Well, I sort of made you ask, but I’ll answer the questions anyway.
Last week on the Brava Authors blog I asked what you’d want to know if you were sitting in front of an author panel. See, I’m on an author panel at the end of the month (see the list of upcoming appearances on my News page). The Brava Blog readers met the challenge and offered good potential questions. Thought I’d reprint some of them here, along with the answers, just for fun. I’m using the order in which the questions were asked in the blog comments.
And, if you find this boring, blame yourselves since these are your questions. Further, if you live near Valley Center, CA or are in the area on March 31st, despite this exercise, I still expect you to stop by and take part in the “Everything You’ve Always Wanted To Know About Romance Writing But Were Afraid To Ask” discussion.
Question: Do you get to choose the covers for your books?
Answer: Nope. I’m sure Nora gets a lot of say, as do most bestsellers. Not me. The Kensington Art Department, specifically the amazing Kristine Mills-Noble, handles the covers based on ideas she discusses with my editor. My editor usually has an idea in mind, and Kristine works off that idea. If I hated the cover – really hated it and could express why in terms other than “I hate purple and the cover has purple on it” – and said so to my editor, she says she would change it. So far, this has not been an issue.
Question: I like asking authors if they consider themselves ‘a cup half full’ or ‘a cup half empty’ type of person when it comes to their writing career and in their personal life.
Answer: On a panel, I’d probably try to duck that question. It’s one that doesn’t allow for a lot of self-delusion, and I love self-delusion. Since my family, friends and former co-workers read this blog from time-to-time, it’s hard to lie here, which is what I’d likely do on a panel if the ducking thing didn’t work.
To be honest, when it comes to my writing life I am a ‘cup half empty’ type of gal. Now, don’t get me wrong. I truly feel blessed for my writing career. The fact I have books on the shelves, some waiting for release and still others under contract amazes me…probably amazes some of you as well. Further, I love hearing about other people’s writing successes… even when those successes far exceed my own (love and jealousy can co-exist, you know). But, and here’s the problem, I fear I could lose this career at any moment. That makes me insecure, which means I sit solidly in the ‘cup half empty’ group. In my personal life, however, I am a ‘cup half full’ type. Life is life and I take it as it comes, realizing at all times that I am very lucky. That, my friends, is one of the positive outcomes from my life as a divorce lawyer. You see what’s happening in other people’s lives and homes and appreciate your own.
Question: I like to know how they come up with ideas on the stories they write, and is writing the dialogue harder or easier as they go along.
Answer: For most writers I know, coming up with the ideas is not a problem. Controlling them long enough to wrestle them down and get them on paper before brain explosion occurs is the issue. I view ideas and my writing career this way: if you tell stories as a kid you’re imaginative, but if you continue to tell them as an adult, you’re a liar or pathological or both. To prevent the latter problems, write.
Second, dialogue is my favorite part of the writing process. The trick is in making sure each character is unique and believable. Making sure men sound like men is another critical point. One problem I do have is that I can become so enamored with my dialogue ::ahem:: that a scene can get repetitive, the banter circular and everything can drag. To prevent that problem (or at least cut down on it), I write a scene, revise, then revise again, and then really cut it down. This hatchet routine gets easier as I go along. Not easier on my cp who spots this stuff and goes after it like an attack dog, mind you, but easier on me.
And….let me skip ahead to Shannon’s joke because, unfortunately, she’s not kidding. I get this question all the time and see it on loops at least once per week.
If the question were: How do you format a manuscript?
My nice answer: One inch margin, courier or time news roman font, and only print on one side of the page.
The answer playing in my head: Do you really think publishing houses have someone who sits in a room and measures your margins? Stop this!! Only the folks in charge of the Golden Heart at RWA care. The rest of the world – no. So, use common sense. Buy an Idiot’s Guide if you have to. Whatever. Just make your manuscript legible, never write in crayon, be professional and don’t use the font called wingdings. That’s it.
More tomorrow…
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I couldn’t resist.
I think the discussion sounds wicked fun, and I bet you’ll have a blast.
I accidentally turned one of my manuscripts to wingdings while editing. Not sure if my finger twitched or the mouse spazzed or what, but it made editing a lot harder. So two out of two romance authors recommend not using that font.
by Shannon Stacey March 7th, 2007 at 5:05 amWhile writing, I use times new roman single spaced. THEN I go and change it courier double spaced and ALL these pages magically appear. It makes me so happy.
by Jill Monroe March 7th, 2007 at 8:23 amI do the same thing that Jill does, I write everything in single space and when I am finished a scene I double space and magically I did more work than I originally thought. Wonderful feeling.
HelenKay based on your answers here you are going to do wonderfully at your authors panel. Your answers were intelligent and funny. Love that. Good luck.
by Patty L. March 7th, 2007 at 10:27 amI don’t write but love to read . I can’t put things down for other people to understand
by Patricia Kasner March 7th, 2007 at 12:24 pmShannon – Don’t send in your Brava entry in wingdings. No. And, get to work on that thing. We want to add one more publisher to your credits.
Oh man, have you ever done the opposite where you write in courier then switch to TNR just to see how many pages you lose ::shudder:: I did have to chuckle when I saw the galleys for YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY. The books was 394 courier pages when it left my house. It returned as 297 galley pages. Where did those 100 pages go?!?!
Patricia – I fear people say that about me
by HelenKay March 8th, 2007 at 10:13 amOh, come on. It could be like one of those word puzzles—cryptogram?—so the judges would get a scene AND a fun game all in one!
I’ve had this Brava novella for like 3 years now, waiting for me to work up the nerve. Maybe I should just get really drunk and send the thing. 8 pt Edwardian Script?
by Shannon March 8th, 2007 at 6:38 pm