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How to Name a Book

August 31, 2012 by Jamie

My most popular blog post ever is this one on the subject of how to name a book. I don’t think I offered much in the way of useful advice though, and I was highly restrained in my opinions of the titles I’ve ended up with in the name of marketability (Okay, I was a total Pollyanna. Baby Under the Mistletoe? Hated it as a title, because it doesn’t match the story’s tone, for one thing. Endless list of titles […]

Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity, Industry • Tags: audience, how to name a book, how to name a novel, Kingsolver, novel, titles, writer, writing

Writing Resolutions

August 30, 2012 by Jamie

The end of summer arrives for me next Tuesday, when my kids go back to school. This marks the start of the most productive time of year for me, when distractions fade away and I can focus exclusively on writing. It’s a natural time to review the writing resolutions I made at the start of the year and consider adding a few new ones. One resolution I made that I know I haven’t been able to focus on very well […]

Categories: Advice for Writers, Creativity, Time Management • Tags: artist routines, creative process, creativity, quiet, reading, taking time, time to write, writer, writing, writing life, writing routine

RWA 2012 Conference Highlights

August 2, 2012 by Jamie

The Romance Writers of America 2012 conference took place in Anaheim, California this year, right down the street from Disneyland, which I swore I wouldn’t visit but did anyway for my birthday (and had a ridiculously good time). I had no expectations for this conference, which is perhaps why it is one of the best I’ve attended. I was sort of sad to miss the always-fabulous Harlequin party Friday night (because said visit to Disneyland with the family turned into […]

Categories: Advice for Writers, Industry, Random Stuff, Romance Novels • Tags: boomerang bride, disneyland, Harlequin, industry, publishing industry, rita award, robyn carr, romance, romance authors, Romance Novel, romance novels, Romance Writers of America, RWA, simone elkeles, stephanie laurens, writer, writers conference

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

award-winning romance author

Tag: writer