Comments on: I’M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP, MR. DEMILLE http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/ Hard to Intimidate, Too Damned Drunk to Care Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:43:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Toni Blake http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6320 Toni Blake Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:57:06 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6320 Hey ladies, as promised, I'm checking back in - although it's late at night instead of tomorrow morning ; ) Cheryl, how lovely to see you here : ) : ) Thanks for stopping by. And I'm so pleased you found something useful in the blog post - hooray! : ) Terri, thank you again for inviting me - I always enjoy you guys! : ) And I'll be more than happy to come back next time I have a book out : ) Thanks in advance for screaming for me at the RITA Awards : ) : ) I appreciate all forms of support, including screams : ) Hey ladies, as promised, I’m checking back in - although it’s late at night instead of tomorrow morning ; )

Cheryl, how lovely to see you here : ) : ) Thanks for stopping by. And I’m so pleased you found something useful in the blog post - hooray! : )

Terri, thank you again for inviting me - I always enjoy you guys! : ) And I’ll be more than happy to come back next time I have a book out : ) Thanks in advance for screaming for me at the RITA Awards : ) : ) I appreciate all forms of support, including screams : )

]]> By: terrio http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6319 terrio Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:44:18 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6319 Thank you again for being a great guest blogger, Toni. You are so generous with your time and your writing expertise. We really do appreciate it. And as I mentioned before, you're always welcome anytime you want to come back. And I can't wait to get to scream for you during the RITA ceremony! Thank you again for being a great guest blogger, Toni. You are so generous with your time and your writing expertise. We really do appreciate it. And as I mentioned before, you’re always welcome anytime you want to come back.

And I can’t wait to get to scream for you during the RITA ceremony!

]]> By: Cheryl Norman http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6318 Cheryl Norman Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:05:37 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6318 Toni, this is so true! I didn't think about the process that way until reading your blog. I write my stories in "Acts" so why not be on stage as my characters? Good post. Cheryl Toni,
this is so true! I didn’t think about the process that way until reading your blog. I write my stories in “Acts” so why not be on stage as my characters?

Good post.
Cheryl

]]> By: Toni Blake http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6317 Toni Blake Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:59:55 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6317 Hello Sara : ) Excellent question, and yes, I DO spend a lot of time with my characters before writing, and as you mentioned, in many cases, it's while I'm writing the previous book : ) So you hit the nail on the head with that ; ) With LETTERS, I didn't have that luxury - the book I pitched was shot down by my agent, so I had to come up with something else fast, and LETTERS was born over about a two-week period before I started writing. Now I've had a number of people say they think it's my best book, and just today I found out that Romance Reviews Today gave it their "Perfect 10 Award" which I've been coveting for years - so there you go ... ; ) Makes one wonder if all the time spent with the characters ahead of time IS really necessary ; ) But that IS my process, so I'm sure I'll stick with it : ) Ladies, I have had a marvelous time here today, but my husband is home and the weather is lovely, so we're headed out in the convertible to grab some sandwiches and have a picnic : ) But I'll check in tomorrow morning to respond to any more comments, and as always, thanks so much for the warm welcome and great comments and questions. The pirates rock! Also thanks to those of you who so kindly popped over to the Avon blog today : ) Tomorrow I'm blogging at the Romance Vagabonds, so if you'd like to chat more, that's where I'll be : ) And I'll also mention, in closing, that a brand new shiny discussion group at Yahoogroups has been created by the wonderful Lindsey Faber to hang out and talk about my books, or fashion, or Rita award nominations, what have you ; ) so if you're so inclined, feel free to join up at www.yahoogroups.com/groups/ToniBlakeFans. Thanks again, pirates!! And like I said, I'll check in tomorrow morning before saying goodbye completely : ) Hello Sara : ) Excellent question, and yes, I DO spend a lot of time with my characters before writing, and as you mentioned, in many cases, it’s while I’m writing the previous book : ) So you hit the nail on the head with that ; )

With LETTERS, I didn’t have that luxury - the book I pitched was shot down by my agent, so I had to come up with something else fast, and LETTERS was born over about a two-week period before I started writing. Now I’ve had a number of people say they think it’s my best book, and just today I found out that Romance Reviews Today gave it their “Perfect 10 Award” which I’ve been coveting for years - so there you go … ; ) Makes one wonder if all the time spent with the characters ahead of time IS really necessary ; ) But that IS my process, so I’m sure I’ll stick with it : )

Ladies, I have had a marvelous time here today, but my husband is home and the weather is lovely, so we’re headed out in the convertible to grab some sandwiches and have a picnic : ) But I’ll check in tomorrow morning to respond to any more comments, and as always, thanks so much for the warm welcome and great comments and questions. The pirates rock!

Also thanks to those of you who so kindly popped over to the Avon blog today : ) Tomorrow I’m blogging at the Romance Vagabonds, so if you’d like to chat more, that’s where I’ll be : ) And I’ll also mention, in closing, that a brand new shiny discussion group at Yahoogroups has been created by the wonderful Lindsey Faber to hang out and talk about my books, or fashion, or Rita award nominations, what have you ; ) so if you’re so inclined, feel free to join up at http://www.yahoogroups.com/groups/ToniBlakeFans.

Thanks again, pirates!! And like I said, I’ll check in tomorrow morning before saying goodbye completely : )

]]> By: Sara Lindsey http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6316 Sara Lindsey Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:40:01 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6316 Hi Toni - Great blog! When I truly get into the writing groove, I see everything unfolding in my mind like a movie... which is great, but very difficult to keep up with in terms of typing. Like you, I also need to spend a lot of time with my characters before I start writing - do you factor this time into how long it takes you to write a book or are you generally getting to know the characters of your next book while writing the current book? Letters looks great - I'm trying to hold off and save it until my cross-country plane flight in ten days, but it's going to be rough! Hi Toni -
Great blog! When I truly get into the writing groove, I see everything unfolding in my mind like a movie… which is great, but very difficult to keep up with in terms of typing. Like you, I also need to spend a lot of time with my characters before I start writing - do you factor this time into how long it takes you to write a book or are you generally getting to know the characters of your next book while writing the current book?
Letters looks great - I’m trying to hold off and save it until my cross-country plane flight in ten days, but it’s going to be rough!

]]> By: Toni Blake http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6315 Toni Blake Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:44:35 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6315 Hi Haleigh - and so glad this discussion is helpful to you : ) Sounds like your friend is a good and thorough critiquer : ) Her comments really do speak exactly to what I was talking about in terms of how I go back through my hero's scenes to make sure they're "guy-ish" enough ; ) I will admit I don't think about this quite so concretely in all ways - like I don't think about things like "soft verbs" - but I just go with what feels right and accurate for that particular hero. Best of luck with your writing : ) Hi Haleigh - and so glad this discussion is helpful to you : ) Sounds like your friend is a good and thorough critiquer : ) Her comments really do speak exactly to what I was talking about in terms of how I go back through my hero’s scenes to make sure they’re “guy-ish” enough ; ) I will admit I don’t think about this quite so concretely in all ways - like I don’t think about things like “soft verbs” - but I just go with what feels right and accurate for that particular hero.

Best of luck with your writing : )

]]> By: haleigh http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6314 haleigh Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:35:58 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6314 Hi Toni! Great blog and topic, and I must say, I loved the cover as well. And I just adore the font they used for the title! I love your analogy with characters and pov. It amazes me how important it is to stay "in character" so to speak, through every word, every scene, and I think your analogy speaks to that so well. I recently had a friend critique a scene in my WIP from the hero's pov, and she said that while the dialog worked as being in-character for the hero, the rest of the scene did not. The internal thoughts, description, etc had too many flowing sentences and soft verbs to work as being inside the mind of an alpha-male. So all this rambling to say that I love your analogy, and I think it will help me a lot when it comes to remembering to stay deep in a characters pov for the entire scene, not just the dialog. Hi Toni! Great blog and topic, and I must say, I loved the cover as well. And I just adore the font they used for the title!

I love your analogy with characters and pov. It amazes me how important it is to stay “in character” so to speak, through every word, every scene, and I think your analogy speaks to that so well.

I recently had a friend critique a scene in my WIP from the hero’s pov, and she said that while the dialog worked as being in-character for the hero, the rest of the scene did not. The internal thoughts, description, etc had too many flowing sentences and soft verbs to work as being inside the mind of an alpha-male.

So all this rambling to say that I love your analogy, and I think it will help me a lot when it comes to remembering to stay deep in a characters pov for the entire scene, not just the dialog.

]]> By: Toni Blake http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6313 Toni Blake Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:31:23 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6313 Wow, Janga, I'm so pleased that something I said here today is something you can utilize in a practical way - that's very cool : ) Terri, I've always said that I strive to create heroines the reader can relate to and heroes they can fall in love with - that's my goal with every book and it keeps it simple yet, of course, complex, too ; ) With heroines it IS tricker because despite all we chicks have in common, we DO have different personalities. One of my favorite authors has recently seemed to be creating heroines who ... how to say this ... are a bit coarser than people I would really enjoy hanging out with, and I will admit that's cutting into my enjoyment of her books a bit. However, I'm sure there are a gazillion women out there who would disagree and think these heroines are fun-loving girls who tell it like it is, etc. But like you, I most enjoy heroines I can really connect with. Wow, Janga, I’m so pleased that something I said here today is something you can utilize in a practical way - that’s very cool : )

Terri, I’ve always said that I strive to create heroines the reader can relate to and heroes they can fall in love with - that’s my goal with every book and it keeps it simple yet, of course, complex, too ; )

With heroines it IS tricker because despite all we chicks have in common, we DO have different personalities. One of my favorite authors has recently seemed to be creating heroines who … how to say this … are a bit coarser than people I would really enjoy hanging out with, and I will admit that’s cutting into my enjoyment of her books a bit. However, I’m sure there are a gazillion women out there who would disagree and think these heroines are fun-loving girls who tell it like it is, etc. But like you, I most enjoy heroines I can really connect with.

]]> By: terrio http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6312 terrio Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:14:19 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6312 Janga has a great point. The heroines I like best are ones I would either be friends with or really wish I could be. That said, I can still enjoy a book with a heroine I might not fall in love with, but I probably won't remember it as well. Then again, that's why we have those heroes to fall in love with. Janga has a great point. The heroines I like best are ones I would either be friends with or really wish I could be. That said, I can still enjoy a book with a heroine I might not fall in love with, but I probably won’t remember it as well. Then again, that’s why we have those heroes to fall in love with.

]]> By: Janga http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2008/06/02/i%e2%80%99m-ready-for-my-close-up-mr-demille/#comment-6311 Janga Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:51:11 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=245#comment-6311 Hi, Toni! I love it when you blog on writing because I always learn something I can put into practice. I think the acting analogy may help me get past a sticking point in my new WIP. I long ago noticed in my reading that my favorite heroines fell into two categories: those with whom I had something major in common and those who had qualities I wish I possessed. I have discovered that the same is true of my writing. The heroine of TLWH is not a risk-taker, a characteristic with which I can too easily identify; my new heroine has called the globe home for all of her adult life and had experiences I only dream of. Hi, Toni! I love it when you blog on writing because I always learn something I can put into practice. I think the acting analogy may help me get past a sticking point in my new WIP.

I long ago noticed in my reading that my favorite heroines fell into two categories: those with whom I had something major in common and those who had qualities I wish I possessed. I have discovered that the same is true of my writing. The heroine of TLWH is not a risk-taker, a characteristic with which I can too easily identify; my new heroine has called the globe home for all of her adult life and had experiences I only dream of.

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