I hate to say it. I hate to even think something outside of a great story and good writing has any weight when it comes to selling your book–BUT it does. The rejections that suck the most are the ones that point out “I just took on a story just like this.”

I’m sure this is going to sound like me raining on the publishing parade, but TIMING is everything. And the worse thing is that you won’t know if it’s good or bad timing until the outcome. People in this industry say it’s like rolling the dice. I have to agree on some level. Every opinion on what makes a good book vs. a great book is subjective. Really trying to gauge your odds is insanity. So here is the real trick to being sucessful.

PERSISTENCE

Not to be confused with stubborness or hope, which can play a huge part in being sucessful, but it’s not the defining factor. Persistence is one of the top reasons I keep writing. I figure eventually the Powers That Be will get sick of me and publish my books already. Eventually my writing will hit the right agent/editor at the right time. But this advice is coming from someone who believes corny sayings like “The only way to fail is to never try.”

Yeah, you get what you pay for here.

Anyway, the true moral of this post is to write what you love to write. It’s the only thing in this business you can control and that actually makes sense. This isn’t to say ignore the market. ‘Cause seriously if you luck out you might end up writing what is selling like hotcakes. Keep growing as a person. Trust me, it will show in your writing. Lastly the only way to learn to write is to keep writing.

*Going back to writerly cave*

I’ve been thinking about what really makes an author’s career. Funny it was the theme I learned at RWA–Author Branding. I’m not talking platform or promotion. I’m talking about what I will be known for writing i.e. the type of stories I write.

“Romance with snark” is my tagline. I just liked the sound of it when I picked it, but it really does define my stories. You won’t get a picture perfect heroine from me. She won’t be willowly. She won’t be made of sugar. Okay, she’ll be a smartass or have a friend who will be. The hero will take as good as he gets. Yes, you’ll have emotion, but it won’t be sappy by no means. That’s what I write. That’s what I’m promising my readers. That’s my brand.

What does all this mean?

Think of books like people. You meet a person. You get that first impression and that impression is going to make them love or hate you *or reserve judgment*. The next time you meet them they give you the same impression. Now lets say that third meeting they act completely different. You start to wonder if this person was on meds. You are going to be wary of the next meeting. Worse case scenario–you meet this person a fourth time and it’s nothing like the first three meetings. You are going to veer way left every time you see this person coming. They’re not stable.

Now how can this make or break your career?

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s the same with your books. Your career will be built on your previous books. It’s why when author changes genre or even their sub-genre they change their name. One example of this is Samantha Graves *hi, Sam*. Under this name she writes romantic suspense. Under her C.J. Barry name she writes futuristics/SF romance.

When you change what you write you might as well write under a different name. You will be changing your fanbase with each book. Some people will stay with you and others will veer way left when they see your book coming.

Okay for those in the back who are shaking their head, unbelieving, let me give you some names:

Nora Roberts
Carly Phillips
Mary Higgins Clark
Jennifer Crusie
Meg Cabot

Think of all the books they have and then think of why you pick these authors. Or, have you ever found yourself saying, “I’m in a {insert whatever author’s name here} mood.”

That’s brand baby.

Have you thought about yours?

Are you completely against this idea?

Hash it out in the comments.

But last night, desperate, and bored I watched season 1, espisode 3 and then 4. If I hadn’t been buzzing with new ideas, knowing I was on the right track with my story, I would have watched episode 5.

Thank you, Joss Whedon.

Thank you, Pam for bragging about how wonderful this show was. (You are totally getting a shout out in my next book.)

So, I have a 5,000 word goal to meet today. (I’m so close to the half-way point of 50k, I can taste it.) It’s not going to write itself.

Sidenote: I surfed the NaNo boards last night and realized I’m not crazy. Some people have already hit the 50k mark. (some above) They pfft at my measely 21k. Some are even trying to write 10k in five hours. Insane. I tells ya. Insane. *of course I totally want to try it.*

And, you’ve never seen rambling like this before…

First, the novel is rocking along. As of 9:11 p.m. I’ve written 9,126 words in three days. My mind is gone. I can’t speak on what it’ll look like on the 30th of this here month.

My children have been fed. My daughter is watching Finding Nemo and I can hear my son playing under the sink, in the cubboards, with my spare car keys. (not enough jingle for my real keys)

You can call me certifiable insane by now. My head is full of this story. I’m thinking of the scene I’m writing and what scene will follow. I really don’t want to stop to take a break, but I have to get up early tomorrow. (Which just means I’ll fall into bed around 12 a.m.)

My house is clean. It hasn’t looked this way since I moved into the house. So I have no excuse to NOT write. I know folks, I did this to myself.

Well, not my house, but the living room, kitchen, bathroom and my room. My children’s rooms looks like disaster areas. One of these days my kids may walk into their room and I’ll never hear from them again.

As I’ve said, at this time I’m ceritifiable.

I never realized how typing fast is a plus until I started NaNo. That 80 words per minute is making my word count look impressive.

Shh. Don’t tell anyone, but this book is craptatic.

I’ve been eating LOTS of Halloween candy. Sugar is sooooo not good with crack in a cup.

My characters are funny.

My characters are supposed to be in their teens, but they sound just like the adults I write except there are no smoldering looks and no sex. No velvet shafts going on here. Nor has anyone said or mentioned the words breasts, mounds, kiss, grasp, (I have used gasp), absolutely no writhing.

Here’s a snippet:

“…There are consequences for everything you do that isn’t part of the natural of things in the magical world. So, when you die the bunny will still live. Unless of course it starves to death.” Cian pulled something else out of the frog. Jalani fought the gag.

“And this is humane?”

“No, it’s science. These frogs died natural deaths. A company shipped them here and voila—anatomy 101.”

No you may not steal my craptastic brillance. Copywritten: The Year of the Certifiable.

If I play “Bust Your Windows” by Jazmine Sullivan one more time, I’m going to be brainwashed into finding one of my ex-boyfriends and busting out their car windows.

My son is now watching his himself in the mirror. I think he’ll be vain when he gets older, but I still love him. Wait–he’s now singing his own made up song: “I’m wiping my mouth!”

I think my daughter actually went into her room. I should call the police for search and rescue.

No, really I’m fine. I’m not certifiable * There is nothing to see here folks.* Yeah, I know. The crazy person is always the last to know. (Just imagine what my book looks like if I’m writing post like this.)

I took my daughter to go see High School Muscial on Friday. If I had a loaded gun by the fifth song in that freaking movie, I wouldn’t have been responsible for my actions. No jury would have convicted me.

This is your brain on NaNo. Just say no.

Seriously, I warned you this would be the ultimate rambling post.

That is all.

Let me give you the backstory first. I think it was about a week and a half ago or maybe two weeks ago I had a strange dream. Not a Martin Luther King type of dream, but as close as I’ll get as having one like him. I was in a wedding. Kid and Play were doing there famous dance and then my father, during the reception came up to me, with fear plain on his face, and said to me and told me I needed to get back to my room. My room was 613. (Even being asleep I knew I needed to take note of this. 13 is just my number.)

At this point, the dream really started to get strange. All of sudden I was a teenager again. I was between 14-16. I had a guy friend. He felt like my brother, but not blood related. We had powers. Cool powers. This evil being was following us, trying to erase us off the face of the earth. We were hiding from him, and right before I made myself wake up, were we about to defeat him.

More things happened in this dream than I’m willing to share, but all the details were so vivid. A part of myself was on high alert. It was like 5:30 in the morning, but I forced myself awake. I found the nearest pen and paper and started to jot down all the details the dream had given me about this world and the powers that I had and my friend had. The idea bugged the hell out of me for the rest of the day. Even at work I kept writing down details on the post-it notes. Out of that strange dream that started off with Kid and Play (Seriously, there were doing the famous dance move from House Party) an idea for a YA took root.

This is what I have so far.

I’ve also put together a Book Soundtrack with upbeat songs even though the book feels dark, but I won’t know until tomorrow (tonight at 12:01) when I start writing the book. The heroine, Jalani (Jelani meaning mighty i.e. powerful) is snarky as usual. Cian (Cian= ancient i.e. knowledgeable) is cynical. Both are the perfect characters. Did I mention this is a YA? (Pam, calm down. I know you are still excited…)

The amazing Gwen Hayes told me that’s how the famous Twilight series started. I’m not sure if this is THE IDEA, but I’m so damn intrigued that I’m committing the next month to writing this book. I think that’s the essence of NaNo. Write an idea and really go where it’ll take you. And, folks that’s what I’m doing. I know I’ll going way, way off the path with writing this YA. I’m a die-hard romance writer (Trust me, I’m thinking of Jalani and Cian’s book when they are grown…Yes, follow your mind to the gutter.) But I can’t ignore this idea.

The moral of this rambling post, novice and newbie writer, go where the ideas take you. (Well, if you are not on contract.) You never know where they will take you.

And, sometimes ideas are given to you on a Silver Platter. Don’t be scared to ruin them by writing them. It takes balls I can tell you that much. By 12:01 tomorrow night I may hate this idea, but I’m not stifling my creativity by trying it first.

Have you had a strange idea for a book and still decided to write it?

(Also, let me know your NaNo screen name. I’ll add you to my buddy list. You know once the site isn’t slogging through the thousands upon thousands of Nanoers.)

I now have a sucknopsis done. 4 pages double-spaced. The longest sucknopsis I’ve ever written. It will stay as is until I finish the story. I also have blurb. I also wrote 3 pages in the my notebook. I’m thinking my characters aren’t going to meet until the beginning of chapter to. In romance, especially a novella, they should meet in the first few pages. I’ll angst about that later, because the words are coming, so who cares.

Because you read this far here’s the shoddy blurb I slapped together*it’s way too long. I’ll angest about that later too*:

Hazel Garvey doesn’t like to think of herself as a workaholic, but then again she gets her home mail sent to her job. It’s how she ends up reading the Spam mail that promises her “We’ll provide everything you need”. Right. Like giving her back the spark in a career she used to love—and a woman does have needs. The Spam letter gets more promising after Hazel’s boss tells her a vacation is in order or else. A surprising demand since she’s the top Interior Designer for their company. She must be bad off. Hazel grudgingly takes the vacation and the offer for a month long—free—stay on a secluded island. This break from her interior designing career needs to work or she’ll be in the unemployment line.

Brice Creed is already standing in that unemployment line after getting sacked from his last job. Being raised in a large family has at least given him the ability to have a plan B, which for him is starting his own renovating business. How he’ll make enough money is still a little fuzzy. Then opportunity knocks in the form of a woman who can change his life—Hazel Garvey, Interior Designer to the Gods. If she can decorate his house he’ll be swimming in enough money to start his own business. Now all he has to do is convince her.

Yes, way to long.

Other than that how’s your Monday going?

1. Still buzzing from release date, but now the idea of promoting is starting to sink in. When is it too early? When is it just last minute? What am I going to do this time around now that I’m not a newbie?

A. Expect an e-mail from me if you own a blog. Yes, I will call up the friendship card on you. Please don’t be annoyed with me. I’m trying to do what they call networking?

B. I’ll run a contest. Giving away How Much You Want to Bet? But I’ll make it harder this time around. And if you ask real nice *which just means mention in a round about way* I’ll post the prizes you would have won if I wasn’t a selfish shrew.

C. I’ll start making plans now, but won’t do anything until my actual book is released so there is a buy link. Makes sense. Why tease you with a book you can’t buy yet?

2. I’m writing a big scene today. I have high hopes, but I know I’m going to miss the mark. It’ll just be loosely disguised barbs thrown back and forth. My goal is to just make everyone have indigestion at the Thanksgiving dinner after these two characters are done with each other.

3. After I’m done with that scene, I get to write a sex scene. I have to figure out the goal so it doesn’t turn into Tab A into Tab B.

4. I’m going to have to revise the hell out of this ms. *le sigh* It’s bad when even I don’t believe these characters should be together. I have a feeling both Jorja and Eric will need a personality upgrade, but I’m just getting the bones down…

5. Still having some writing foreplay with the story I will write after this. If the words keep coming like they are I’ll be done in October. I promised to have the first three chapters, a synopsis and a blurb by mid-September.

6. Yes, I’m insane. It takes me at least 6 months to write a synopsis. Why, oh, why must I always put my foot in my mouth?

7. No, I’m not thinking about my submission at all.

8. Yes, I have a bridge I can sell you, too.

9. Just some subliminal messaging: Go buy my book.

Hey, I mentioned promotion, you should have seen that one coming. Maybe next time I’ll actually blog about something with substance.