Lauren Wayne

I had a subscription to Writer’s Digest magazine for years, and I still receive their e-newsletters and visit their website. They’ve recently updated it and said to help them get the word out, so I figured why not. So here it is:

http://writersdigest.com/

I’ve found a lot of helpful writing advice and inspiration in their pages, whether paper or virtual.

If you’re looking for nitty-gritty, you can’t go wrong with their series of writing books. They probably have something published on just about any topic that interests you or would help in your writing — and, if not, maybe you’re just the person to author it! For my own writing, I found especially helpful summaries of research on everyday life in Victorian England and America, and I know I’ll be looking to their bookshelves and website again when it’s time to start submitting to agents.

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I thought I’d give an idea of my writing journey so far, just so you know where I’m coming from and where I have yet to go.

Three years ago, I guess it was, I took a year off from working to finish my romance novel. I made the mistake of telling people so.

Everywhere I went: Is your novel finished? How’s that writing coming along?

And always, always: What’s it about? 

After what ended up being nine months instead of a year, I was two-thirds to three-fourths done when circumstances dictated that I start working for actual money again. And how.

And then we had a baby, and everything was topsy-turvier.

But I’m back, baby. I’m determined to finish this sucker, and with the support of my husband, who has agreed to do more than his share of the paid work in our business, I just might manage it. He’s admitted he’s just looking forward to being a kept man when I get my fabulous advance and multi-book contract. Ha ha!

Now, the reason I hated answering the question ”What’s it about?” is because, for me, writing is all about an urgency to say something.  If I say it out loud, it takes the energy away, and I no longer have the unmet need to get it down on paper. So I never wanted to talk about my writing as it happened, because I was afraid I then wouldn’t do the actual writing. For some reason, people took offense at this and thought it was some petulance of mine that I refused to spill, and they made fun of me and my top-secret plot. Oh, well. I figure if I tell you the truth straight out that you’ll take my real reason seriously.

So, that said, I’m unlikely to tell you anything about the novel until it’s published, but I’ll gladly share my thoughts about writing in general, and, after it’s finished, the submission process. (Yipes!)

But, please, please, please, accountability can be great and all, but please no one ask me if it’s finished yet! I don’t need any more pressure than I give myself. But I’ll take all the well wishes and writing dust you care to send my way!

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I am finishing up my first romance novel, so I wanted to start a blog to detail my journey into submitting it for publishing, as well as other thoughts I have about romance novels, both as an avid reader and as a writer.

Please join me, and enjoy!

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