Make A Living Writing Romance

I’ve recently finished reading another Ilona Andrews novel. The husband and wife writing duo has one of the most enjoyable writing styles I’ve ever come across. They’re particularly talented with their ability to describe a scene perfectly. Metaphors and vivid imagery help the reader envision the unique worlds the characters live in.

I have a more dialogue heavy style which doesn’t rely on too much description unless it’s part of the dialogue. However, I believe that everyone can benefit from practicing and improving their descriptive skills. Imagine your readers being able to become gracefully enveloped into your story and forget their reality for a short while. That’s what we all want, right?

So here’s a fun way to broaden your descriptive skills and step outside of the sensory box.

http://www.bluecatsandchartreusekittens.com/Blue_Cats_and_Chartreuse_Kittens_Rel.html

Are you familiar with the concept of Synesthesia?

It’s actually a condition where the senses mix up.

According to Synesthete.org  “Synesthesia is a perceptual condition of mixed sensations: a stimulus in one sensory modality (e.g., hearing) involuntarily elicits a sensation/experience in another modality (e.g. vision). Likewise, perception of a form (e.g., a letter) may induce an unusual perception in the same modality (e.g. a color).”

For example, a person may hear a color or taste a sound. Interesting, right?

So here’s the fun exercise:

Write down the colors of the rainbow on a piece of paper. ROYGBIV, right?

Then next to each color write down what the color would taste like? What would it smell like? How would it sound? Have fun with this exercise, let your imagination go with this.

Once you’ve covered the basic colors consider broadening your horizons. Get out one of those 64 boxes of crayons. Pull a crayon out of the box and imagine what the color would sound, feel, smell and taste like.

With a realistic plan and all the tools and habits you need, you will succeed. Have no doubt. For extra motivation and a little celebration why not reward yourself too?

I used to reward myself with shoes, boots actually. But I’m a work at home professional so I ended up with a closet full of stacks of boxes full of boots.

So I stopped that habit, it was a bit expensive, and instead began to reward myself with something that is more valuable than anything else on the planet – time.

When I achieve my writing goals I take time off. Time off from writing, working, and household responsibilities. A week or a day, it depends on the size of the goal. Trust me that is a motivator and something you will enjoy.

If rewarding yourself with a day or a week of leisure time doesn’t sound exciting, what does? Make a list of things you might reward yourself with. You deserve to celebrate.

You now have everything you need to achieve the success you desire. You have a dream, a goal, and a plan of action. The rest is up to you. You can do it!

Happy Writing!

P.S. – You can access the first four steps of this process by clicking the links below:

Step One

Step Two

Step Three

Step Four

Once you’ve identified your goal and you have planned, in detail, how you’re going to achieve your goal it’s time for the third step in the 2012 Romance Writing Success Plan.

 What Tools and Resources do You Need to Achieve Success?

For example, if you’re submitting to a new agent or editor each week then you may need a system for tracking your submissions. Document any items you might need to help you stay on track and achieve your 2012 romance writing goal.

Here’s a List of Resources and Tools Available on MakeaLivingWritingRomance:

• Character Development Worksheet
• Romance Writing Contests and a Romance Writing Contest Worksheet to track your entries. Again, this is for 2011 but much of the information and links are still accurate.)
• Agent/Editor Checklist and Worksheet
• Romance Novel Revision Checklist
• Submissions Tracking Tools
• Digital Publisher List
• Romance Writing Home Study Course

Gather together everything you need to support you and help you achieve your goals for this year, whatever they may be.

Happy Writing!

This is where you begin to plan.

(If you haven’t taken the first step, you can find the details here )

In this second step you’ll outline every single step you need to take to achieve your goal. Make sure the steps are realistic.

For example, if you say that you’re going to write 5000 words a day so you can finish two manuscripts this year but you work a full time job, have children and a family, and you need to sleep then this probably isn’t a realistic goal. Writing 1000 words each day may be more doable.

If you’re submitting to agents and publishers, create a plan to submit to one new agent or publisher each week or month.

Outline the steps you need to take to achieve success. Remember that you have 366 days this year (one extra leap day).

The New Year is right around the corner. I love this time of year but not for the reasons you might think. I’m not a resolution maker. I believe that when you feel the need to make a change that’s the very moment change should begin. Why wait  until tomorrow or until January 1st?

However, I can understand the other big reason people love the New Year. It’s an opportunity to start fresh and hopefully not make the same mistakes made the year before. Most people look forward to wiping the slate clean and starting over and to be sure there is value in that, tremendous value.

Yet, I like this time of year because it always feels like an invitation to take a risk.

Like turning 30, or 40, 50 or 60, milestones are an opportunity to assess if you’re doing enough to achieve your dreams and of course taking steps to achieve your dreams involves risk.

Risk of failure, risk of rejection, risk of ridicule and laughter, and well I won’t go on because with risk comes reward and that’s more fun to talk about! It’s more fun to think about and it is way more fun to plan for. (Yes, you can plan for risk and you probably should.)

Why Take Risks?

Why not? When you take a risk you just might succeed. You might receive the acclaim you’ve worked so hard for. You might gain the acceptance, praise, and accolades you’ve dreamed of. You might publish that book, make money, and gasp…write another book and make more money! It is possible but it takes a willingness to accept and perhaps relish risk.

So as the New Year rings in and you take your first breath in 2012 ask yourself this one question, “What am I willing to risk to achieve my writing dreams?”