mean, I knew how it was going to end, so what's the fun in reading? I didn't realize that the joy, the journey, lay in how we get to the end. 

So when I started writing straight romance (all my books have romance in them) last year, I had quite a steep learning curve. 

What I've Learned:
It's about satisfying the reader. So I've spent a considerable amount of time reading romances and noting the things I really like about them. I've also had to spend some time telling myself that writing romance isn't necessarily about what *I* like in a character, but rather what romance readers are looking for. 

And romance readers are mostly women. And women want a heroine they can relate to. Someone who's still beautiful and has flaws, but is relatable. They definitely want a hero that is swoon-worthy. Someone who can provide for and take care of the heroine, but also has things they need to overcome. 

So I've worked on the characterization of my heroines and heroes. 

Of course, I want to write the stories I love, in the way I want to. I'm still doing that. I've just realized that there are rules to romance, and they aren't as bendable as the other genres I've written in. 

I've also made a list of things that I see in virtually EVERY romance I've read. I realized that those elements are there for a reason, and if I don't have them in my romances, I might need to reconsider what I'm doing. 

Secondary characters, or a cast of characters is usually appreciated. Family dynamics are always a plus. Strong motivations for both parties. External and internal situations that both drive the characters together and keep them apart. Animals are usually welcome. Each person needs to sacrifice to be together. Each needs something at stake. 

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I'm still learning, but these are the things I consider now before I even start writing a new romance. 

What do you think of my list? What do I need to add?

Writing Report!

Okay, so I sort of fell off the face of the planet there for a few weeks! I was busy with writing things, I promise. 

First, I sent my novel to a freelance editor for a developmental edit. I got her notes back about mid-month, and got to work right away. One thing I learned: I'm not that great at developing secondary characters.

So I had to dive into the layers of the story and build them up. And that's hard, intricate work. I feel like I'm playing dominoes and if I make one false move, bam! The whole thing is going to go down.

As I neared the end of the revision, I knew I wanted to start querying. So I spent what felt like years on QueryTracker, Publisher's Marketplace, and Agent Query looking up agents and making a list. Oh, and that pesky query letter needed a polish. I sent that to my critique group to get some extra eyes on it.

And last week -- on April Fool's Day no less -- I started querying! This isn't my first time in the pool, but I had forgotten that it's a lot of waiting. Perpetual waiting. So. Much. Waiting. 

So yeah. That's where I disappeared to. What have you been up to with your writing? 

Keeping the Tension High

Writing romance has had a big learning curve for me. Putting romantic elements in my books has always been innate, but writing a book that's main focus IS the romance is a who different story.

Luckily, I have some great critique partners who've helped me realize some things. And double-lucky for me, I'm able to spend a lot of time reading and analyzing romance novels. I'm taking notes of what's similar, what each author does, and when, and why.

There's been something I've learned about keeping the sexual tension high. This was hard for me until I read enough and talked to other people enough.

Here's what I've come to realize. The romance -- and the sexual tension -- is all about push and pull, come and go, fast and slow, ebb and flow.

It's even a rhyme!

Keeping this in mind helps me push the romance forward, keep the tension high, and keep the stakes on the page as often as possible.

The hero and heroine come together, and then back off. Things move quickly, probably too quickly for one of the characters, and then they slow down. Everything seems to be working out wonderfully, and then they get sticky.

It seems obvious, but it was revolutionary to me. What have you learned that's helped you keep the tension high in a romance?

Cowboy Romances

So I've been researching and preparing to write a romance featuring a cattle ranch and cowboys. Naturally, I turned to published books to see what's being done, and by who. There's a LOT of cowboy romance out there!

But two I've devoured in the past week are SECOND CHANCE RANCH by Cindi Madsen and THE COWBOY'S CHRISTMAS GIFT by Donna Alward.

About THE COWBOY'S CHRISTMAS GIFT: Returning to Crooked Valley is more terrifying than the battlefield to ex-soldier Duke Duggan. Still, Duke has an important reason to be back--to take control of his late grandfather's ranch. But being thrown headfirst into his old life makes Duke feel like a fish out of water. That is, until he sees Carrie Coulter again. Twenty years may have passed but the chemistry between them is stronger than ever.

When Duke threatens to sell the ranch, Carrie, the foreman, realizes she could lose her livelihood. But no decisions will be made until after the holidays. Until then, they have time to explore the feelings that draw them to each other. Together, can they come up with a way to keep the ranch...and the burning love between them?

Thoughts:
1. I really liked the spicy heroine in this one. She's actually the rancher! I really liked that. I liked that Duke needed to learn as much as I did about ranching.
2. The chemistry is hot in this one. I don't necessarily mind it, and Donna Alward always does a nice job of keeping the door somewhat closed.
3. This had a surprise twist I wasn't expecting -- I won't divulge it, but I liked it. Made me think about my romance plots, and how they take shape.

About SECOND CHANCE RANCH: Sadie Hart has a plan: return to her small town of Hope Springs so she can regain her confidence—and bank account—before giving one more shot to her country music dream. The dream that means more to her than anything. The dream she chose over her high school sweetheart, the brooding and sinfully handsome Royce Dixon.

Royce has moved on from his memories of the beautiful Sadie. Now he’s focused solely on running Second Chance Ranch, where he rehabilitates troubled teens through ranch work. But when he needs a new employee and Sadie’s the only one to volunteer, he has no choice but to offer his old flame a job.

Whether riding a horse with the wind in her hair or mucking out the stalls, Sadie can still get Royce’s heart beating like no one else. But Nashville is her dream, and Royce can’t settle for second best.

Thoughts:
1. I love the trope of second chances, as well as high school sweetheart reunions. I've written a couple of them myself. This fit that bill, and I liked it for that alone.
2. I liked the dialog in this one. It helped me remember that cowboys are people too, and they don't all talk with a twang or need to be dumbed down. (Not that I think cowboys are dumb! Just sometimes the dialog feels stilted. This didn't.)
3. This felt a little young to me. Like a YA novel, but with older characters. I realized that I wanted my cowboys to be older and feel that way too. It was a great read, so I'm not knocking that. It just helped me realize some things about my own book and what I'd like to do.

What cowboy romance have you read that you liked?

The Stakes

I don't think I've ever realized how hard it is to pin down the stakes in a romance novel. I mean, we all know how the thing is going to end, right? So we know the hero and heroine will get over whatever's in their way, and they'll be together. It's a romance.

But as I've been writing twitter pitches and revising my query letter (thanks to everyone who helped during the #SunvsSnow critique session!), I've realized that stakes are important. Even in romance.

And it's hard to put them into the pitch.

I think it's hard because they're usually not extrinsic. They're internal and if the people in my novel would just get out of their own way, everything would be fine. (Of course, this is why I love writing romance in the first place. I love reading and writing about people who realize their flaws and weaknesses and work to overcome them.)

But the internal, character flaws are hard to put into words. They're hard to make into something that sounds "high stakes" enough. But I've been reading a lot of successful queries, and then spending some time with back cover copy, and I think I'm slowly wrapping my head around how to do it.

Any advice on how to get the stakes into a short pitch?

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?

Starting With Chapter One

I've been writing for a while. I've started and finished four books now. No, I don't think they're all fantastic, but I do like two of them. I think they're worth cleaning up, polishing, and sending out to beta readers. 

Since I just decided this year to submit my work, that's exactly what I've been doing. I just sent my manuscript, SUMMER'S ALMOST OVER, to a friend and critique partner for her feedback. And the waiting can be difficult. 

So I decided to start another book. I have a romance planning sheet, and I spent a few days thinking of the characters, the setting, and the problems. Then I started writing.

And there's so much more to writing that first chapter than just going for it. I think writing chapter one is the hardest thing ever!

First, I don't know my characters all that well. I do a little planning, but I don't do detailed character sheets. I know some authors who do. I don't need to do that before I start. I can usually go back in the revision process and "fix" my characters.

Second, I don't know the setting that well. There's only so much Google maps can help me with. So I find myself doing a lot of online research before I can actually write the first chapter. I'd scheduled to write most of the day on Saturday, but I really spent most of the day looking up information about Maine, and deep-sea fishing, and what a fishmonger does.

So while I did get quite a few words down on paper, I think some details will still need to be fleshed out. I'm okay with that. When I'm drafting, I like to simply go. I like to get the book down in a couple of weeks, tops. 

But man. Starting with that first chapter... that seems to take forever!

What's your writing process? Do you fill out an outline, planning sheet, character profiles? Or do you just go for it?

Getting the Writing Done

So as someone who has a full-time job outside the home, finding time to write has been a challenge. I find myself not wanting to get started unless I have a large chunk of time to devote, but that almost never happens.

I also find myself doing "mindless" things as I gear up to write. Things like researching literary agents or publishers, reading Facebook, visiting blogs, or watching those funny YouTube videos my daughter shows me. You know the ones I'm talking about. :)

Anyway, I can waste a good 30 minutes doing all that, and then the hour I had for writing is halved. I need to be better about that, but sometimes I need that half hour to decompress before I can think about my book.

I've learned that I get the most done at the very end of the day, after everyone else has gone to bed and all the dishes are done. I feel decompressed enough from work, and I'm finally ready to work. It's hard to stay up too late, though, but I'm committed to writing as often as possible.

I know I won't be able to write every day, but I'm okay with that. I've been writing for long enough to know that there are seasons to it.

So there you have it. I'm trying to get the writing done, along with everything else. It's a work-in-progress, but I'm okay with that.

How do you get the writing done?

One of my Favorite Tropes: Enemies to Lovers

One of my favorite tropes in romance is enemies to lovers. I think it might be the number one trope for a lot of readers too. (Note to self: write a romance with this trope! I haven't actually tried it yet.)

There's just something hilarious and romantic about the rivals falling for each other. I think my favorite part of this trope though, is the sacrifices the hero and heroine make in order to be together. The things they give up to be with the other one. 

Because if they're both going after the same account at work, or looking to buy the same house, or trying to both win the same competition, one of them is always going to lose. How they lose -- and why they choose to do so -- is terribly romantic. 

If it's done right.

Maybe that's why I haven't tried this trope yet. I think it is tricky to get just right, and I think it takes a certain kind of character. Ones I just haven't written yet. 

What's your favorite romance trope? Do you like enemies to lovers as much as I do? 

The Organization of Writing Romance

I wasn't always a romance writer. I've dabbled in a few other genres before I finally settled into straight romance. My speculative fiction always had elements of romance, but when I made the switch to pure romance, I realized I had a lot to learn.

A lot!

First, romance readers have specific requirements for the stories they love. A certain type of hero. A plot that is focused on the romance. This was something that was so far from what I'd been doing previously. In a fantasy novel, the focus is on the plot--the good prince overcoming the evil queen. There might be a princess that catches the prince's eye. There might even be some kissing. But the romance is NOT the core of the novel.

To make the romance the focus took some practice for me. I kept trying to introduce other plot elements, and each time, I failed on creating a romance novel that a romance reader would actually like.

Back to the drawing board.

I wrote two or three romances before I started figuring out how to organize the series of events in my novel. I did quite a bit of research also, using tools like Blake Snyder's Save the Cat beat sheets and reading blogs.

I've been writing for a while. I know how to draft, create characters, edit and revise. But I didn't know how to make the romance the focus of the entire novel!

I've written several more romances now, and I think I'm finally getting a grip on the specific points that need to be hit in a romance. Here's what I've come up with, after reading on several prominent romance blogs, talking to my romance-writing friends, and cobbling together my own writing experience.

1. Hero/heroine meet -- this should happen in the first chapter. A "meet cute" is a popular way to get the characters on the page together.
2. Get to know you -- the characters get to know each other, and the reader learns about the hero and heroines pasts, their flaws, etc. The characters don't know about the other's flaws yet.
3. External forces that require the hero and heroine to be together. There's internal forces too.
4. External forces that are keeping the hero and heroine apart. There's internal forces at play here too. Everyone in romance wants to see both the hero and heroine overcome their internal weaknesses.
5. False high -- this usually happens at the midpoint. I like to put a kiss right in the middle of the book. It's my false high.
6. Flaws exposed. Through a series of events, both the hero and heroine are made away of the other's flaws. They further strengthen their internal forces that are keeping them apart.
7. Black moment -- This is also called the dark night of the soul, and it's when the break-up happens. There's always something that happens that forces both characters to admit that their relationship CAN'T work. But the reason it can't work? It's usually something internal they need to get over, change, and admit that the way they've been living/thinking/feeling is flawed.
8. Grand gesture -- the character with the biggest flaw, and the most to lose, has to make the grand gesture to get the other one back.
9. Happily Ever After -- I love the HEA moment! It's the fairy tale we all dream about, isn't it? Yes, it is!

How do you organize your romance novels? I'm still learning, so I'll take any tips and hints I can get.