Tag: self-publish

How did you come up with your idea for a novel?

A reader asked me this and it made me realize that most of my ideas come from something that resonates with me on a personal level.

I love writing historical romances, and the inspiration for my most recent novel, Marry Me, Duke, came from experience. No, sadly, I did not marry a duke. I was a caregiver for a few years and decided that one of my main characters should be a caregiver.

It turned into a semi-mystery with a bold debutant caring for a handsome duke. She was bossy and controlling but well-meaning and falling in love.

Most of my ideas come to me while thinking of hobbies or situations a Victorian heroine can find herself in, and it is easier to craft a character I can personally relate to.

Image generated by AI using MidJourney

Strong, Independent Heroines

Regency and particularly Victorian romance shows us strong-willed heroines who defy societal norms. These women navigate a world that expects them to conform, and their resilience is both empowering and inspiring.

My favorite recent ‘girl power’ heroine is the main character in the Miss Scarlet and the Duke masterpiece series. She’s running her own business and coming up against people who believe she should conform to society’s views of what a gently raised woman should be, and ladies certainly do not view corpses and fight villains. Witnessing these characters’ trials and journeys of self-discovery resonates with modern sensibilities.

I have always loved a strong heroine. The fearless women who buck the trends and stomp through life, taking no prisoners, are the best female main characters written. They are fun and exciting.

These are the characters I try to write because these are the ones I love to read. But sometimes, I do stray from this trope. I love a shy character who becomes the person she is meant to be. I love proud accomplishments by the underdog.

My work in progress, ‘An Unexpected Lady’, is about a shy woman who experienced an early childhood trauma that is barely remembered but instrumental in forming her personality. Love makes her bold, strong and determined to pursue her passions-one of which being a certain gentleman. The male main character will draw her out of her shell while having reason to be suspicious of her. Oh, what a tangled web I’m weaving.

Check out ‘A Misalliance with Love’ and ‘Marry Me, Duke’, where the women are strong and fight for what they want. https://amzn.to/3RVBJLD

Image generated using AI – Midjourney.

Writing my Third Novel

I’m working on my third novel, An Unexpected Lady, and asking myself – what is the hardest phase of writing a historical romance?

There are struggles with every single step, but for me, the very beginning is by far the hardest. I have an idea. I have the general story arc. I’ve been world-building for a while. Now I have to pull it all together into something cohesive and outline each chapter. What is the purpose of the chapter? What are we supposed to feel? Why am I making it so complicated?

All my thoughts end up in such an untidy collection of dialogue, description, and backstory. I have to ignore the fact that it’s a huge mess that I will come back to and make sense of. It will be refined and made into something readable, but it seems so daunting at this stage. It feels endless and chaotic. Nothing is in the right sequence at this point and I can’t even determine if the chapters are superfluous or not – if I’m deviating from the original storyline. This phase is all about ideas. And they are so very rough that it looks unlikely that it will ever become a readable, much less enjoyable.

Then, when I have each chapter outlined and a jumbled mess of words serving as placeholders, the second phase starts. This is the most enjoyable because it’s where I take each chapter and make it into something I like. With each read through, I allow the quirks of personalities to come forward and get ideas about external factors and minor characters. I delve into feelings and personality quirks.

And when all that’s done, in the final draft, I try to create prose that I’m proud of – to build ambiance, nuance, and emotions. There are a million ways you can rewrite something, and finding just the right way is so frustrating but it’s also so much fun – even when the words don’t come easily.

Historical Intrigue

Regency novels and shows are often set against the backdrop of historical events, which add a layer of intrigue and authenticity. From political unrest to major societal changes, these stories give us a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of the time. There can be a captivating blend of history and fiction that enhances the overall narrative.

Some of my favorite tropes include romance during the Napoleonic wars, and most recently, I am enthralled by Victorian Era social changes for women. The Married Woman’s Property Act was a game changer that gave women the right to their own property. This makes a huge difference between Regency and Victorian Romances.

In the books I write, which are Victorian, I plan to continue giving women their own property. I confess I always despised the helplessness of Regency women and how everything was taken from them. They were always at the mercy of the men around them. Though I love the time period, this grates on the nerves. Setting novels in the Victorian era eliminates this default helplessness to a degree and I enjoy reading and writing these novels because of it.

Check out ‘A Misalliance with Love’ and ‘Marry Me, Duke’ – my novels, on Amazon. The women are strong and fight for what they want.

Image generated using AI – Midjourney.

Slow burn in Romance novels

At the core of Regency romance lies a timeless love story. Whether it’s the tension between headstrong heroines and brooding heroes or the delicate dance of courtship, the genre weaves tales of passion and love that resonate across generations. The slow burn of romance builds anticipation, keeping me eagerly turning the pages or glued to the screen.

But I also enjoy how the genre has adapted to modern times, and in a sense, current Historical Romances are far more realistic than classical novels. There is sex – and lots of it – often before marriage. And I do believe that that is more realistic than the old-fashioned view that everyone had the discipline to wait until the vows were said, and no one had uncontrollable urges.

My novels are closed-door (sex is implied and not explicit) simply because I love writing about characters more than action. I love the tension and slow build and then a hint of passion.

In my recent novel, Marry Me, Duke, there is a scene (spoiler alert) where the main character, Ginny, is in a marriage that has not yet been consummated. She is chomping at the bit and her husband Hugh has his reasons for holding back.

She is very attracted to her husband and is baffled by his reticence. In one scene, she gives Hugh a massage, and it leaves her wanting and unsatisfied. I confess I loved writing that scene. I could feel her frustration – and his as well. I think I would have liked the scene much less if it had been explicit, and I hope I left readers wanting more.

Oh, how I love a slow burn.


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A Writer’s Dilemma-A Wealth of Knowledge

“Just write the damn book.”

This was the advice given on this wonderful Reddit thread. The OP asked: Hello, beautiful community! Wondering, what was the best advice you got that helped you?

The answers were a gift that keeps on giving. I must share what I consider to be the best advice of all.

Quote:

“Just write the damn book.”

Honestly, that was the best advice someone gave me years ago. I was so hung up on if I was writing something my family or friends would be proud of, instead of just writing what I wanted to write. Writing without worrying about social etiquette, societal morals, or if someone would approve. It was such a freeing experience and I learned a lot about myself.

So, I just shamelessly wrote the book, and here I am years later, wishing I had just bit the bullet and started sooner.”

I feel this. It is very difficult to write without anticipating other people’s reactions, and if one dwells too long on this, it will totally corrupt the writing. Many of us are people pleasers and want people to like and relate to our work. But writing to please is a betrayal that kills and the joy and freedom writing should give.

It takes a long time to get over the need for approval. And now, on top of that, comes the desire not to offend. Not to use offensive language and character portrayal is a minefield. There is a need for sensitivity readers. In my next book, my main male character will show signs of mental illness and I briefly wondered if I should add a trigger warning in the book description. I wrote one up and then decided against it.

Some other pearls of advice from this Reddit thread are:

“You have to get up in the morning and write like a drunk has to drink”.

“You can’t fix a blank page.”

“Write the story you want to read.”

This is what I do and though my approach is not the most popular in my genre, I have to write what is fun for me, not what is popular. I do get up in the morning, and get drunk on writing.

Artwork generated by AI using Midjourney.

A Writer’s Dilemma – A Word of Advice

A word of advice to someone whose mind is full of ideas and leapfrogs from one to the next but never completes anything. I read this plea for help from a writer whose mind works like many, many other writers. We are full of ideas. Too many–all at once. I get it. Ideas are wonderful, and I never ignore creative inspiration.

Crafting a story is not just about random thoughts and inspiration, though. You’ve got that side of things down pat. Creativity is a wonderful beast. Keep that imagination tuned by jumping from idea to idea. This is a good thing!


While doing that, pick one idea to finish. The story you pick, work on for at least 30 minutes every day: rewriting passages, finding better ways to get your idea across, fleshing it out, developing characters to make them more interesting, etc.

Do this until you finish it. Then proofread and correct grammar and maybe find a beta reader. Then, look at the publishing end of things and find cover art for it. Then look at the marketing tools available and decide what you want to do and set that up. Decide whether you want to self-publish or submit to agents.

Creativity is amazing, but finishing something is tremendously satisfying, too.

All it takes is the discipline to do it for 30 minutes a day.

You have to get to the finish line.

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A Writer’s Corner – Opinions

Advice for someone who has had too many conflicting opinions on their book and it is messing with their creative process. Breathe deep and relax.
Ask yourself: When you read your book, do you actually enjoy it?
I don’t think it’s a great idea to rely on other people’s subjective opinions. There will never be a consensus.
The writer posing the question had feedback from someone they considered to be an amazing editor. They are ready to publish but held back because of OPINIONS.
Some people will love the book, and some people won’t. There is no perfect. Flip the switch and put it out there.

Image generated by AI using Midjourney.

A Writer’s Corner – Seeing the Characters

In a forum, someone asked: Do authors have a clear idea what their characters look like? I 100% cast my characters as if the book were a movie.

I confess I do, too. In my next book, How to Care for a Duke Hugh, the Duke of Albemarle, looks like Timothee Chalamet. I see the tousled hair and a relaxed, lanky body. While the main female character, Ginny, looks like a russet-haired Elizabeth Moss. The Dowager Duchess is a slightly older-looking Joely Richardson.
The secondary characters are less defined. The evil protagonist, the duke’s cousin, looks like Ralph Fiennes with a trim beard. Intense eyes and a sharp face. I love seeing these actors as my characters.

I experimented with Midjourney, trying to build my mood board for the book, and came up with the fabulous but totally wrong portrait of Hugh. I wanted Hugh and Ginny with her wearing the hat. This is such fun, though.

Image generated by AI using Midjourney.

A Writer’s Dilemma – The Big Mistakes.

On Facebook: What are the biggest mistakes you made/are making as a beginning writer?
This question comes up a lot, as in this thread

Three important things that lept out among the answers were:
Some said things like:
“Listening to other people’s advice. Some was good but some was damaging. And also, not listening to enough advise. There you go.”
“Probably thinking my first novel would be ready to publish before I learned a few things.”
“I am realizing I just did not give myself enough time. I’m trying to figure out how to fix that.”
“So I guess my best advice to this question is seek people who know more than you do before leaping into the fray. Then trust where life takes you and keep learning!”

Things I did that are considered ‘wrong’ were deciding against having an editor, not researching the process of BETA readers and ARC reviewers before publishing (though some say this is a complete waste of time since less than 20% of readers leave a review), and not establishing a marketing plan before publishing.

I was so excited to have finished the book and so proud that I wanted to hit the button and release it right away. Was this a mistake? I don’t know. I always considered the first book like the first pancake. It’s not going to be the best in the stack. I will learn and grow, and that will show.

Unfortunately, after publishing, I discovered some typos and errors. One of them was major. I also made the mistake of using the Amazon KDP free promotion before discovering and correcting my mistakes, so 300 copies went out with it.

Sigh. Live and learn.
I confess I have always had the tendency to pull the trigger too soon.
My next novel is a lot better, I think. I still will eschew editing (and from the feedback I got on my prose, I may not need one). But I will try ARC reviews and general public feedback, and my marketing plan is slowly developing and will be fun rather than a painful waste of time.

Image generated by AI using Midjourney to portray a chaotic scene.