Three Burning Questions- (#lovewritechat) September 2, 2014

What are romance writers really like? Do they lock themselves in their bedrooms and read romance novels while eating bon-bons? Do they troll bars, observing native mating rituals? Or are they normal folks with the usual stress, family and work issues? All of the above, though I'd prefer more of the first.
Welcome if you've joined me from Ronnie Allen's blog and this week's questions are hers.

1.When do you decide that you've done enough editing and changes would now be making it different, not better? So it's the time to submit.

After my critique group reviews and provides feedback, I make changes. Most of their suggestions are valid and may cover plot holes, inconsistency with characterization and "just not right". Anything that pulls the reader out of the story requires fixing or tweaking. One more level of edits to add sensory details and it's off.

2. When and how do you accept change advice by rejection letters and critique partners?

Most of the time they are right. Can't think of a time when they haven't been right. My critique partners are tough but not ruthless in their critiquing. I am blessed with amazing critique partners I trust implicitly. When I received a rejection letter, it was for the "baby" (my first novel). It took a while for me to read the actual notations in the manuscript. They editor was correct, of course, so now, as an older and wiser writer I'm reworking it. The "baby" deserves to have the story told well.

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3. When you're not writing, how do you spend your day or do you create your day around your writing?

As a full time employee, wife and mother of two girls, I cannot create my day around writing. That would be ideal, naturally, however at this time, unrealistic. If I had my way, I'd have a separate office with HVAC, internet and power. Lots of sunlight and plants, dog or cat at my feet. (See dream office, right.)



Keep hopping on to Mikki Cober's blog. Mikki is a fabulous writer of romantic suspense and I know you'll enjoy her answers.

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