Fic updates

[tarotgal]

Visited my local used bookstore. Yes, I only have one. I'm sad and depressed by that fact, but there it is. The store was being redone, too. Shelves in completely different places, different people running it- anyone know the turnover rate for used bookstores? I'm wondering because 3 of them in my old town (a college town) went out of buisiness. One started up again, and then went out of business again. It's depressing.

ANYWAY, I went and bought 4 romance novels. I wanted to get a selection from different genres but some were just too painful. LOL I went through lists online to see what the best ones were... and then I got to the store and the list fell through. I ended up getting a 2 Scottish Highland romances (if no one has figured it out yet, I'm obsessed with 18th-century Scotland), a fantasy one, and an internet-related murder mystery one. One of the Scottish ones is a 4 short story thing. So it's sort of a variety, right? And I figure reading ones that appealed to me somewhat will give me a better idea of what I'd want to write anyway. Yeah. So I'm justifying it, but there we go. Mom saw my purchases and laughed. "A master's in computer science and you're going to write trashy romance novels?" but also said "You know, I think it's a great idea" so we'll see. It's a longshot, still. I can't market myself, so I doubt I'll get very far. But it doesn't hurt to know what I'd be getting into if I end up going for it.

Today's writing exploits, because I just know you're sitting on the edge of your seat waiting:

• Wrote some more mentally & more long-hand in that original fic. I plan to type it up before I go to bed
  
• Opened up the first Ronfic I ever started (The Vampire) and edited it a little. Didn't write much more, but added a couple lines and paragraphs here and there. And I cleaned up some problems I found with his age. He's 17 in the fic so technically an adult by wizarding standards.
  
• Tried writing a Wolf's Rain set of drabbles (no sneezing). What I wrote sucks. I just can't get Kiba's obsession with Cheza to work. It sounds too cheesy. *bangs head against monitor* I've rewritten it at least 10 times now and I'm thinking of just scrapping the whole bloody idea. If not for the bits with Toboe and Tsume which are slightly decent, I'd toss it away right now and not look back. Grrr. Stupid drabbles. You wouldn't think 150 words would be that hard to manage, would you? Damnit
  
• Am feeling the urge to pick up some of my Remus/Bill fics. I love Bill :-)
  

EDIT:

• Oh! And I got some inspiration to write another Obi/Qui fic. I can't decide which is doing the sneezing (the muses are leading me to Qui-Gon but for some reason I'm fighting for Obi, LOL) So we'll see what comes of that.
  

Comments

GASP!!!

[(Anonymous)]

Qui & Obi?! Oooohhhh, I LOVE your muses! I've been so starving for some nice SW fic that I just started a flufflet - which is becoming rather large, to still call a flufflet (wonder what's the size limit on flufflets?)! It's so nice to know I'll get to read something other than my own stuff, though.

Personally, I favor Qui-Gon. Dunno why, because there is no denying the adorablness of a sneezy padawan... But hey, if you want Obi, write Obi! Or you could do what I did in my "desparation flufflet" (seriously, that's what I saved it as on my PC) and write them both. You did that before, quite nicely as I recall.

Actually, I think I'll go read some of your old SW stuff just because now I need some TG-stylized SW stuff.

Happy writting!
~ Mewling

Re: GASP!!!

[tarotgal]

"desparation flufflet"
Refresh my memory about this one? I'm feeling TERRIBLY stupid at the moment. *blushes furiously*
There's little I like better than a few desperate sneezy Jedi... *sighs happily* Lovely name for a document indeed! My muses like much much :-)

And though I actually do have a Qui & Obi both sick fic in the works(which is about 75% done), Obi ended up winning out in the battle for this particular ficlet. But not to worry. I'm sure Qui will get his very soon. *EG*

Actually, I think I'll go read some of your old SW stuff just because now I need some TG-stylized SW stuff.
*blushes again* I'm flattered. Thank you :-)

wonder what's the size limit on flufflets?
Hrmm... that's an excellent question indeed! Given a few stories of mine, I think my muses would probably answer that there really isn't a limit so long as it's nummy throughout.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm always fighting for Obi! But they're your muses. Hopefully they'll change their ways and go with Obi, but I'm not trying to subliminally force them or anything *cough*obi*cough* oh, excuse me, an Obi..I mean frog in my throat.
Happy writing!
~A

[tarotgal]

LMAO! Thanks- never hurts to give my muses a little push. They like pushes.
Obi finally won out. Or, rather, I did in my insistence that it be Obi. :-)

[vatergrrl.livejournal.com]

Have you ever read Jennifer Roberson's _Lady of the Glen_? It's about the Glencoe massacre, and better written than a lot of other historical fantasy. If you truly and deeply want to committ yourself to writing a romance novel that could get published, I fear to say that you *will* need to do a lot of reading in the sub-genre of historical romance (and the sub-sub g. of Scottish historicals), if that's what you're aiming for. Most houses are still stringently bound to formulas in terms of who/what/where, though there may be a few publishers willing to look at the new, different or unique. The magazine Romantic Times Book Club (I think it's just RT Book Club these days) has been running a series on breaking into the ranks of published authors, and also has ongoing columns about writing romance novels. Might be worth a look at your local Barnes & Noble, Borders or other chain store.

One other thing: don't try to write in a genre you hate. It'll come across in your writing, and editors will reject your story. Just start writing, see where it takes you, and then shape it to a more recognizable form once you have the story down.

Sorry if this all sounds like an echo of something I've said before. I have this feeling of deja-vu all over again...

--Ann

[tarotgal]

Thanks for the advice and leads. I have electronically thumbed through a number of 'how to write' columns and books online and at the library already. And it has been very interesting indeed to see the formulas for plots that are recommended/desired. I'm honestly not so worried about the writing part as I am the selling myself part. If the story sucks, I can always trash it and do something else, after all :-)

Have you ever read Jennifer Roberson's _Lady of the Glen_?
I have read (and bought) just about everything Jennifer Roberson has ever written(I'm sure there are a couple compilation works I've missed). She wrote a Highlander the series novel a number of years back that got me hooked on her, and Lady of the Glen was the second one I read of hers. I re-read it at least once a year. I don't want to say 'favorite' because that sounds horrid, but that event has always had a special place in my heart ever since I learned about it. So stumbling upon that book a few years later was like Heaven. The proper amount of both the politics and personal sides of things. Of course, going there was even more powerful, but, yeah, *sigh* good book.

If you truly and deeply want to committ yourself to writing a romance novel that could get published, I fear to say that you *will* need to do a lot of reading in the sub-genre of historical romance (and the sub-sub g. of Scottish historicals), if that's what you're aiming for.
Actually, though I'm sure my stories would be damn good since I've been researching for the better part of 8 years, I don't think I'm going to want to go that route at all. My more "serious" novels are historical fiction set then and I honestly don't think I could handle blurring the lines between settings and times and trashy romance vs. my serious works. I may like reading them... but I don't think I'll want to write them. At least not yet. Maybe one day. I think I'm going for something a little less historical and more Sex & the City-meets Walter Middy right now. But, yes, reading is good.

One other thing: don't try to write in a genre you hate. It'll come across in your writing, and editors will reject your story. Just start writing, see where it takes you, and then shape it to a more recognizable form once you have the story down.
Believe me, I've enough experience forcing stories and not finishing stories to know that if there's no passion there it reads like absolute crap. But you definitely won't see me writing any murder mystery romances. Or southern bell ones, for that matter, even though I've lived in that part of the country. Not that I mind muder mysteries... I simply don't have the creativity for one :-)

Sorry if this all sounds like an echo of something I've said before. I have this feeling of deja-vu all over again...
LOL No worries. It's good to ram things down my throat from time to time :-) I do appreciate the advice. Especially from someone who has the good sense and taste to recommend Lady of the Glen! *hugs* Thank you!