| award-winning romance author

The Rules of Romance Writing?

July 9, 2012 by Jamie

Every genre has its story expectations, which lead some people to believe there is a formula for writing within any given genre. Not so. When I pick up a mystery novel, I expect there to be a mystery (probably a murder) to be solved. I expect there to be a protagonist working to solve the mystery. I expect, with some surprises and plot twists along the way, that the mystery will be solved at the end of the book. That’s […]

Categories: Advice for Writers, Romance Novels • Tags: myths, romance genre, romance myths, Romance Novel, selling books, writer, writing

The Creative Impulse

July 6, 2012 by Jamie

If you long to be a writer or a painter or a dancer or (insert creative pursuit here), you will have to decide at some point how much creative energy you will devote to that pursuit. I am nearly as visual a person as I am inclined toward the written word, but I made a decision in college that words were my first love, so I would devote all my creative energy to writing. And I did. For many years. […]

Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity • Tags: artist routines, creative passion, creative process, creativity, writer, writing

How We Improve

July 5, 2012 by Jamie

Excellent post from Steven Pressfield this week on how we improve as writers.

Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity • Tags: adversity, creative process, creativity, originality, steven pressfield, writer, writer's block, writing, writing life

A Whole New Look

July 3, 2012 by Jamie

I just updated the look of my website. You like? I’ve been meaning to do it for, oh, let’s see…a number of years. I know, I know, I still need to update my books page and all that other tedious stuff, but this is a huge improvement. Look over there in the left column. All my books are finally here! Yippee.

Categories: Random Stuff • Tags: books, updates, website

Letting Go of the Results

July 3, 2012 by Jamie

I just finished a project I started 4 years ago. It’s never taken me so long to finish a book, so I have discovered whole new levels of feeling relieved with the completion of this manuscript. Several friends have asked if I’m happy with the results, and this question always makes me cringe. I should have a good answer for it, right? I should be happy with the results. I never am. I invariably finish writing projects with a feeling […]

Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity, Latest Book • Tags: creative process, creativity, writer, writing, writing life

Get It Written

June 18, 2012 by Jamie

I stumbled upon my first completed manuscript the other day. I scanned the first couple of lines, laughed, and put it away again. It will never become a published book, and I’m really quite happy with that. I remember the story well, and I wince at the many beginner’s mistakes I made. The first paragraph–the first sentence, even–alert the reader that here is an author who doesn’t yet know how to tell a story. Did I write it knowing it […]

Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity • Tags: adversity, creative process, first book, first manuscript, first novel, writer, writing

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