Moira Keith

How many times do you slave away at the keyboard, only to second guess elements of your story? Please do not tell me I am the only nut job out there suffering from this affliction. Over the course of the last few months I have been working my fingers to the bone on my paranormal story, in between edit rounds of course , wondering if I am headed in the right direction. I find that my rounds of ‘questioning’ follow pretty much the same pattern 

1. Unhappy with a story element
2. Try to fix and questions arise regarding the plot points
3. While attempting to navigate through murky waters of said questions, I contemplate what would happen if I lose one of the elements of the story.
4. Begin to write element out and start to second guess the decision. 
5. Turn to trusted friends and crit partners, who tell me they think the element should stay, but that I am the author. 
6. One or more of them slap me senseless and tell me to stop second guessing the very elements that make my story unique and interesting. 
7. A few rounds of brainstorming and I go back to the manuscript with a renewed fervor that will sustain me until i can start this glorious process all over again. 

So, I ask all of the enlightened and inspiring writers out there-

How do you deal with second guessing yourself? Or do you even second guess yourself? Have you learned to control that nagging little voice in the back of your head or simply gagged and hog tied her until you reached the end? I’ve tried locking mine up but it would seem the art of lock picking has not surpassed my dear inner voice. I throw myself at the mercy of my peers and beg for you to share your wisdom!

Well, today we pack the family in the car (including the in-laws since it was their gift to the kids) and head off to the land of enchantment for any five year old boy…..

That’s right, Legoland here we come and I sure hope they are prepared for my dynamic duo. When the boys discovered we were off to this wonderful place full of fuel for their little imaginations, well they did what any kid would do. They started packing two days ago. God love ‘em. So I will give you an update on the fun and adventures they had and whether or not my sanity and Legoland remain in tact. 

Sláinte!

Do you ever find yourself in a rut? My biggest one comes to reading. I tend to stick to the same genre-paranormal romance or something not too far left of that. I recently indulged in a little genre expanding. Not that you could tell by my bookshelf or to be read pile, as my expansion can primarily be witnessed through my eBook reading. For example, I recently read Land of Falling Stars by Keta Diablo (which, shameless plug coming…. you can read my review at TGOB). I have said Historical Romance is not my bag, however when I think back on some of my reading choices, I find that some of my past choices have had historical elements. Take the Circle trilogy by the beloved Nora Roberts or any of the books from the Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning. They both take you to times past are well written and much to my delight have ties to paranormal romance elements. *Squee* 

In the past I found myself in a similar rut with Romantic Suspense and Mystery. In those genres I found myself falling prey to the likes of Kay Hooper and J.D. Robb (yes I am not immune to any of Ms Robert’s personas). The key to getting out of the rut? Don’t know, I haven’t found it yet. Though on occasion I am lucky enough to have something fall in my lap that aides in the process.

Do you find yourself in similar ruts? How do you break out of them?

I mean if you are a writer of course. I sent off my first round of edits today, pondering what would I work on next. The paranormal? Plot issues abound there I am afraid, but whether they are fabricated or true is yet to be seen. I am overly critical of my work in the paranormal genre. I read a lot of it, love the genre, and therefore have high expectations. Maybe I am overly critical because I compare myself to the authors I admire. Whatever the reason, I have put that story to the side. 

My mother asked me about a story I hadn’t thought about in some time. A nice romantic tale I have high hopes for. Scenes have fallen into place in my mind and although they aren’t really in any particular order, I can see the story taking shape. It just might be what I focus on next. (Afterall, my mothers opinion has hardly failed me yet.)

Ideas for stories laden with romantic entanglements are of no short supply over here. However, they ping pong (something I do quite frequently-just ask Heidi) from contemporary to paranormal. This got me thinking.

I’ve heard there are benefits to staying with a particular genre once you are published. As a writer, each story benefits from the things learned while working magic on the previous woven tale. Sticking with a particular genre also allows you to build a following of readers. But the ability to write cross genre has its appeal as well. If you can do it effectively, it allows you as an author to write whatever story comes your way. However many questions arise from these thought processes. 

1. If you jump genres do you as an author benefit? What about your readers? 

2. Is there a time in a writer’s career that is more conducive to genre hopping?

3. As a reader, how do you perceive a writer who jumps around? (Jump around… Jump around… Jump up jump up and get down… jump jump jump…. oh sorry)

4. In a genre like romance, there are many sub-genres. Where do you draw the line? Would Paranormal Romance and Contemporary Romance count as two separate genres or just a smaller part of the Romance genre? 

Ok, really my mind could go on forever with this line of thinking and I beg your forgiveness and understanding. I am firing on few cylinders right now, as my lack of sleep over the last two weeks is catching up to me. (Thank god I lurve my Editor Could you imagine if she were a real slave driver? This post would make even less sense than it does now.) Now that the rambling has set in, or rather, has surpassed what I consider acceptable, I am off to bed. Sound off if you please! 

P.S. Pop on over to The Girls on Books and check out Penelope Holt, our Author of the month. Betty has dished with the lovely Ms Holt and is spilling the beans.

Today is my mother’s birthday and seeing as I have already been captured on her work answering machine belting out the lyrics to Happy Birthday, I shall do you all a favor and not subject you to such atrocity. However, I did sit and reflect on my relationship with my mother. 

Believe it or not, there was a time where I did not believe my mother to be as wonderful as I know she is. Reflecting back, it’s easy to see where I failed to notice her greatness. The shortcomings of the young teenage mind often leads one to believe they are being cheated out of their childhood. But my mother was always there for me. She came to pick me up from a friends house at the drop of a hat, and sat in the driveway and had ‘the talk’ with me, not exactly the birds and the bees kind of stuff, but the point was made all the same. 

Now as I am older, I see such strength in her. (Seriously, she had to be a strong woman to endure the hell I put her through from an early age.) Where once I perceived growing up to be like my mom a bad thing, now I actually find myself smiling when the thought occurs to me. This crazy thrill ride, roller-coaster dream I am taking part of here with my writing, is in a large part due to her continued support and encouragement. Without it, I don’t know that I would be anxiously plugging away at my keyboard to edit my first ms for Samhain. After all, it was a story I started writing for her. Every time I hear of this song, it makes me think of my mother, and I think this version is absolutely beautiful!

So mom, I just wanted to let you know, instead of fearing turning into you, now all I can do is smile and say, “God I hope so!” Because without you, I would not be the person I am today. 

Yeah, yeah, getting back to the edits now! 3 days left, yikes!

I’ve admitted it. With everything going on right now, I feel as though my cup runneth over and there is little left of me to go around. Always a problem when you commit yourself to multiple tasks. The whole blog 28 days thing, sounded so great in theory, but when you have edits and website commitments, they seem to come first. 

In the excitement of editland, my darling editor (waving at Heidi), found some things that even make me stop and go – huh? Funny how we write things at times and since we know the story so well, our mind tends to either fill in the blanks or smooth out those inconsistencies. Guess that’s why we have editors and beta readers  

So… 

See what I mean about being scatterbrained? 

I could ramble on for hours, but Levi and Sydney await my company and my editor awaits their story in all its spit and polished glory, which means back to work for me. An update will be coming soon! I promise!

So I mentioned in my last post how I signed on to do this 28 posts in 28 days? Hehe… off to a real good start since this is day two and my first post. In all fairness to myself though, I was sans internet for the majority of the day yesterday while at my sister’s house and up to my elbows in edits. 

Alas, I vow to move forward. This is the nature of writing and life in general. Without further adieu, I give you my Monday Shakespeare Moment. I have a love affair with some of his works. Not acquainted with all of them, but some of my favorites are Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer’s Night Dream, and the Sonnets. Right now, I am feeling a sonnet, so without further adieu, I give you my Monday Shakespeare Moment. Enjoy!

Sonnet 1

From fairest creatures we desire increase,That thereby beauty’s rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decease,His tender heir might bear his memory:
But thou contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed’st thy light’s flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,Thy self thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel:
Thou that art now the world’s fresh ornament,
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content,
And, tender churl, mak’st waste in niggarding:Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
To eat the world’s due, by the grave and thee.

Shakespeare, 1609