Comments on: What To Think About When You’re Not Thinking About It

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:43:10 +0000

Kerrin – yeah, that’s the difficulty with Modern eh? The external conflict can’t be too much. Great going re sticking with it to finish it. Finishing a book is great practice.

Kaily – go you on the novella! That’s an option eh? Not sure how I’d do with writing short. Can’t write short stories to save my life. But it’s worth thinking about…

Suzanne – thanks! Again, that two weeks produces a VERY rough draft. But yeah, something else is a good idea. Still thinking on it. 😉

By: Suzanne Jones

Suzanne Jones — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:31:02 +0000

A first draft in TWO WEEKS??????

Yikes. I'm seriously impressed. I can barely write a short story in two weeks.

I think you should try something else - as you say the more subs you have out there... And as you write so fast it would be a shame not to make the most of that gift.

XX

By: Kaily Hart

Kaily Hart — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:40:38 +0000

Jackie, I’ve recently gone through the same thought process. Taking into account the long waits for some of the major publishing houses I did something completely different – I wrote a novella and submitted it to a (reputable) epublisher. This is not what I thought I would do. The novella was great because it was fast (completed in under 2 weeks) and the wait time at these places is less. Plus, I figure there was a huge learning experience to get a story down in so few words. I’m thinking now in the back of my mind I could build some publishing experience (invaluable) and a reader base (somewhat, who knows) while I wait on the Blaze line.

By: Kerrin

Kerrin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:54:51 +0000

I like external conflict. I think that is why i am struggling with writing for modern M&B. I love the richness and fullness of a single title! But i am going to stick with what i have started and try to finish it.
As one of the other commenters said, writing is never wasted, it is all a learning curve 🙂

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:30:35 +0000

Thanks Joanne. I reckon there’s something in that. I have to say though, it’s quite hard to drag yourself out of the ‘no external conflict’ MH mindset!

By: Joanne Coles

Joanne Coles — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:42:55 +0000

Personally, I think it would be refreshing to write something else while you're waiting. Either Desire or Blaze. No writing is wasted, so if you send one off while you're waiting for a MH sub I think that would be *a very good thing*.

As the other commenters have said, there are several authors who write for two lines. You write quick, so there's no reason why you couldn't. I also think two lines will keep your ideas and writing fresh.

Just my opinion :-)

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:55:13 +0000

Maisey – get whipping! 🙂

Julie – thanks! Fiddled with something a bit different over the weekend. Was refreshing. 🙂

By: Julie P

Julie P — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:07:19 +0000

It can't hurt to write something for a completely different genre or style in between waiting for verdicts on subs. I find that I have to have something different on the go otherwise I get bored and lose the will to continue with what I'm writing!!

Hope the sub your waiting for a answer on goes well.

Julie xx

By: Maisey

Maisey — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:54:23 +0000

LOL Lacey! Now I need to get my store of MSs whipped into shape! Some of them are getting kind of old, and I’ve learned lots since writing them!

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:52:14 +0000

Sally - you've got a lot of irons in the fire haven't you? And that sounds like a good thing to me, especially if you're waiting on the 1st of July! Hmmm, maybe I should think about it more.

Lacey - Lol! Maisey and I could have a 'who can write the most' competition. ;-)

Susan - definitely thinking about my Blaze idea. If nothing else to give me a break.

Caroline - I like your idea! Only problem is that I probably know next to nothing about your time period. They'll probably end up wearing digital watches while watching the gladiators fight or something dumb like that. ;-)

Abbi - thanks for the great advice. Yes, I haven't written anything other than MH since I started subbing seriously two years ago. Maybe it's time to do something different, to stop myself becoming stale. Certainly writing MH has been great for the craft aspects of my writing so maybe I could put that to good use elsewhere. Food for thought.