I was reading a post about a romance set in Egypt and I was trying to get through the names. And I realized, poor thing, there were really complicated names in ancient Egyptian culture. And to make matters worse, the book was about a historical figure so she couldn’t just use “Ramses”.
I’ve had discussions about names with other authors of unusual historicals. I’d have to say this is one area I’m very cognizant of. Even if the writing is spectacular, if the name makes you trip every time you say it, it’s definitely a deterrent. Of course, I read and loved Dune with its multiple apostrophed titles and names. So maybe that’s why Asian settings have been able to make some headway in the fantasy genre.
In any case, I have five swordsmen to name. Currently they exist in my outline as “Swordsman #” They all have to have accessible names and their names have to be different enough from each other that they don’t get mixed up. This is what you might call an ensemble piece so it’s going to make it harder. Then on top of that, the masculine names have to sound masculine to the Western ear.
I’m very, very much into the shape and sound of words on the page and now you can see why!
I’ve been tossing around what to do next and my CP helped me find my way — which is why it’s important to have partners that are good at the things you suck at. For me it’s coming up with ideas and where to put commas.
So I wondered if I should leave medieval China, try something else. Something maybe more “marketable” in case this China thing doesn’t work. But I just couldn’t. So if anything, I’m going deeper into the wuxia genre that inspired me by adding paranormal elements.
It’s quite exciting! The supernatural is so prominently woven into Chinese history and culture that I practically feel like I’m still researching a historical rather than worldbuilding for a paranormal romance. There are major texts on the supernatural and a city that is well known to contain the gate to the underworld. I mean, so well known that there’s practically nothing mysterious about it. I’ll have to change that in my book. And it’ll have all the things I love — swords, honor, melodramatic characters – LOL.
I’m trying to learn something new by brainstorming a series. All my previous stories were related, but standalone. Plotting a series you need to think of the series arc as well as each story arc. It’s quite fascinating. I don’t have what I call the “Big Bad” nailed down yet, so things are still pretty loose.
But I do have nearly all five couples mapped out. I realize that I don’t start with character sketches or outlines or even worldbuilding. I start by matchmaking. I figure out the hero and the heroine and gauge if there’s enough conflict and chemistry for them to carry a book. I don’t know much about them other than whether they’ll spark. I guess that’s why at the heart of it, I write romance.
Oh, a hint? Tao sorcery, exorcism swords…a Secret Service team that works for the Emperor (inspired by my research for Unusual Historicals). I think I can start writing by this weekend. Giddy!
So I’m in that weird limbo where I’ve finished a project and haven’t picked up a new one yet. The first draft of my novella, Warrior Bride, is done and shipped off to be ripped to shreds by critique partners. The betas of The Dragon and the Pearl have come back and I’m getting those edits in.
I’m going to be a big girl and send both of those to my agent this weekend. I don’t know why I’m so scared. Actually, I know exactly why I’m scared. It’s like when mum used to always tell me to do better on the next report card. Then one day I brought home straight A’s and mum was happy — but I knew I wasn’t going to get to drop an A ever again.
I’m sure it’s not that dramatic. Mum/Gail will still love me if I bring home a B, right?
Well, so I have two choices right now as I wait for revisions. I can drag out the dusty first manuscript I ever wrote, Intrigue of the Dragon Court, of which very little of the old manuscript gets to remain. Including the title. Even that has to go. The thought of editing that scares the bejeebies out of me.
Second choice: I can fast draft something totally unrelated. Now here’s where my writing weird comes out to bite me. Nothing is calling out of the ether. I’m always afraid the next idea won’t come. I hear other writers lament about how they have all these ideas tugging at them and here I am, no plot bunnies anywhere. Here bunny, bunny…
Lately I’ve been brewing a lot of thoughts. Last night I even plotted out an entirely new novel. For some people that’s no big deal, but I rarely commit enough to an idea to outline it. It takes a long period of mulling over an idea before I decide it’s tickled my interest enough to latch onto it. Writerly friends always talk about how many ideas they get that are pulling at them and urging to be written. That so ain’t me, babe.
In San Diego, I was thinking about Little Sis’ fiance. Soon-to-be Brother in Law is a journalist and a freelance travel writer. Sunday morning, they got up early to take my brother to the airport, hit the zoo for five hours and then meet up with us for lunch. What kind of crazy person wants to squeeze in time at the San Diego zoo on Sunday after going to a huge wedding the day before? To me, it just sounded exhausting, but Brother in Law was giddy about going to the zoo and seeing lions and tigers and bears.
I thought then about all the articles he has to write on a daily basis. If I had to come up with ideas on a daily basis, I’d implode. Even these little bloggy thingies are hard to come up with sometimes. But BIL loves to go out and experience things. You might think, yeah, who doesn’t? But Little Sis and BIL, both writers, are out every chance they get finding events, places to go, people to see. Maybe all these inputs help BIL formulate this neverending cycle of ideas.
It leads me to think about what kind of experiences I’ve been stirring into the daydream soup. Ever since my honeymoon, I haven’t been writing or revising in earnest (yes, confession time). Some of it was because of the whole euphoria of finding an agent and getting embroiled in the day job. But I’ve also been going out and doing things. There was the weekend in San Diego and the entire week visiting friends and family in Los Angeles.
Even back in St. Louis, we’re getting out more. After the farmer’s market in Amsterdam, I remarked to hubby that it was the sort of Saturday I’d like to have every week. Sure enough, when we got back home, hubby started taking us to the Soulard Market on Saturdays. We’ll walk hand in hand, buying fresh fruit and vegetables. Then we go home and I’ll make the best sangria and guacamole. And that, of course, leads to another couple hours of lounging and non-writing.
All of this stuff feeds my mind, so I guess I have a happy brain right now. So maybe it’s not so bad to not be writing so much for the moment.
I’m trying to brainstorm a new story and my thoughts keep on going back to Tokyo and the amazing two days I spent there years ago.
There’s a short I want to write that isn’t romance. It’s more of a reflective piece; a slice of life. I think I’m going to do that as a palette cleanser.
I picked up an idea a while ago from Candace Havens who suggested making a collage of pictures and phrases that inspire your story. I stuck with just images. I had taken pictures while I was there with a yellow disposable wind & snap camera, but the pictures are gone. I can never hold on to pieces of paper. So I stole these memories off the internet except for the picture of the prayer tablets.
So I wrote “The End” on the wip last week and, as always, I go into a bit of a doldrum after finishing. What do I work on next?
It seems that other authors I know are always brimming with ideas. My mind is not so effusive – especially not when I want it to be. I don’t hear the voices of my characters, I don’t have plot bunnies dancing around as I fall asleep.
I do know I want to move away from my usual setting for a bit, but where to go? I’m starting to outline and daydream to see if this nebulous idea I have will spin into something more solid and I am so envious of authors with great plot ideas just lined up and banging on the door to get out.
And it’ll have all the things I love — swords, honor, melodramatic characters – LOL.
So I’m in that weird limbo where I’ve finished a project and haven’t picked up a new one yet. The first draft of my novella, Warrior Bride, is done and shipped off to be ripped to shreds by critique partners. The betas of The Dragon and the Pearl have come back and I’m getting those edits in.
Lately I’ve been brewing a lot of thoughts. Last night I even plotted out an entirely new novel. For some people that’s no big deal, but I rarely commit enough to an idea to outline it. It takes a long period of mulling over an idea before I decide it’s tickled my interest enough to latch onto it. Writerly friends always talk about how many ideas they get that are pulling at them and urging to be written. That so ain’t me, babe.
