• What were your goals last week and did you accomplish them?
• Describe what you worked on.
• Set goals for next week.
• Did you learn something during this week?

Here is a list of things that you can do each week as we work on our novels (suggestions welcomed).

• Writing on a novel
• Characterization
• World Building
• Relevant research

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Last Week's Goals

I did not get as much done last week since I fell ill with the stomach flu. I did get a little done last night as I slowly recovered. I'm hoping that those couple days off will not make it too difficult to get back into the writing.

My goals for next week:

• Improve scene details
• Write detailed scenes

I have a few more scenes I want to plan out for the main plot of the book. Things are going well for that story. I will need to get more detailed later but at least I have the core story for that plot planned out.

What did I learn this week?

Not much again. Just a reminder of how much I do not like the flu.

On the Shelf:
THE SHAMAN'S CURSE
THE IGNORED PROPHECY

DREAMER'S ROSE: Continue the rewrite.
Yes. Not as far along as I wanted to be, but some.

BLOOD WILL TELL: Read through those critiques and make revisions as needed.
Yes. All done.

MAGE STORM: Continue polishing the synopsis and the query letter.
Very little.

SEVEN STARS: Lay out the plot just a little more carefully before I start.
Got a brand new idea that's going to change, well, pretty much everything.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Send my WotF story.
Yes to both.

Next Week's Goals:

On the Shelf:
THE SHAMAN'S CURSE
THE IGNORED PROPHECY
BLOOD WILL TELL
THE SHAMAN'S CURSE and BLOOD WILL TELL are likely to come back off the shelf soon. But, for now, they're going to rest a little.

DREAMER'S ROSE:
Continue the rewrite. If I can just get through this next couple of chapters, I think things will start to flow better. If . . .

MAGE STORM:
Continue polishing the synopsis and the query letter. This one starts going out first of the year. I've got a couple of comments I want to work in before I start the final read-through/polish.

SEVEN STARS:
Ooh. I had a new idea on this one this week. It's going to turn the whole story on its head. But I think it's going to be great fun.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.

quote:

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Does anyone know the difference between a paranormal and fantasy romance? I'm not sure which I have.

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Well, here's a very simplistic way to look at it:

Paranormal romance is usually considered a subgenre of romance.

Fantasy romance is a subgenre of fantasy.

So, it kind of depends what you're emphasizing. And, quite possibly, which agent you're sending the query to.

If there's some kind of hero's journey or quest along with the romance, I'd tend to call it a fantasy romance. If the story is more about the two principals overcoming obstacles to be together, then I'd label it paranormal romance. That's my take on it, anyway. Others may differ.

I posed a similar question to David Farland at one of his workshops. Should I market my SF Thriller to the 'thriller' market or the SF market?
The answer was simple. Go for the biggest market first. So for me I will query 'Thriller' agents and publishers first, then SF.

So for now, I don't see why you need to label it. If it is such a fine line then market is as a Paranormal Romance in your query letters to that genre market, then label it as fantasy romance in your queries to that market. Focusing first on whichever is the biggest market.

I also wrote on "New Mage On The Block" but only a few hundred words.

And on "Storm Born". Just got through the section where my MC has confronted his fiance and best friend with something they didn't do as I mentioned before. But I don't think I'm satisfied with it. It's not strong enough if that makes sense. It's hard to get her reaction right. And I think he needs another reason to believe she is cheating on him. Maybe he saw her kissing the friend on the cheek-maybe to thank him for saving his life or because he knows her secret, which he learned from someone else, and understands why she can't tell my MC so he helps out when she says the wrong thing and almost gives it away.

But my MC thinks the kiss was either on the lips or a thank you for something else.

And I don't know if I need to explain her big secret or not... here.

But there is plenty of original stuff below as well.

Meanwhile, slowly progressing on three short stories/novellas.
Don't expect I'll get much done the next two weeks as I work the Christmas weeks for my Gentile partners.

Respectfully,
Dr. F

I have a friend who is currently going through the exercise of repositioning her book from "Urban Fantasy" to "Paranormal Romance". Her editors have very specific parameters for what they want to see in a PNR manuscript, e.g. there must be four to five explicit sex scenes and the first must come no later than so many pages into the manuscript.

I think such requirements are characteristic of romance writing, where the taxonomy of romance sub-types has been elaborated to a fare-thee-well. Readers of specific product lines have very precise expectations for books in that line, e.g. the age and degree of sexual experience of the heroine. Even so, there are so many publishers and so many product lines in category romances that any strong manuscript that belongs in the romance genre can probably be tweaked to fit some publisher's specifications. What makes a standout romance isn't really any different from what makes a standout fantasy: compelling characters with interesting problems.

However, I have not found this something I can yet do. I write for fun (and perhaps self-therapy). It is a joy to craft a tale.

I'm the other sort of writer you describe--a Field of Dreams author. I write what inspires me--the story guiding me as often as the reverse. If a story seems appropriate to a particular editor's stated interests, I may submit it. Publishing is not the goal. Writing is. I know this sounds inane. Paraphrasing the old adage: If a story is not published and read, was it actually written?

Professional authors have agents, editors, even fans who make demands upon them. Deadlines. Needs. Expectations for originality and excellence. And sales. Especially sales.

At present, when it comes to my writing, I'm the only one making demands upon me, and the only one I need please.
I kinda like it.
Sharing with the other authors here and receiving their advice, and often encouragement, admittedly had been motivating to write for publication.
But I recognize the hidden traps that make writing a joyful escape for me.

Anyway...enough narcissitic self-reflection.
I enjoy your posts, and find them insightful. I am glad you decided to stay and contribute to the Fourm, and I am impressed with your attention to detail, and the authority with which you express yourself as a wordsmith. If you would like, my offer remains to read the first 60 pages of your novel.

Respectfully,
Dr. Bob

quote:

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Again. I swear they're making ungrammatical whoopee in the manuscript while I'm not looking and hatching new ones.

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MattLeo I know the feeling. I'm also sure that my spell checker has a mind of its own. I have found words that I know I didn't type or click on while spell checking.

And actually I have two finished novels, one is very long and most probably needs all types of help with writing, grammar and nitpicks. The second is a bit short for a novel and is in better shape. I've tried to revise it one more time but only gotten to the third chapter. That includes a prologue. If you can wait a month or three-probably closer to 3+- I will have another one done.

and I'm not much at checking stories and novels. I can miss plot holes and wrong tenses even though I try.