It's a Romance novel. Well, sort of. It started out being just as formulaic and "sensual" as required and then morphed into something less formulaic and maybe less shallow, and I lost my scripted ending and now it's, I don't even know. Unmarketable. That's my fear anyway. But, hey, whatever. I have seriously had a blast.
Right now, I'm formatting and final editing for real bad and obvious problems. I'll send the synopsis and partial manuscript, all 6 copies, to the RWA (Romance Writers of America) "unpublished manuscript" contest on the 23rd. They will toss all 6 copies in the trash on Dec. 3rd when they read the synopsis and see that it is not a romance novel. I should learn about that sometime in late February. :)
At which point, I am hoping the book is back with more feedback from my already amazing readers. Then I will rip out the sensual, twist up the formula, and try and make it into something else. Less mainstream, let's say. Then I will do all the things unpublished writers do like join writing groups, go to conferences, and send out dozens of mailings monthly and watch rejection letters roll in while I work on something else.
I am not sure my ego is totally ready for this process, but I feel committed. Malcolm Gladwell tells me it's going to take 10,000 hours. That's about 6 1/2 years at 30 hours a week. So I'm rounding up and giving myself 10 years. If I have nothing published by age 46, I will declare this a giant misstep and spend the next 10 years on something else.
Have I mentioned I am grateful for my cushy life as an aristocrat that allows me to do shit like follow my bliss?
Right now, I'm formatting and final editing for real bad and obvious problems. I'll send the synopsis and partial manuscript, all 6 copies, to the RWA (Romance Writers of America) "unpublished manuscript" contest on the 23rd. They will toss all 6 copies in the trash on Dec. 3rd when they read the synopsis and see that it is not a romance novel. I should learn about that sometime in late February. :)
At which point, I am hoping the book is back with more feedback from my already amazing readers. Then I will rip out the sensual, twist up the formula, and try and make it into something else. Less mainstream, let's say. Then I will do all the things unpublished writers do like join writing groups, go to conferences, and send out dozens of mailings monthly and watch rejection letters roll in while I work on something else.
I am not sure my ego is totally ready for this process, but I feel committed. Malcolm Gladwell tells me it's going to take 10,000 hours. That's about 6 1/2 years at 30 hours a week. So I'm rounding up and giving myself 10 years. If I have nothing published by age 46, I will declare this a giant misstep and spend the next 10 years on something else.
Have I mentioned I am grateful for my cushy life as an aristocrat that allows me to do shit like follow my bliss?
2 Comments:
Hey I'm writing a romance novel too! It's good to have a plan. Mine was hashed out 15 years ago - write the great American best seller - totally romance formula writing - and make a mint! Course my plan requires I just slam it together in 6 months! And I haven't started it yet....Do you think I should make a new plan? ;)
Do it Pat!! Let's get published and sip Mojitos together in Tremont.
http://www.rwanational.org/cs/about_rwa
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