Romance Weekly Blog Hop #lovechatwrite

It’s Romance Weekly blog hop time!

If you’ve hopped over from A.S. Fenichel’s wonderful blog, then welcome!

So, this week, we’ve been asked- What quirky habits (superstitions, must haves, etc.) do you have while writing?

It’s an interesting question as I’m quite a compulsive person. A lot of the time I do need to have things certain ways in order to do them.

But I have to admit, I’m pretty easy going when it comes to writing. I will write pretty much anywhere and on anything 😀

I suppose it’s possible because my brain is constantly on writing, so it has to explode out no matter where I am or what I’m doing as it can’t contain it anymore!

Though, now thinking about, I do generally always have to have a cup of tea nearby!

Now pop on over to see what habits and quirks Eden Ashe, author of Ever Mine, has whilst writing!

Do you have any oddities or must haves during writing or the creative process?

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Progress Report:

Status of sixth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Daily word count: About 400 – Handwritten.

Books read towards goal: 1/50
Currently reading: The Creative Writing Workbook by Matthew Branton.

Time for Cake!

On the 14th of January my blog had been up for one year! 😀

Before I started this writing journey I will admit I never stuck with anything. I began many things, but I always gave up or lost interest. So reaching a year on blogging is quite an achievement for me!

I have met an incredible amount of people through blogging, and also great variety of people!

When I began the blog and this writing journey I was so nervous, as I had read about the awfulness that can be experienced through the internet. But I have to say, I have received nothing but support and kindness from those I have encountered and I think I have made quite a few new friends!

The blog has been through quite an interesting time. I’ve changed up the theme a couple of times, I’ve moved around the schedule a lot, my posts have sometimes been about random things, but I’m so happy to see everyone sticking with me.

So, thank you to all those who have given me the encouragement to keep going, and to all of you who have made this blogging year a brilliant experience!

Have some cake with me and celebrate! 😀

Here’s to another year!

*This is a scheduled post, I will be back on Monday to reply to comments and emails. Have a brilliant weekend!* 🙂

I have a confession to make…

So this week was my first week back after my long break- a break which was much needed and I was glad I took.

But I have to admit after such a while away from writing I was seriously nervous about getting back to actual writing.

At the beginning of the week I wasn’t even been able to look at the manuscript I’d been working on before Christmas.

Why?

I have no idea 😀

I was just really nervous about starting writing again. I’m sure a lot of it was to do with the fact I had such a long break, in which I only did tiny bits of writing here and there, all of which had nothing to do with the story I’m currently working on.

The thing is, it wasn’t even as though I had to start from a blank page. I am nearly finished with my current manuscript, it’s just the last few chapters that need doing, and I know exactly how they are going to go.

But mid-week, I pushed myself past the irrational worry of writing again and got out the folder with all my plans and inspiration sheets.

Well, it was an almost instant reaction.

I flicked through my chapter plans, my character sheets, my pictures and BAM! The excitement flooded back to me!

That intense excitement and passion that came flooding back to me in that moment drowned out any worry I had about writing after such a long break, and I opened up my manuscript and got straight back to it!

And it has been so good getting back to it! I forgot how much I need to write 😀 It was instant relief, and I got so into it I looked up at my clock a while after and three and a half hours had whipped by without me noticing!

Next week I will go back to having my status reports beneath my posts, as they always helped me keep focus and see if I was achieving my goals. My daily word count target during weekdays will still be 2000 words, and as with last year I will be taking weekends off.

So here’s to another great year of writing for us all!

Have you ever had trouble getting back into writing? How do you get your writing skills back into shape? Have you set yourself any daily word count goals?

*This is a scheduled post and I will be back on Monday to reply to comments and emails. Have a great weekend!*

On to 2015!

So, here we are- The beginning of a fresh New Year.

I hope everyone had a brilliant Christmas and a great start to 2015 🙂

I thought about doing a round up post for 2014, but when I look back on it I was pretty overwhelmed. Not only did I achieve so much that I’m proud of, but I met so many incredible new friends and authors!

In December I did sit down and think about where I was heading in 2015, and how I was going to get there. 2014 was great, but I will admit I was all over the place. It was my first year at writing, blogging, publishing, reviewing, etc!

This time around I feel a little calmer and organised about it all 😀 I have a good plan going forwards.

Last year I got caught up in trying everything and, though it was great to learn so much, I need a more streamlined approach going forwards.

I have a new blogging schedule planned, a better timetable for publishing my books, ideas for improving my writing, but the main thing that caught me last year and gave me unbelievable amounts of stress…

Marketing.

Ah, yes. Marketing.

It really was a hate/hate relationship. I didn’t like doing it, you guys don’t like reading or seeing it 😀

So, this year, I have decided to take a different strategy for it. I realise it has to be done, but why should it give me such intense grief as it did last year? So, I have a much better plan in store for that, which involves focusing much more on reviews and visual marketing, trying to make it more fun rather than a chore.

Before this turns into an essay, I will just say that I am back and raring to go for 2015! I think it’s going to be an excellent year for us all!

I am gradually catching up with everyone’s blogs, which I have missed reading 🙂

So, whilst I catch up and try to get back into the routine, I hope you all have a fantastic start to the New Year and have already made great progress!

How was Christmas? Did you have a good start to the New Year?

Romance Weekly Blog Hop #lovechatwrite

It’s Romance Weekly Blog Hop time!

If you’ve joined me from Susan Scott Shelley then welcome! 🙂

This week we were given a sentence starter and had to finish it.

This year I am thankful for… the support I’ve received.

It’s amazing to think I started this blog and writing journey at the beginning of this year. So much has happened and time has flown by, I look back and am amazed at what’s been achieved!

But I also know it’s been such a great experience due to the unwavering support I’ve had from my family, friends, and from the amazing bloggers and writers I have met over this past year.

When I started this blog, I was really nervous, as you hear not such great things about what the internet can be like. But instead when I joined the writing and blogging community, I found an amazing group of people who were all supportive of one another and incredibly generous with their time and advice.

So yes, I am thankful for the support I’ve received and to all those who have helped me come so far in such a short amount of time. I will be forever grateful, thank you 🙂

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Now why not go check out what Leslie Hachtel is thankful for!

Also, don’t forget to check out this month’s Romance Weekly Giveaway!

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What are you thankful for this year?

Flaws aren’t always bad…

Lately I’ve been going through an older piece of writing and editing it and rewriting it. It’s not writing anyone will ever see, it’s simply a piece I come back to often for my own pleasure of writing.

Anyways, it’s been quite some time (over a year) since I’ve worked on it and as I progressed I realised my main character is incredibly selfish.

Often, when other characters experience emotional pain, she will become upset herself, but not for the same reason most of us would when watching a friend be sad. Instead, she worries about being upset herself at having to watch them go through the emotional trauma!

Well, I was a little more than put off by her, I have to say! 😀

I was determined to take out this flaw I had written into this character, and was about to do so throughout the entire manuscript, but stopped myself.

It might not be a flaw I like, but it’s obviously how I’ve written this character throughout the whole story. And if I take out her flaws, she’s not exactly going to be very interesting, is she?

So, even though I don’t like the trait, I’ve left it. Characters need to feel real and, I have to admit, it does round her out as a character when it’s left in. Throughout the rest of the story I have written other characters noting it about her, so it’s obviously something I’ve noticed before.

It might be nice to have her grow out of that trait, and change as a person.

That’s all part of the fun of writing, isn’t it? Letting our characters grow out of some their faults and become stronger for it 🙂

Have you ever given a character a trait you didn’t like? Do you enjoy writing their flaws as well as their strengths?

Books and Reading Wednesday: Tales of the Disappearing Bookmark

So, this is related to reading, but not any specific book.

I have come to the conclusion that I have a bookmark goblin. A little creature that comes along and gobbles up not only my proper bookmarks, but also the stuff I use as temporary bookmarks as well!

I swear, I take whatever I’m using as a bookmark out of my book, place it down carefully, go to get it back after reading and POOF! It’s gone.

This has led to me using a good variety of things to mark my place in my books:

– Scraps of paper
– Tissues
– Greeting cards
– Money
– Gift vouchers
– Pens (I don’t recommend this one!)
– Sweet wrappers
– Food bags

The list could go on and on!

My current bookmark is a thank you note card, a pretty one 🙂

This is one of the things I do love about the Kindle and eBook readers, that I don’t have to worry about scrabbling round for a bookmark in the middle night when I’m done reading.

Still, I do read quite a few paperbacks, so it’s probably about time I try to find and reprimand my bookmark goblin, or invest in some GIANT-sized bookmarks that I will never be able to lose 😀

Do you have trouble finding bookmarks? Have you ever used anything unusual as a bookmark?

Surprising Discoveries…

As I’ve been writing whatever I want lately, I’ve realised something about what I choose to write.

Apparently it’s either romantic, fluffy scenes or… full on fight scenes 😀

It was a bit of a surprise to discover just how much I enjoy writing battle scenes and fight scenes, yet also to find the other thing I adore writing was the sweet romantic moments.

The two couldn’t be more different and require very different skill sets when writing, but there you go, it was the thing I have noticed about my writing lately.

I write romance all the time in my books, and some do involve fight scenes as well, but I make sure to keep them at a minimum. But when left to my own devices to just write what I like, the small fight scenes I start can turn into epic battles!

Still, it’s all writing practice, right? And that’s the main thing I’m going for over the next couple of months 🙂

Have you discovered anything unusual about what you like to write? Are there particular scenes you enjoy writing more than others?

Yay for Friday!

Hey everyone, this week has felt like it has dragged really badly, so I’m thankful we finally reached Friday! 😀

Just a quick post today.

I had an awesome interview over Lit World Interviews, by RonovanWrites, why not go check it out? 🙂

http://litworldinterviews.wordpress.com/2014/11/14/mishka-jenkins-interview-prophecy-of-stones/

Hope everyone has a great weekend and I will try to be around more next week! 😀

Romance Weekly Blog Hop #lovewritechat

It’s Tuesday, which means it’s Romance Weekly Blog Hop time!

If you’ve joined me from Veronica Forand, then welcome! 🙂

This week the questions focus on characters.

1. How much free reign do you give your characters during a story?

I give them pretty much completely free reign. Although I love to have a plan, some of the best things can come from the unexpected moments when your character’s take the story out of your hands!

2. Have your characters ever done something so out of the blue that not only changed your story, but changed the tone and maybe even the genre you were originally going for? (Like your contemporary romance turned into a spicy paranormal)

I’ve had some characters do some things that were completely out of the blue, but I don’t think it’s ever changed the tone or genre. Though, it could still happen 😀

3. Do you have one character in your head that is sort of boss over all the rest? Or do you decide who to work on and when?

On my current WIP, I have a group of characters and I do have to say I’m pretty good at managing to spend time on each. Out of the group, there are three who are the strongest and the main focus, so obviously they get more time, but I do have a character with a smaller role who just loves to push his way into focus every time there’s a scene! 😀

Now why not go check out what Victoria Barbour has to say in response to these!

How would you answer these questions? Do you give your characters free reign to do as they wish when you write, or do you like to stick to a plan?