"Read, read, read, and write, write, write"

by Diana McCollum

I believe when writing to surround myself with quotes that inspire and uplift me. A few of these quotes can apply to a lot of different situations, not just writing a novel.

My number one quote is:

“The Six Golden Rules of Writing: Read, read, read, and write, write, write.”
—Ernest Gaines

I’ve read and heard lectures where successful authors say reading is very important to writing your novel. You learn a lot about writing from reading well written books. Also, editorial styles change, and this is a good way to keep on top of things. For instance, the last two books I read not one semicolon was used. One was published by Avon and the other by Berkley. Is this a new style? It’s certainly worth checking out.

As far as “write, write,write.” If we don’t write, that book we’re dreaming of publishing will never be written.

“It is better to write a bad first draft than to write no first draft at all.”
—Will Shetterly

This quote by Will Shetterly, ties in with the first. Get that first draft done, so you can rewrite, edit and submit!

“Serious writers write, inspired or not. Over time they discover that routine is a better friend than inspiration.”
—Ralph Keyes

Routine is a necessity for completing any project in a timely manner. Painting the house, planning a trip, finishing an oil painting or writing a novel if you have a routine or schedule it will be easier and quicker to complete your project. Allocate so much time per day, or week dedicated to Your project. If you have a regular schedule, and you stick to it, you will be successful.

After all, you only have to write one page a day for a year and you’ll have a 365 page first draft!

“Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.”
—Julie Andrews

This quote by Julie Andrews can be applied to submitting a manuscript and having it rejected 19 times, only to be bought on the 20th submission, auditioning on Broadway, same thing. Keep at it.

 “The most important things to remember about back story are that (a) everyone has a history and (b) most of it isn’t very interesting.”
—StephenKing

This quote by Stephen King reminds me not to spend too much time on backstory, because a) it’s probably not that interesting to the reader & b) backstory slows your story’s pace.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
—SteveJobs

Anything you do in life should be done with love. If you love writing, you will care about your story, your editing and your style will shine through.

Do you have favorite quotes about life or writing?

Writing Process Blog Hop

By Diana McCollum

http://dianamccollum.weebly.com/about-the-author.html


I want to give a shout out and thank you to Kate Curran at http://katecurran3.blogspot.com who tagged me in the Blog Hop. Kate is the author of  “Only For You” and “Falling For You” two wonderful contemporary romances.

In February I published the “Love& Magick” anthology with Sarah Raplee and Judith Ashley.  What I am working on now is the story of Ella Stone.  She is one of the witches featured in the story “The Crystal Witch”, from the “Love & Magick” anthology.  I plan on doing a short story about each of the witches in the coven.  At some point, I’ll release the series of short stories as “The Costal Coven series”.

LOVE & MAGICK

When starting a new manuscript, I start with my characters and a premise.  In “Love & Magick” I knew I wanted Hettie to be a witch from the 1600’s who travels to the present day.  I started with that, added my cast of characters and began to weave the plot.

Now I’ve found I have to tell the stories of the other witches from Hettie’s story. 

They all want to be heard!

How does my work differ from others of its genre?  I don’t mind adding several different paranormal elements to my romances. For instance, Ella’s story will have witches and some mythological characters.  Individual authors each have their own voice and I believe this is the major thing that sets each author apart.  This is what makes one Vampire book different from the next Vampire book.  I always have to have a Happily Ever After.

I enjoy writing stories with magic or paranormal elements.  I find it entertaining, so it must be entertaining to my readers too.

I strive to write every day.  Some days are more productive than others.  I now follow an online group of writers through, Rose City Romance Writers, who all encourage each other daily and this accountability has increased my daily word count.

I try to do a straight write through to the end on the first draft.  However, I am constantly fighting with my inner editor, who wants to go back and edit the previous work.  I made a deal with the IE that she could only edit and re-read the previous two pages each morning right before I begin to write.  She seems to be satisfied with this arrangement.

After the first draft is complete, it is time for revisions, editing, finding stronger words, or a new way of saying something.  Another go through for setting, details, powerful emotions, make sure eye, hair color stayed the same.  Find weasel words like: that, as, it, just, very or any over used words and replace, and when I’m sure  the manuscript is the best it can be, off it goes to the editor.

When the manuscript comes back, I sit my butt in the chair, Internal Editor on my shoulder, and we work really hard on fixing what needs to be fixed.  This process can take as almost as long as writing the original draft.

Then off to Beta Readers.  Back for any corrections, and then it’s published.

I want each story to be the best it can be.  My readers should expect an escape from reality, and a love story to boot.

What comes first in your writing process characters, title, premise or ...?

  

Bio of next authors to share their writing process & Links:

 

April 18th- 

If you love a tale with courageous heroes and heroines, where their unconditional love for each other gives them strength to defeat their inner demons, Cyndi Faria, award winning author and best selling author of Short Romances, invites you to enter the pages of her romances and find happily ever after. 

Cyndi Faria is an engineer turned romance writer whose craving for structure is satisfied by plotting heartwarming romances with a dash of American folklore.

On and off her sexy romance pages, this California country girl isn’t afraid to dirty her hands fighting for the underdog and caretaking rescued pets. Find her helping fellow writers and leading readers to happily ever after at www.cyndifaria.com

Blog: http://cyndifaria.wordpress.com/

April 18th-

With sixteen published books, four novellas, and two anthologies, award-winning author, Paty Jager is never at a loss for story ideas and characters in her head. Her rural life in central and eastern Oregon, and interests in local history and the world around her, keeps the mystery and romance ideas flowing. She not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it. 

Blog: http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com

April 22-

Sarah Raplee honed her love of adventure growing up on a tropical island. After high school, Sarah married her firefighter-cum-Coast Guardsman boyfriend, who is the inspiration for all her heroes. Paranormal experiences run in Sarah’s family, so naturally she writes paranormal romance stories. Her stories examine difficult issues with humor and insight. She writes to entertain, educate and uplift her readers. Plus, writing is more fun than most of the alternatives!

Sarah and her husband have settled near Portland, Oregon, with a cat who loves to fetch, a German Shorthair who doesn’t and a feline phantom who ignores them both.
Blog: http://www.romancingthegenres.blogspot.com