Very Soon Sweepstakes Update

The ‘Very Soon’ sweepstake is nearing the end of its first week and….sorry Janet who picked the 6th. No word for me this morning. 🙁 So, we’ll be entering the second week on Monday so fingers crossed that one of you who picked this coming week will be right.

It’s not the best week to be hearing to be honest. I leave for Sydney on Monday and I’m not sure I want to know while I’m on holiday/conference. Especially if I get an R. I kind of like to lick my wounds in private and I can see it putting a huge damper on my holiday. Wahhh, poor me. Dr Jax has promised to vet my email for me just in case and I will be complaining loudly and long to Rach and Janette (be warned guys!) so that helps too.

Anyway, I have no idea what the ed will actually say, but I have come to the conclusion that Modern Heat is one of the harder categories to break into. It’s not a clear cut line like some of the others and I suspect, once the line changes to Riva and they see how its selling, the editorial direction may change. Not that I know or anything, just a suspicion. They have said they want ‘different’. But what is ‘different’? I think the New Voices comp is an indication that they themselves don’t really know until they see it. They want public input from readers about people’s chapters which I guess means that they want to see what kind of stories resonate with people and which won’t. Scary huh?

Well, if there’s one thing that I think matters with category as it is now, it’s voice. There’s not much in the way of originality in plotlines in romance but the way you CAN make it original is the way you write. And of course, including what the eds have recommended like new spins on old conflicts, 21st century issues, etc , etc. The trick is to do all that within the category guidelines. Who said writing category was easy again??

18 thoughts on “Very Soon Sweepstakes Update”

  1. It almost sounds as though you hope you’re not going to know before the conference… ;). I agree with you I think modern heat and modern are the hardest lines but they’re also the most popular. When you’re published you’ll look back and enjoy your suffering 😛

  3. Easy? Its soooo easy that i could knck one out each week…

    Am sick of being asked – “Are you STILL writing that book?” and When I answer yes I get “Well, what’s taking you so long?”

    Ummm shut TF up! is what I want to answer, but I usually shrug and say I’m too slow.

    And hey – complain all you want this week – I just might do the same!!

  4. Janette – Yay, was beginning to think no one was reading this sorry blog any more apart from Lacey. 😉
    I will be complaining, you betcha. Give me another cocktail to shut me up. 😉
    My family has a new appreciatiation of just how hard it is to break into I can tell you that much.

  5. I always read you Jackie, I’m just not great at commenting! 🙂
    Here’s hoping you get some positive news that will free you to have a great holiday and conference xx

  7. Jackie
    I’ve been reading you for AGES but felt like a interloper commenting without being invited(still getting used to cyber community etiquette *eek*). Anyway I check your blog every day before I sit down to write for inspiration and words of wisdom. So keep it up please (with chocolate curls on top). Mind you it is hard to type when I have all my fingers crossed for you!

  8. Joni – don’t ever feel like an interloper. I love hearing from people, even if it’s just a quick hi. And I love that you find a bit of inspiration here – sometimes all I feel I do is moan! Ah well, that’s all part of being a writer too… 🙂
    Thanks for the finger crossings. Could do with not hearing this week!

  9. Sorry Jackie: I’ve been a bit of a lurker these days, too. I have been struggling a little with not knowing where I fit. But thanks to a fellow blogger who directed me to a brilliant essay, I am feeling much better. I will be posting the link to said essay on my blog this morning. I think anyone who has ever stuggled with their writing (and who hasn’t) will find it worth the read.

    P.S. I wouldn’t want to know before holiday either.

  11. Well, Jax my dear, people who say category is easy have never tried to write it.

    Yes, Modern Heat is an absolute toughy. Scares me to death, and that’s the absolute truth!

    I hope you hear back soon though, and I’m sure it will be good news…you’re too brilliant for it to be anything else!

    And Lacey, Lacey is a faithful commenter. I’ve felt quite abandoned lately too! But not by Lacey.

  13. Seconding what Maisey said here, Jackie. NO body who writes category pubbed or unpubbed would ever say it’s easy!!

    Fingers crossed, it’s good news.

    And yeah Modern Heat is a toughie, cos it’s constantly “evolving” – but that’s what makes it exciting (she says with fixed grin on face while trying to make sense of the mess which is her current ms!!)

    Heidi x

  16. Sorry, Jackie – arriving horribly late – but yours is one of the first blogs I’ve caught up with after time away from blogging (day job – yuk).

    Who said it was easy? That will be someone who’s never tried writing ’em.

    And, if it is down to voice, you have a head start because your blog voice is always terrific.

    Thinking of you. I know waiting’s horrid. I’m getting my knickers in a twist because an editor is a couple of weeks later than normal getting back to me about a SHORT STORY – waiting to hear about a book is much worse.

    XX

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