"Anyone who tells you there's a right way to write is a lying bitch." - Nora Roberts. And Survive and Thrive Bloghop.

Hi everyone!

"Anyone who tells you there's a right way to write is a lying bitch." Nora Roberts

Get the message? Getting sick of those posts that start with..."The Secret to...", whether it's getting published, writing a best seller, formatting the best self-published novel EVER! The only secret to the game is getting it right. But that seems pretty elusive, at least to me.

Nora Roberts -- sitting pretty.

If, like me, you've been studying writing How-To books for years, you probably feel like me--there's so much between the covers you couldn't possible remember/do all that stuff. And some advice is downright contradictory, right? Maybe you pick up a couple of good pointers, but soon forget to actually apply them. And after all that, we're told to ignore all the rules!! Gah!!

How many times have I read--'show don't tell'? What does this actually mean? You can't write a whole book 'showing'. I read recently that all stories use a show/tell format -- (Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon - you can download the pdf by clicking on the link), but this is rarely pointed out. But plucking out all that 'showing' when an editor points it out to you is very demoralising because we should know better, right?

WRITING TIPS THAT MIGHT WORK FOR ME - Keeping in mind I am a contemporary romance writer. Other genres may be different in their application. Enough of my yammering...here's my Secrets to... which are pretty basic, but they may help someone who is sweating over getting a novel finished.

• Write with the reader in mind 
• Make sure you have a hook at the beginning of your story
• Dribble in backstory - no info dumps 
• Something must happen on every page - what are those characters doing? CONFLICT!!
• Occasionally surprise the reader - subvert/invert the scene
• Make sure action comes before reaction 
• Show, don't tell. (Had to say that)

Really, there are three main things for writers to do, isn't there?

1. READ. I've got that covered big time. I've recently discovered NetGalley where a prolific reader can apply to read new books as long as they review them. I've just been sent Samantha Verant's Seven Letters From Paris. Can't wait to sink my teeth into that one...and review it. 
2. WRITE. Oh wow! Really! Whatever works for you. But you can't be a writer unless you write. I've found ways to increase my writing hours per day. My motivation? I want to get my novel submitted before NaNoWriMo in November. I said that last November too! Same novel!
3. Get meaningful feedback from trusted peers/writers and mentors/professionals. Not so easy. I recently asked several writer blogger friends to critique a chapter which I'd re-written so many times, had assessed at some expense by a manuscript assessor, had a multi-published writer (who is my new mentor thanks to RomanceWritersofAustralia) critique, yet my friends found line after line to pull apart. Very demoralising. Makes me wonder if I'll ever finish this book! 

The most useful how-to I've come across recently is the Margie Lawson DEEP EDITS system. Here is a link to a guest blog post that introduced me to her system. You can pay for several lectures and her system may help you become a NYT best-selling author.  She has many secrets for you.

So my friends, if published, what is your secret?

If not, do you have anything to add to my writing 'secrets'?

As I've travelled around the blogosphere this morning I've been commenting on post after post for the Survive and Thrive bloghop. By now you will know what it's all about--well, it's self explanatory really. I haven't read a post about skin cancer yet, so I thought I'd pop one in. Just in time. Two hours to go...

Australia is often referred to as the skin cancer capital of the world and Queensland where I live, is the skin cancer capital of Australia. Simple, really. We're north, closer to the Equator. It's nearly always sunny. We have a beach culture. We didn't know what damage we were doing to ourselves with long summer holidays at the beach when we were children. Skin cancer awareness is relatively new.

I've always thought I got away with my beach-babe teenage years but it finally caught up with me. One of my freckles started turning a little browner and growing sideways. My doctor sister-in-law saw it and said to have it checked. This is where the scary part starts.

My regular doctor didn't think much of my little old freckle. But I insisted on a biopsy. It came back negative for cancer. I insisted it was removed. They did the procedure reluctantly to shut me up. 

Result: Stage One melanoma! 

They hadn't taken the full freckle off in the biopsy so missed the cancer part. 

Now melanoma is the really, really scary one! It has four stages. Once you get past Stage One, the results aren't so good. If you're at Stage Four--goodnight!

Not pleasant having them cut a huge slice 5mls deep out of my arm, but better than the alternative. I can have plastic surgery if I want, but for now the scar is scarcely noticeable and a good reminder to me that I survived the doctor's diagnosis!

So I had another skin check with my doctor's skin specialist. All clear. I didn't believe it. He just used a magnifying thingo. Have taken myself off to a skin doctor who photographs your spots and blows them up, has a real good look and can easily track changes (ha ha). He picked up two more prospective melanomas and a couple more that will probably develop. So more surgery next week.

So if you live in a hot climate, be on the lookout. Don't listen to your doctor if you feel suspicious of a mole/freckle. Get a second or third opinion. 

Thanks to Doctor Covey, sister-in-law for saving me from moving past Stage One melanoma.

Don't forget to click on the link to read more potentially life-saving posts.

You Deserve A Star Award - and some writing tips

Thank you to L Diane Wolfe at Spunk on a Stick Tips for the You Deserve A Star Award. Now is a good time to pass it on before #flashfriday hits. When the Spunk passed it on she wrote an interesting post about how the stars needed to be aligned in a special way before she could write (my pun, sorry.) I loved the post as did many others judging by the comments. If you didn't get to read it, go here.  Spunk's blog is for handing out excellent writing tips, amongst all the other things she does, and to me and many others she's certainly a star and well deserving of this award.

Lately I've been too busy writing to write much about writing, so I'm going to pass this award onto some of my most recent commenters who support me in what I do. They deserve a star for reading my flash fiction, blogfest entries etc. and leaving kind, helpful comments. But I want you, my little or not so little, stars, to let me know your answer to the question the Spunk posed - What Are Your Writing Habits? I'm going to list 6 of mine, so perhaps you'd like to use the same format. Please link back here so I can read your words of wisdom or leave a comment so I can go chase up these hot tips of yours.

I'd also love everybody who reads this to leave comments about their writing habits.

I'd like to hand this award on to so many stars, but here are six recent and at times prolific commenters and followers who I think deserve a star for at times making me feel like a star, however undeserved: Please spread the star dust around to however many of your stars, er, blogger friends, as you wish.

Talei at Musings of an aspiring scribe
Francine at Romancing the Blog
Rainy Day Wanderer and word's crafter extraordinaire
Ashley Ashbee that Loveable Homebody
Pamela Jo at There's Just Life
Aubrie at Flutey Words

Okay, here's my answers to the question...
What Are Your Writing Habits? 

1. My favourite spot to write is: in my little office when there's no one else within cooee.
2. My favourite treat when writing: is not actually chocolate (which is surprising) but I like to have endless cups of tea tottering dangerously near my keyboard.
3. For white noise I like: 24-hour news channel very low. Never know, I might learn something. Right now I hear Barack Obama  telling the pesky Israelis and the Palestinians to behave themselves or else. Yes, they are there, right behind him, I checked, with pained smiles. I can catch it all later on twitter. Ooh, there's a distraction! Don't get me started!
4. Water is very important whilst (doncha love that word? It's nearly obsolete or is it already?) writing because: It keeps the brain charged. It really does. Google 'reflexology.' Maybe dehydration leads to dehydrated prose.
5. When there's too many people around I: nick off to the library to write, taking my little netbook. Oh, boy, in November, I'm going to take my air mattress and hide under a table when NaNo's on. Reminds me, gotta get some ideas for a new novel...
6. When I lack inspiration I: make yet another cup of tea and raid the cupboards, drawers, behind the washing machine, or in the filing cabinet for my stash of chocolate. Suddenly it's all good!

Does this sound anything llike your writing habits?

C'mon, I'll bet yours are a lot more interesting than mine. Share with Denise. Everyone loves to write...in their own way...You might also like to pop over to Lenny's World where he's put his writing tips.

And for a bit of extra fun, don't miss the writing tips in my sidebar. They crack me up.