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What I did today and a bit about me.
Today I wrote down plot points for my novel on notecards and laid them out in order of beginning, middle and end. It has helped a great deal, I can now see my story in front of me and how I want it to pan out.
Sorry I haven't said yet - I'm writing a romance. I grew up reading Mills & Boon and moved onto chick lit and authors like Jojo Moyes, Lucy Dillon and Ali Harris. Yes I've read Fifty Shades too. I find it hard to find romances set in today's society with serious underlines. It's not all fairy tales and happily ever afters. I want my novel to share a piece of me and my story. I feel I have lived a fair bit more than most women my age, having not had children and taken on most employment roles.
I believe everything happens for a reason and that I was meant to suffer the debt of today, meet many people and have bad relationships. This will only help me to grow more well rounded characters for my future stories. I've always wanted to be a writer but lacked the words to put onto paper. Now I can hopefully start this new journey.
Comments
Also putting a part of yourself into your work is the best approach to writing Write the book you would want to read, not the one you think 'they' want.
btw, I write romance too. Although I like mine to be fun and a bit escapist, I want them to seem vaguely possible rather than complete fairytale.
Agree completely about writing the book you want to read- try to do it any other way, and it won't work.
I realised that I was recalling emotional elements from my past during the first draft. I don't think we can avoid it.
You can't help but put parts of yourself in your work - it comes from inside you, after all. Even when people write sci-fi or horror, there's still that human element that can't be discounted.
Start your own thread as Carol suggests and you'll get more normal welcome messages!
It's all right - you can tell us, Stan.