This article cannot be reprinted without permission from the author. For permission, please email writers_saddle@yahoo.ca.
CONFESSIONS OF A ROMANCE WRITER
By Linda FordI'll bet you're expecting this to be an article on the hush, hush things about romance writing, aren't you? You know what I mean—how to write a sex scene without being clinical, how to build emotional tension through use of sensual detail. Well, there might be hints of that in this article but really it's about making it as a romance writer. Or things I've learned (and am still learning) about how to succeed as a writer. Or perhaps I could call it secrets of a published writer. Or what to do on the way to being published. At any rate, this article is about some of the things I've learned along the way.
Here they are. I hope these ideas will help and encourage you on your path. There is no right or wrong way. There is not one way of getting there. There is no one way of plotting, developing a story, or deciding how you are going to fit writing into your life.
Take it from me. I should know.
I knew nothing when I started. And I mean nothing. I studied and took workshops. I tried to imitate what worked for others. I tried to do a synopsis like I'd been taught but I couldn't do it even though this teacher/ writer who was right up there next to God did it that way. I tried to fill out charts like it taught in 'The Plot Doctor' because Carolyne Green is the guru of plotting so she had to know how to do it. I followed various plot models I studied in various courses, books, etc. They had to work because the experts knew how to do it and I didn't. I knew nothing. But these methods didn't necessarily work for me.
From that process, two things became apparent. First, I learned I couldn't understand how to write a synopsis because I didn't know what story was. And I had to write wrong in order to discover what story is and to know what worked and what didn't. In other words, I had to begin at a different place—my place—and I had to make my own trail.
Eventually things began to sift into a sort of pattern and a glimmer of understanding came.
Secondly, I learned that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. And what works for me might be a conglomerate of several methods or I might evolve something new or even worse, what worked for the last one won't work for this one. See it just isn't all that easy. At least not for me. It's very much an individual journey. This not only applies to methods but to my daily writing.
I come at my daily writing in a variety of ways. Perhaps it's one of those rare good days when everything is flowing and I just sit at the computer and type. Or it might be a more usual day when I have to do some plot brainstorming to get into the scene. Or I might hear the conversation so I do all dialogue and then go back and fill in the rest. Or I might shift to first person POV of one of the characters in order to get writing.
Do you see what I'm saying? What works one day might not work the next. I had to learn to be flexible with my writing and work with the moment. There is no magical way that works every time. Sometimes it's just plain hard work.
I don't feel like writing. I don't feel connected to my characters. That might mean there is something wrong with my character's motivation or that the scene I want to write is not the one I should be writing. In that case, I have to stop and think it through. But sometimes—and this is my point—it just means I've hit a wall and need to work through it to get to the really good stuff. Or even that I'm lazy. And I need to sit down and write even if it's mechanical. I know such and such has to happen and so she says, he says and they do—so just write it.
What I've discovered is that when I go back at the end of the story the stuff I've written mechanically is often as good as the stuff I write 'in flow'. And sometimes it's even better. For some, the first draft comes easily. Some people love to edit. For others, it takes longer and involves a different process. You know what? It doesn't matter how you get it done. What matters is you get it done.
Advice: Study, go to workshops, try as many methods as you can. Take what works for you and use it. Learn everything you can by whatever means. And if a teacher or presenter forgets to mention it, remember what works for one person might not work for another. That's okay. And stop looking for a magic formula. Get busy and write. Do whatever it takes. On the other hand, pay attention to what works well for you. Maybe you'll develop a method that fits you. I'm still hoping I can. You don't fail until you quit.
Over the years I have done some critiquing, contest judging and a lot of talking to other writers. Some of the writers I've talked to are so incredibly talented and have such an instinctive grasp of story that it makes me want to poison their coffee. But you know what? Some of them are still working on their first ms, still trying to perfect it after 5, 8, 10 years. Then there are some who talk about writing but never do. Some go to all the workshops and all the meetings but they don't write. Some never will. And, guess what, it isn't the talented that necessarily achieve success. It's the determined. Remember that study that said the grade A students were not that successful as adults? It was those who had to work hard at school that went the farthest out of school. Same goes for writers. Talent helps and heaven knows I wish I had tons more, but sheer grit counts for more. And if talent is combined with grit, watch out.
Advice: You never fail until you quit. So don't quit. Develop discipline. Develop unstoppable determination. And above all, write. It doesn't matter where you start—you can learn almost anything you have to know.
You can hear no end of stories about people who confess they knew so little when they started that they are embarrassed to admit it. All they had was a desire to put words, ideas, characters, stories on paper. I was one of those. I knew so little it was pathetic. Truly. But I wanted to write. And I was willing to learn no matter how hard I had to work at it. And I discovered you can learn almost anything if you want to. You can learn how to plot, how to develop characters, how to build to a dark moment, how to create a character arc, how to market, how to fit your story to the market. You can learn if you have the desire. So marry your determination to your desire and get started on your journey.
Advice: Start learning. Never stop learning. Take courses— correspondence, internet, anything and everything that's offered. As you learn and discover what you still need to learn, take more courses. Take advantage of every offer that comes your way. That includes critiques and advice from others. Connect with the world.
We waste so much time floundering around unnecessarily. And personally I'm very aware I don't have a lot of time to waste. I want to be writing and I want to be published again and again. But how do we stay on the front edge of market changes so we know who, what, when and where of the market? One way is to connect. This is easy with the internet and with really great writing groups. Take advantage of what our world has to offer to make things easier for you.
Advice: Join writing loops that give you what you need, be it up-to-date market news, encouragement, craft or research direction. Hopefully, you will find one that does all the above. Join writing groups that teach and encourage. Go to conferences and forget that you're scared spitless of talking to strangers. Get out there and find out what's going on. Get set for the long run.
Remember I said you don't fail unless you quit. Sure we've all heard the stories about those who sold in 2 years and we hate both the story and the teller. For most of us, it's closer to Jane Porter's experience. Year after year of trying and growing as a writer, and yes, growing discouraged. Tell yourself whatever you need to keep going. Things like, it's a cheap hobby. It keeps me out of the bingo hall. It allows me to meet interesting and quirky people. It's cheaper than going to university and a lot nicer than pumping gas. Just keep going knowing you have to put in your apprenticeship. And remember if you don't put in your dues like the rest of us we will hate you.
Advice: Make sure your goals are realistic. Goals that you have control over. Make sure your goals includes something that indicates quitting is not an option.
It can take you awhile to figure out where you belong.
I started writing in '89. I did interviews, farm articles, human interest stories. I even sold a couple of articles to 'real' magazines and sold a couple of short stories. Then in '93, I joined ARWA—still a little uncertain I wanted to be identified with 'romance writers'. But I guess I couldn't have been that uncertain as I drove 3 hours each way to get to the meetings. And I soaked it up like a sponge.
I was published in '95—in inspirational romance. I like it there and have sold 11 books and hope to continue selling to them. But I want more. And I had to figure out where I belonged mostly by a process of elimination. I proposed stories to several different markets. It took me a long time to find my voice. One thing I discovered was what I liked writing wasn't necessarily what I liked reading.
Advice: Write. Sometimes it's a matter of elimination. Read. Read to understand the lines. As you read and write, your voice will emerge.
Above all else: write.
Lots of people talk about writing. Few actually do it. You can wait until the kids are grown. You can wait until your life settles down. You can start after you have your holidays. You can make it a goal for next year. But unless you actually sit down and begin to write, it just ain't gonna happen, sweetie. Life doesn't get easier. The kids don't ever leave home for good. You come back from the holidays too tired to think about writing.
So if you really mean it, sit down today and start writing. Write anything—memoirs, journals, character sketches. These are all good ways to get your creative voice going. But if you're serious about romance writing, you better sit down and start a story about a man and a woman and what pulls them together and what keeps them apart. And you better plan to be at your computer every day. No excuses. (valid reasons acceptable, of course—things such as the death of an immediate family member, surgery to your hands—both hands—head injury, but nothing less). You better learn what BIC-HOKing is and do it.
Advice: set a goal—so many pages, so many hours—for every day, every week and get at it. If you miss one day, don't miss the next. By the way—BIC-HOKing is butt in chair, hands on keyboard and you better plan to make that a regular part of every day if you're serious about your writing goal. As a poster taped to my wall says—start removing obstacles. Start a journey. Start persevering. Start a new page. Start looking from a new angle. Start composing. Start where others stop. Start right away.
Linda Ford has sold ten books to Heartsong Presents and one novella to Barbour. She lives on a farm near Olds, Alberta, a short drive north of Calgary where, most mornings, she can be found in her office writing. She shares her life with her husband of 30 plus years, a constant stream of boomerang kids, and a paraplegic man for whom she provides personal care.
©Linda Ford 2003
