I sent my agent something new yesterday. New as in new genre, totally different, if it sells I will be using a different name. Pretty excited about this venture! I plan to venture into another new direction in 07, also. More on that as I move forward, but essentially I see my diversification not as writing multiple genres so much as writing to different audiences from the same core. At heart, I am a fantasy writer. Romantic fantasy, erotic fantasy, and yes, Mom, fantasy for kids which would require the different name.
I wrote about erotic romance yesterday and while I love the genre, I also can see how easy it would be to get burned out doing nothing else. Not writing makes me nuts, so the answer for me isn’t to write fewer books but to find publishing homes for all the different kinds of stories I want to write.
So, aside from Secret Projects I don’t want to say much about until things solidify, I am finishing off my last contracted EC novella and working on the great Save Miss Lonely Hearts project. If you want some idea what that’s like, read Jennifer Crusie’s blog as she discusses saving You Again. I’m reading it and taking notes. She gives me hope that I can save this book. Every time I’m in despair and think, “this book can’t be saved” I come across some piece of it I love and honestly, I see why it almost sold to Bantam long ago. It has great potential. I just need to find that and bring it out and get rid of all the garbage muddying it up…
Which brings me to, “Hey, why hasn’t Miss Lonely Hearts released yet?” The answer is, it’s a mess. This is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done, mainly because I did such a good job of screwing it up to begin with. I have to find and take out all my mistakes, all the places I went wrong, all the places I ran off the rails and get it back on track. This book is the pefect example of how slapping a cover on some hot sex scenes does NOT create an erotic romance. Oh, if only that was all it took. I have all these characters and subplots running wild, and while that’s the beauty of this story, it’s also kind of why it’s a nightmare. PG Wodehouse can write a story like this and bring all the pieces together in a genius stroke. I’m missing some key piece that ties it all together. Must find the key.
And then I can drop it on my editor’s desk and it will be her problem, heh heh heh. Um, until the edits come back, but we shall not speak of that.
Since this is a caper story, I plan to revisit some of my favorite capers in a similar vein, like The Thomas Crowne Affair. If nothing else, it’ll prove to me that it can be done.
I’m exhausted now just reading what you have lined up, LOL. I’m in that mode, as well — have two books to finish for Blaze, but wanting to try some new things, and also hashing out some old stuff, and needing to know what’s wrong with it, though I don’t think I’m as on top of finding out as you are. 😉
Sam
Oh, it’s easy when everything is wrong, LOL! I can’t find my antagonist, heroine has no goal, hero and heroine have no reason to be together, and all the action is not turning around a centerpoint.
F’r instance, in The Thomas Crowne Affair, everything turns around the painting. That’s the thing at the center that brings them together, and then they have that wonderful antagonistic relationship as they try to outwit each other and there’s the other painting that represents Tommy Before, the person he slowly stops being. It’s his character arc in a symbol. From watching this again I know I need my centerpoint.
Good luck with your new ventures! Trying new stuff is good, stretches the wings. And it’s always good to salvage if you can, too, because you learn more and you can go back and fix something you maybe didn’t have the chops to pull off before. That’s very much the case with this book, I was in way over my head. WAY.
Hey Charli
just thought I’d hop over to say hi. I am such a darn hermit, I rarely venture out into cyber world,sometimes i read things that make me wanna cry or rant or scream or or or 🙂
Anyway, your new projects sound very interesting. I think it will only help you grow as a writer, and I bet it’ll be awesome!
Hmmm, is it something in the air? I have a new project I just talked to my agent about that I am so excited about writing, it’s amazing. It’s the opposite of what I’m doing with the whole erotic romance thing. I’m kind of growing weary of writing romance, I’m afraid to say. How crazy is that, and I just started, lol! Maybe this new opportunity will be what I need to rejuvenate my spirit. 🙂
Good luck to you, on your grand new adventure:!:
Hi Kim, glad to see you venturing out. I know what you mean, cyberland can be full of things that make you sorry you looked! Fun stuff, too, though.
I think it’s a natural progression for writers and artists of all flavors to keep trying new things, stretching, growing. Life is growth and change! Your new project has you excited, and that can only lead to good things.
I’ll admit that I’m very intrigued by your new project. Knowing you, it will be something spectacular. And if anyone can fix MLH, it’s you. Hang in there.
Dunno about specatular, NJ, but very fun! Thanks. I’m coming along on MLH. I found the structure, that’s progress. For a while there I was afraid it didn’t have any structure.