The Rom-Com Goddess now knows my name + WIP report + RT Countdown

Kittens.

OMG.

Look:

She’s me, 10 years from now.

Ok, that sounds a little creepy–and Kristan, if you’re reading this, it’s not supposed to be. But those of you who have been privy to my “I don’t have a mentor/example to follow, I’m lost, help”–my entire workshop with Kristan Higgins (ok, there were like 40 other people there, but seriously, it felt like it was all custom-designed JUST FOR ME) was the universe telling me, “Hello, chica, look–have a look at this woman and her career and her approach and meditate on that for a year or two.”

So, in a word, the workshop was AMAZING. And I’m all energized and overstimulated and squee and other things.

And I want to re-read all of Kristan’s work. Except I can’t because, WIP.

Anyway.

If you ever have a chance to hear Kristan speak, grab it! (She’s going to be at the RWA Nationals in Denver in July for sure, and you can check out her other appearances on her website.)

Ok. Other things:

WIP report: I’m at 25.4K. Still no sex. But suddenly, it’s funny.

I’ve been talking to some of you about my process—trying to distill patterns in how these books come together. Now, my sample is small—three books published, two more written (yes, Text Me, Cupid is on track for December 2018 release, woo-hoo—Molly Jones, don’t ask, this most complicated of my books continues to demand a complicated approach), so I guess that makes this one book six. Six is a small sample. And the process on each one has been different.

But these things, I’d say, seem to be constant:

The first 10K is so fucking exciting. It’s maybe a little hard to get going, but once you do—it just flows. And it seems heroic and brilliant and interesting and BRAND NEW AND NOBODY’S EVERY WRITTEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS EVER!

10K to 15K — the doubt sets in. I DON’T THINK THIS IS A BOOK. I’m not sure this idea works. This is not turning out at all like what I planned. Maybe it’s time to stop and throw it out.

16k-25k — Fuck, this is shit. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? WHO TOLD YOU YOU COULD WRITE? Seriously, you are wasting your time and your life. This isn’t a book—this isn’t art—this isn’t entertainment—this is the reason Western Civilization is deteriorating and if the world ends, it’s YOUR FAULT BECAUSE YOU’RE SUCH A SHITTY WRITER AND WORTHLESS HUMAN.

25,001 — Hey, wait. I think I see the book…

So, things I have learned en route to book six:

— I can take my time on the first 15K if I need to. That third 5K when the self-doubt sets in—it’s not so bad. Just keep on writing. Ride the uncertainty. It’s fine.

— But— that 16k-25k—fucking sprint through it. Do not stop. Do not re-read. Do not revise. Do not think. Every day, until I hit 25k—open the document and type. Don’t talk about it with people either. Just—push through it. It’s like when you’re running or climbing a mountain, you know? There’s that phase where—if you stop—you won’t be able to move again. So I CAN’T STOP.

(I actually think on book seven, I will post my word count on the fridge or somewhere in my house, and circle 16k-25k for my fam and say DO NOT ASK ME HOW IT’S GOING JUST FEED ME A LOT OF CHOCOLATE)

— when I write word 25,001 — it might be 25,457 or so, it’s not an exact science… celebrate. Because the next 25K is what determines the book. And it’s easy.

— Really. For me, anyway, that second  25K is easy. It’s inevitable, really. It changes the first 25K almost completely. But I don’t stop to revise. Not yet. I make notes to myself as I write the new 25K when I see how it changes the back story. It’s not time to change things yet…

Anyway. 25,415! Still no sex! But fuck, it’s funny now. And I see how I was taking myself and my topic too seriously before. And I’m so excited.

I’m so excited for the next 25K.

I’ll tell you what happens in the 2nd 50K when I hit it. 😉

Finally… in one week from now, I am going to be in Reno, taking a Master Class from Cherry Adair as a way of launching myself into my second Romantic Times Booklovers Conference. I’m not going to blog about the conference in real time, but I will talk in pictures about it on Instagram and possibly on Twitter if you want to follow my adventures there. While I’m gone, I’m going to start introducing you to my SULTRY AND SWEET authors.

You can have a sneak peek at the AUTHOR GALLERY here.