Paula looks at the most popular genres on a
recommendations website:
One website I belong to offers daily
suggestions of books based on the genres each subscriber likes. Subscribers can
also specify their preferences based on language, violence, and sexual content.
Authors may request their book to be
featured, as long as it has at least 10 reviews and 4.0 rating or higher, and
there is a small charge, which depends on the genre of the book.
I found it interesting to see which
genres are the most popular.
Here are the top ten:
Mysteries (40,507)
Thrillers (39,574)
Historical fiction (39,466)
Literary fiction (38,825)
Women's fiction (38,618)
Science fiction (38,579)
Contemporary romance (38,269)
Romantic suspense (38,041)
Young adult (38,030)
Biography/memoir (37,679)
Genres
like paranormal, urban fantasy, detective, action and adventure, and horror all
came much lower down the list, as did some of the sub-divisions of romance:
erotic, historical, comedy, religious/inspirational, western, and gay/lesbian.
I was
glad to see contemporary romance featuring in the top ten – especially as you
meet so many people (or at least I do) who claim they ‘never read romance.’ At
the same time, I wondered about the distinction between contemporary romance
and romance suspense, since surely all romances contain (or should contain!)
some element of suspense. Yes, the readers know the hero and heroine will come
together in the end, since this is the hallmark of a romance, but they should
be held in suspense wondering just how this can possibly happen after all the
problems and conflicts we writers throw at our characters!
I also
found it interesting, and quite surprising, that some of the sub-divisions of
romance did not feature in the top ten, particularly historical romance. Maybe
readers have had their fill of Regency rakes and scoundrels – or of poorly
researched so-called historical romances. As for erotic, it seems that for
every person who liked 50 SoG, there are at least 50 (maybe a lot more?) who
either didn’t read the books or started one and never finished it.
I think
I’ll stick with my contemporary romances!
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Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
What Are Your Goals?
Jennifer's working toward 30K words...
This month, I’m participating in JeRoWriMo (or, as my
husband likes to call it, Ramalamadingdong), which is my local romance writer
chapter’s take on NaNoWriMo. For the month of February, we have the goal of
writing 30K words. It comes down to 1072 words per day.
I’ve participated in this challenge before and found it
useful for the discipline. I knew that every day I had to prioritize my writing
over almost everything else. My kids and husband pitched in so that no matter
what, I could write.
This time around, I’m finding it’s not the discipline that’s
sticking with me, but the looming deadline. I HAVE to write at least 1072
words, or I’ll have more to write the following day to make up for it. For some
reason, I’m not enjoying it as much.
I love writing. And I love being a writer. But I’m not sure
I’m liking what I’m writing. Maybe it’s the story. Maybe it’s the lack of
planning I put into this story. I’m not quite sure who my characters are or
where they’re headed, other than to a “happily ever after.”
This challenge is helping me write Book 3 of my Women of
Valor series. I still don’t have a title, and so far, I think this book is
turning out to be a New Adult romance, as my characters seem young. So maybe
that’s why I’m not liking it as much.
I’m not sure much is happening plot-wise and I keep leaving
myself notes of things that need to be filled in when I go back and edit. See,
we’re not supposed to edit during the challenge. Now, I don’t usually edit as I
write, but if I find a problem, I do go back and fix it. I’m not doing that
now, so maybe that’s my problem.
My heroine was going to be a museum curator. Except, I don’t
know anything about museum curators and all my research indicated that what I
wanted her to do, and what she’d actually do as a curator, was so different
that I ended up choosing a different profession for her.
Some days the writing comes really easily and others it’s
more difficult. I’m determined to see this through to the end and I need to get
this book written, so 30K words are very helpful. I’m just not sure they’re the
right words. But maybe I’ll surprise my self when I reach the goal and start
rereading what I wrote.
Monday, February 16, 2015
when is it GOOD enough?
Ana asks: When do you know your story is good enough to send off or self-publish?
I have typed 'The End' twice. The first time, I was naive and believed I'd penned a bestseller.
Crash-landing was rough, but I survived.
The second time, I knew my story was unsubmittable. It did not follow traditional rules for time travel romances, and self-publishing was not on my radar. (Thank goodness. The story needs another go-through with critique partners before it goes to to-be-determined editors and beta readers.)
The heroine does not go back in time until the first plot twist. Usually it's by the end of the first chapter or early in the second chapter.
I believe in the story enough to step out on a limb plot-wise and character-love-story wise, but this means I need to have everything else darn near perfect. Offer no easy excuse to be rejected or receive a slew of one star reviews.
So, oh wise and experienced ones, how to you know...when do you know your WIP is good enough to fly out the door?
I have typed 'The End' twice. The first time, I was naive and believed I'd penned a bestseller.
Crash-landing was rough, but I survived.
The second time, I knew my story was unsubmittable. It did not follow traditional rules for time travel romances, and self-publishing was not on my radar. (Thank goodness. The story needs another go-through with critique partners before it goes to to-be-determined editors and beta readers.)
The heroine does not go back in time until the first plot twist. Usually it's by the end of the first chapter or early in the second chapter.
I believe in the story enough to step out on a limb plot-wise and character-love-story wise, but this means I need to have everything else darn near perfect. Offer no easy excuse to be rejected or receive a slew of one star reviews.
So, oh wise and experienced ones, how to you know...when do you know your WIP is good enough to fly out the door?
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Snippet Sunday: Excerpt from A Heart of Little Faith by Jennifer Wilck
He stared at her, bedazzled. He
only intended to look for a moment, but she turned around and met his eyes.
Caught red-handed he contemplated turning around, but that would be cowardly.
He couldn’t continue to stare at her without appearing either moronic or rude,
especially since he hated when people stared at him. He inhaled and tried to
muster up a smile, when another man approached her. Breaking their gaze, she
turned and smiled at him. Gideon inched closer. He heard her engage the other
man in casual conversation before she gently excused herself. As the other man
walked off, she turned back to Gideon and smiled. Her green cat eyes pierced
his soul and made him believe she could see right through him. He continued to
watch her, entranced.
“Hasn’t anyone taught you it’s
impolite to stare?”
Struck by the irony of her
question, he burst into warm laughter and shook her outstretched hand. Her soft
cool hand fit completely within his hard, callused one and he closed his other
hand over hers. He felt the delicate veins beneath her skin, her pulse beating
in her wrist and wished to prolong the skin-on-skin contact for as long as
possible. Reluctantly, he let it go.
“I’m Gideon.”
“Lily.”
“Are you a fan?”
Lily stared at him blankly for a
moment and blinked quickly. “Oh, of the artist’s?” She turned once more to look
at the painting, tilting her head to the right. “Not exactly. He’s a little
too…”
“Much? Bright? Vulgar?”
Lily laughed. “I see you’re a
huge fan. No, maybe, I don’t know. The colors are cheery, if only maybe there
weren’t so many. But looking at it does brighten my mood.”
“Bad day at work?”
“Terrible. But why are you here
if you don’t like the artist?”
Gideon turned and pointed to
Samantha on the other side of the room. “She’s my sister.”
Lily raised her eyebrows as she
looked over at the gallery owner.
“Oh, Samantha’s my best friend.
I didn’t realize you were her brother. So I guess she roped you into this too?”
He sat back and gave her what he
hoped was a relaxed grin. “Brotherly duty, or some such nonsense. Apparently I
pulled one too many pigtails as a child and this is my penance.”
Lily laughed. She has a great laugh, he thought. It
lit up her whole face. “Samantha had pigtails?”
The two of them turned to look
at Samantha, currently sporting short and spiky jet-black hair, with small
rhinestone barrettes scattered throughout. “You’ll have to fill me in more
later,” Lily added, as she stifled a yawn.
“What, is it my stimulating
conversation, or these garish paintings that bores you?” Gideon asked, one
eyebrow raised.
Lily apologized. “I’m sorry. I
had a long day at work and I’m exhausted. I wasn’t even going to come, but
Samantha begged.”
“She tends to do that. I’ve told
her it isn’t a pleasing trait, but why should she listen to me? I’m only her
big brother.”
Friday, February 13, 2015
F is for Fun
Margaret wants to have fun!
It’s no good trying to write a book unless you enjoy it. Writing needs to be fun. Take the fun out of writing and it becomes a chore. I’m not saying there are times when it doesn’t feel like fun. The occasions when my hero or heroine won’t behave themselves, for instance. But on the whole writing is a pleasurable, satisfying, worthwhile experience.
On one of my bookshelves I have a book called “When The Fun Begins” It was a Sunday School prize. It’s about four girls who are about to leave school and jobs are being suggested to them by their headmistress.
The first job was a junior for clerical work in a Hairdresser’s and Beauty Parlour. The second, junior clerk for a big bookshop in London’s West End. The next for a junior in a big office in the City – some shorthand and typing, plus going out to buy cakes for tea, etc. And the final one in a small general agency office where she would make herself useful. When the girl asked what the agency did she was told a little of everything – taking children across London, recommending schools, doing shopping for people, typing manuscripts, and so on.
It was the typing manuscripts bit that amused me. I know how laborious it can be. I’ve been there, done that. But I couldn’t help wondering how different it would be if you were typing out someone else’s work. Would you feel like changing anything? I know I would. I’d be so tempted. Or I’d want to say, “Don’t you think it would read better if ………” Presumably it’s because I’m a writer and I see these things better than a reader would. After all, it is what we have editors for.
It’s no good trying to write a book unless you enjoy it. Writing needs to be fun. Take the fun out of writing and it becomes a chore. I’m not saying there are times when it doesn’t feel like fun. The occasions when my hero or heroine won’t behave themselves, for instance. But on the whole writing is a pleasurable, satisfying, worthwhile experience.
On one of my bookshelves I have a book called “When The Fun Begins” It was a Sunday School prize. It’s about four girls who are about to leave school and jobs are being suggested to them by their headmistress.
The first job was a junior for clerical work in a Hairdresser’s and Beauty Parlour. The second, junior clerk for a big bookshop in London’s West End. The next for a junior in a big office in the City – some shorthand and typing, plus going out to buy cakes for tea, etc. And the final one in a small general agency office where she would make herself useful. When the girl asked what the agency did she was told a little of everything – taking children across London, recommending schools, doing shopping for people, typing manuscripts, and so on.
It was the typing manuscripts bit that amused me. I know how laborious it can be. I’ve been there, done that. But I couldn’t help wondering how different it would be if you were typing out someone else’s work. Would you feel like changing anything? I know I would. I’d be so tempted. Or I’d want to say, “Don’t you think it would read better if ………” Presumably it’s because I’m a writer and I see these things better than a reader would. After all, it is what we have editors for.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
F is for Fingers Crossed
Debra awaits word from her editor about a contract.
Once again, I'm in the fingers crossed period of a project. (Don't get me wrong, this is a fabulous place to be!) I submitted a query and synopsis to my editor last week, and she did a read-through early this week. I got an e-mail from her today saying she loved the story and was putting in a request for a contract and would keep me posted. Yay!
This has been an extremely fast-moving project for me. I was able to write the story quickly and a fortuitous snow day last week allowed me to get it submitted earlier than I thought I would. I also learned that as a repeat author with TWRP, when I send a query, I can also send the full mss. My editor called it a perk of being a regular. It's a fantastic perk if you ask me. Now, instead of going through two phases of crossing fingers...one, hoping for a request for a full based on a query, and then two, more hoping for the offer of a contract...I'll only need to do it once.
While waiting to hear from my editor, I did make an attempt to start a new project, but I have to confess I didn't get very far. Basketball season is in its last few weeks, and I have two or three night-time commitments from now until the end of February. Not to mention my Community Ed yoga class starts up again this week.
However, once basketball season is over, I have my fingers crossed that I can jump right back into the writing routine I established while working on my latest submission. My dream plan would be to have two writing times each day: one for working on edits if a contract is offered on my Corral spin-off, and another time for working on a new project. This might be a bit too ambitious, but we'll see. It might have to be an every-other-day type routine. Of course to get any of this work done, I'll need to uncross my fingers so I can type!
Until next time,
Happy Reading!
Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com
Once again, I'm in the fingers crossed period of a project. (Don't get me wrong, this is a fabulous place to be!) I submitted a query and synopsis to my editor last week, and she did a read-through early this week. I got an e-mail from her today saying she loved the story and was putting in a request for a contract and would keep me posted. Yay!
This has been an extremely fast-moving project for me. I was able to write the story quickly and a fortuitous snow day last week allowed me to get it submitted earlier than I thought I would. I also learned that as a repeat author with TWRP, when I send a query, I can also send the full mss. My editor called it a perk of being a regular. It's a fantastic perk if you ask me. Now, instead of going through two phases of crossing fingers...one, hoping for a request for a full based on a query, and then two, more hoping for the offer of a contract...I'll only need to do it once.
While waiting to hear from my editor, I did make an attempt to start a new project, but I have to confess I didn't get very far. Basketball season is in its last few weeks, and I have two or three night-time commitments from now until the end of February. Not to mention my Community Ed yoga class starts up again this week.
However, once basketball season is over, I have my fingers crossed that I can jump right back into the writing routine I established while working on my latest submission. My dream plan would be to have two writing times each day: one for working on edits if a contract is offered on my Corral spin-off, and another time for working on a new project. This might be a bit too ambitious, but we'll see. It might have to be an every-other-day type routine. Of course to get any of this work done, I'll need to uncross my fingers so I can type!
Until next time,
Happy Reading!
Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Floundering...
Paula wonders what to do
next…
After sending ‘Irish Intrigue’ to my publisher last week, and hearing from her the next day that it will be fast-tracked through the editing/cover art process so that it can be released on (or even before) St Patrick’s Day, I’ve spent the days since then floundering in uncharted waters.
Maybe it’s because ‘Irish Intrigue’ took me so long to write in the first place, followed by an intense couple of months editing and word-cutting. I seem to have breathed, eaten and slept this novel for the last twelve months (and even longer if you count the first two abandoned drafts!). In a sense, I feel ‘burnt out’, even to the point of thinking, ‘I don’t think I can face writing another novel!
I know this feeling will pass, and I do have a vague idea about another story. In fact one of the characters in ‘Irish Intrigue’ suggested it to me! I even have its title – ‘Irish Secrets’ – and a very basic one-sentence scenario, but that’s all. I know who the heroine is, and have a possible hero in mind, but I don’t really have much more than that. I can’t even fix a first chapter in my mind, because I have no idea where the story will actually start! I’ve let my mind revolve around the idea, but nothing – and I really do mean nothing – is jumping into my mind, not even a first sentence!
I can’t recall ever being in this situation before. I’ve usually had at least an opening or a partly formed idea in my mind, but at the moment nothing seems to be developing.
Maybe I need to do some research on what I think will be the background of the story and hope that will inspire me and/or spark some ideas – or maybe I need a pub lunch with the friend (a reader, not a writer), who has proved to be a fantastic brain-storming partner. I will never forget how, with just 4 words, she solved a problem I had been battling with in ‘Irish Intrigue’- which eventually led to one of the strongest chapters in the story!
I’m sure I will get over this temporary glitch – but at the moment, I am definitely floundering!
After sending ‘Irish Intrigue’ to my publisher last week, and hearing from her the next day that it will be fast-tracked through the editing/cover art process so that it can be released on (or even before) St Patrick’s Day, I’ve spent the days since then floundering in uncharted waters.
Maybe it’s because ‘Irish Intrigue’ took me so long to write in the first place, followed by an intense couple of months editing and word-cutting. I seem to have breathed, eaten and slept this novel for the last twelve months (and even longer if you count the first two abandoned drafts!). In a sense, I feel ‘burnt out’, even to the point of thinking, ‘I don’t think I can face writing another novel!
I know this feeling will pass, and I do have a vague idea about another story. In fact one of the characters in ‘Irish Intrigue’ suggested it to me! I even have its title – ‘Irish Secrets’ – and a very basic one-sentence scenario, but that’s all. I know who the heroine is, and have a possible hero in mind, but I don’t really have much more than that. I can’t even fix a first chapter in my mind, because I have no idea where the story will actually start! I’ve let my mind revolve around the idea, but nothing – and I really do mean nothing – is jumping into my mind, not even a first sentence!
I can’t recall ever being in this situation before. I’ve usually had at least an opening or a partly formed idea in my mind, but at the moment nothing seems to be developing.
Maybe I need to do some research on what I think will be the background of the story and hope that will inspire me and/or spark some ideas – or maybe I need a pub lunch with the friend (a reader, not a writer), who has proved to be a fantastic brain-storming partner. I will never forget how, with just 4 words, she solved a problem I had been battling with in ‘Irish Intrigue’- which eventually led to one of the strongest chapters in the story!
I’m sure I will get over this temporary glitch – but at the moment, I am definitely floundering!
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