SquawkRadio Comments

I will absolutely attest to the revision thing. But I will also attest to the fact that Wanda’s revision suggestions are always spot-on, and always lead to a MUCH better book.

Welcome to Squawk, Wanda! It’s so great to have you here!

Welcome Wanda!  We’re so delighted to have you

I was wondering, How does it really FEEL when you discover a wonderful new author and a manuscript that you believe is publishable?  Is there a certain gut instinct that supports your decision?  Do angels burst into song?

I’ve always thought that editing had to be the perfect job--getting paid to read!

When I got my degree in English 3 years ago everyone asked me if I was planning on being a teacher and were always astonished when I responded with, “Good Lord, No!  I want to be an editor.”

I live in a small town in East Tennessee, so i don’t imagine it will be easy to find that dream job, but I’ve got my foot in the door by doing proof-reading for a law publishing company part-time (talk about boring).

I guess my question would be, do you have any suggestions as to how someone like me could get a dream job like yours?

Welcome.
What did you do to prepare for your dream job?
Other than being a voracious reader..
My word is reason, I wonder if it applies.

Hello, Ms. Ottewell.

Can I just be the first to say I would looooove to have your job.  Now that that’s out of the way, how far into a MS do you give up and decide that it’s just not publishable?  Is it the first chapter?  The first 1/3 of the piece? 

And what would make a MS workable instead of unpublishable?  (is that a word?  I hope so.)

Thanks in advance for your time.

TerriO

Welcome Wanda!  I do have a few questions for you…

Are there any romance books out there that you wished that you edited because you loved them so much?

I’m somewhat confused… if you’re querying a book, are you supposed to send it to an editor or agent? 

And what makes you, as an reader, throw the book down in frustration?  Or put it in your keeper pile?

My word verification: figures97.

Welcome Wanda!!! 

What a fascinating job you have (and all the previous careers too). 

I was just wondering.  I know that all books go thru extensive editing and proofing, but the occasional typo or grammatical error slip through.  I average about 4 books a week and have come across a few.  Do you ever hear from readers on those oops?

BTW Liz, I’m in the middle of YGM (had to wait 4 weeks from the library for it) and it’s great!

Guys, I love your new Avitars.

Hi Wanda.
Like Liz I can vouch for Wanda’s revision requests being spot on. What W. didn’t tell you is that she delivers the revisions via phone call and will patiently talk to you until you get the point.
Sometimes I’m slow. 

Wanda’s also good/bad about recommending new authors… like the recent vampire trilogy she introduced me to.    Of course, then I’m reading instead of writing, so… Ahem.

The thing about a good editor is she makes you a better writer.

Hello Wanda,

First I think somebody should give you one of those little cards for your purse that figures the tip for you.  It always annoyed me when my office, chocked full of people who figured budgets all day, gave ME the duty of figuring tip--and I was the English major who took “Math for Dummies” in college.  Then my friend gave me this lovely little card--and it’s the handiest thing--and Liz will stop laughing at you.

Are there any plots you’re tired of seeing?  (i.e. the secret baby plot or the princess disguised as a peasant plot, etc) Or are you able to overlook that if the characters are stronger than the plot? 

What do you think is the fine line between making characters human enough to doubt the love of someone else--and then finally believe it in order to resolve the story to a happy ending?  (I know my reader friends have debated some stories where we felt annoyed with a sensible heroine with looks, charm, and intelligence--and she’s moaning she doesn’t think Right Guy loves her because he hasn’t said so.  But it’s obvious he does--he’s thoughtful, he does little thoughtful gestures...) It’s a tough balance to pull off--and I wondered if you had any thoughts/ideas what the trick might be to do that--without having readers thinking our heroine is a twit.

Fran

Thanks for having me here!

Liz, you’re being very kind about my revisions. I can assure all of you that she always exceeds my expectations when revising. That’s how she got the Rita nomination

When I find a new author with a publishable manuscript, I swear angels do sing, Teresa! It’s a great feeling. I liken it to the sensations we have when we finish a fantastic book that we hug to our chests, reluctant to leave that world. I feel a certain zing, as if I’ve been on an emotional journey, tagging along with the hero and heroine as they fight to be together. But it’s even better than that because I can to contribute to the story (those revisions again) and I can help an author realize her dreams. I love it!

Wanda

I’m delighted to say that Wanda is going to be one of the editors speaking and taking pitches at the Write On, Vancouver conference in May. I’m the conference chair and I’m going to tell all our registrants and prospective registrants to pop over here and check out her blog for insights on what she’s looking for!

Wanda, I’m so looking forward to meeting you. I’ve heard such wonderful things from your authors. I think the most common phrase is, “She’s such a sweetie.”

And now I do have a question. What’s your perception re the growing trend toward spicier romance (e.g., Blaze) and erotica (e.g., Spice). I write erotic romance for Kensington Aphrodisia, a new line that launched in 2006, and it’s been just amazing to see the number of publishers and lines that are emerging, plus the increasing level of heat in more traditional lines. Do you think the trend is going to continue, change, fade away or ???

Howdy, Wanda!

What mistakes do you often seen in
rejected manuscripts?

And is there anything that you have seen that just won’t work in today’s market? ie - storylines to stay away from.

hummm… john17… my brother’s name is John.  He leaves for Iraq next week.  And we are not happy about it.

I’m chuckling that anyone is asking me for career advice! I’m probably a poster child for how NOT to plan your career given the turns I took that delayed me getting here. This job was so unplanned I almost fell into it (and lucky for me I did), so I can’t really say I did anything to prepare for it, Gram.

I do have a master’s in literature, but the people I work with have a variety of educational backgrounds so the lit aspect isn’t a requirement of the job. Understanding story structure and how to make a story work are requirements of the job. All the reading I’ve done and the theory I’ve studied over the years has helped in that regard.

Billie, before I came to Harlequin I worked for a non-fiction publisher. That job plus other freelance research/editing work I’d done probably helped me get here. So I’d say you’re probably on the right track!

Wanda

Welcome to Squawk Radio, Wanda!

We’re so delighted you’re here and willing to share your expertise.

what new directions, eras, plotlines are coming across your desk? I’m a firm believer in publishing synergy and a friend and I were talking about how hungry we are for some good old fashion white hat/black hat westerns.

Hi Wanda!  Ya know, I could sit here all day and ask questions…better not, though.  I got things to do.

What is the first thing you look for when picking up an MS from a new author for the first time?  Do you give the book the full three chapters to draw you in, or will you dump it after the first chapter if you’re truly horrified? LOL Not that I would ever submit anything that would horrify an editor…

Virgos unite!  We could organize the world, given the opportunity

I just composed the most brilliant of posts (really, it would bring tears to your eyes) but managed to delete it before posting. Sigh. I’ll try to reconstruct.

Good questions, TerriO! How much I read depends on the manuscript. Generally I read until I encounter either a problem that can’t be resolved or a problem that would require rewriting the entire story to resolve. Some of the big problems would be stereotypical characters with no motivation, contrived plots, no conflict, weak story structure (i.e. information dumps or back-story overload in the first chapter). Some of these issues can be detected in the first chapter, some aren’t revealed until later in the manuscript.

For a manuscript to work the characters have to be complex with believable goals, strong motivation and sustainable conflicts. They need to make decisions and take action throughout the story because that’s how their character/personalities are revealed. The romantic conflict--what keeps the hero and heroine from getting their happily-ever-after--needs to layered (not easily resolved) and sustainable. If an open conversation about expectations is all that’s keeding them apart, that’s not sustainable. That make sense?

Wanda

Elyssany, you send a query letter to an agent when you’re looking for an agent (be sure to check out agents’ Web sites for information about how to query). If you have a story idea that you think could work, you would send the query to an editor. To complicate matters, some publishers only accept submissions from agents on behalf of their authors. Check the publishers’ Web sites for their guidelines. For Harlequin and Silhouette series, we accept queries directly from authors!

As for what lands a book on my keeper shelf, it’s all about getting swept away
If I can ignore the world around me (including the cat pacing in front me demanding more food), then the book gets a treasured place on my shelf. If I can’t stand the heroine, if I loathe the hero, if I can predict where the story is going, then the book bounces off my wall on its way out of the house. Fortunately, I don’t encounter too many of those! There are many more that I wish I’d edited.

Wanda

Yes, Prudence, readers do occasionally notify us of errors and typos The publishing process is quite complex and many hands--and even more technology--touch the book before it hits the shelves. As much as we try to avoid it, things do slip past us.

And I agree with you, YGM is wonderful! The other books in the series are even better

Hey, Emilie, thanks for coming and even more thanks for saying such nice things! I would think after I added yet another must-be-read author to your pile you’d be trying to get payback. Glad you’re loving the books!

Wanda

Welcome, Wanda! Thank you for coming by to answer questions and chat. Liz is always so enthusiastic about you and your editing, it’s an honor to meet you.

MsHellion, excellent advice on the tip calculator. It would be so much easier than making everyone at the table stop talking until I can do the math, which is what I do now!

I can’t say I’m tired of seeing a particular plot. Most of the time authors will introduce a unique spin to the story or the characters will be unpredictable so the theme doesn’t seem so repetitive. In the right hands, almost anything can work in fiction--the treatment is the key. There are storylines I’m not crazy about--such as secret babies--but I’ve had authors write captivating and convincing stories using those plots.

I understand your debate about characters not believing the evidence of love and needing the words. If talk is cheap, why are words the only thing a heroine will believe? To make the heroine’s reluctance convincing, I think she has to have good reasons for her distrust. Perhaps she’s had experiences (note the plural--it usually takes more than once before we learn our lessons) with people saying and doing opposite things. Or even more compelling, perhaps the hero has let her down. If a character has a convincing and strong enough rationale for why she does something, I’ll follow her.

Hi Wanda!

I always ask authors if they will ever write outside of their genre, and I wonder if editors ever edit outside of their genre.

Aside from Blaze, do you edit any other types of books? Do you like paranormal romance? Have you or will you go into any other genres for editing like Young Adult?

Also, if one were to hear from an editor “I’d like to see more of your work and I think you have potential” ...how soon do you think they might expect to see that work? ... if that’s what they mean?

(I want to learn a lot more about writing before I send them anything else and that could take awhile)...

I hope my questions aren’t too flakey . The YGM series are so so so good. Are you trying to convince Elizabeth to write more like that? Do you have any way to bribe her? 

Susan, I look forward to meeting you, too! Should be a great conference and sounds as though I’ll have to be on my best behavior to live up to the press

I do see the trend of spicier romances continuing...at least until readers dictate otherwise. I suspect there are many reasons for the popularity of hotter books--I won’t bore you with all of my theories (my authors hear enough of them ) But I will say, romance readers are such dedicated and voracious readers that they demand variety. Erotic romances help fill that demand. The trend will evolve as all trends do, but I do see it sticking around.

Sarah, so sorry to hear about your brother! My best wishes to him.

You know, with so many manuscripts crossing my desk, I see a lot of different mistakes. I often see a lack of familiarity with basic story structure. Not knowing the various pieces required to make a story work or how to put those pieces together. I also see stories that aren’t unique--the characters are stereotypical and the plots sound like other stories.

As for storylines that won’t work...hmm, that’s tough. As I mentioned above, in the right hands almost anything can work (of course, some storylines sell better than others). But I think I can say that shrinking violet heroines don’t cut it in today’s market. Readers demand--and deserve--heroines who make their own decisions and take action to resolve their own problems. That’s not to say that heroines can’t rely on heroes to help them. It’s more that they don’t sit around waiting for knights in shining armor to rescue them!

Welcome, Wanda!

It’s such a pleasure to have you visit the henhouse.  And I love hearing the inside take on editing!

Eloisa, quickly erasing her shrinking violet of a heroine and giving her some shining armor of her own…

I’m with you on publishing synergy, Connie! If a new story idea lands on my desk--a plot twist I haven’t read before--usually a similar idea will arrive in short order. I like to believe that there’s a collective well of ideas that authors tap into and as soon as one cracks a new level, others can access it too. So if you can convince someone to write a great white hat/black hat western, you may start the next trend!

I haven’t yet figured out what the next hot trend will be (apparently my crystal ball isn’t working right now). But I am excited by some of the developments I’ve been seeing. The many cross-overs between formerly separate genres and sub-genres--paranormal and comedy, romance and fantasy, etc.--opens up so many possibilities. It’s cool to see the results when authors mix conventions of one form with the conventions of another. Even within publishing programs that require more traditional plotlines, I have seen authors do unique twists that bring a whole new meaning to secret babies! This indicates real creative freedom...authors are taking chances and trying new things. The results can only be good for readers

Bettysbounce, you’re so right about us Virgos! If only people would do things my way, the world would be a much better place. Fortunately, I have this job that allows that to happen in small ways

When I started this job I read every submission in its entirety. And I gave almost everyone the chance to revise to see what they could do with the story. Some authors wowed me--I’m still working with a few of them--but sadly, many more didn’t and I read a lot of not-so-great manuscripts.

Now, I work with many more authors on a regular basis which means many more deadlines. I have read enough manuscripts that I usually know when a story has a fatal flaw that can’t be fixed, or that the fix would change every aspect of the story except the heroine’s name (and sometimes even that should go!). If that flaw is evident very early in the story, I will sometimes skim more pages just in case the storytelling is redeemed.

I am occasionally wrong (my authors are stunned I admitted that in public) in my assessment of a mansucript. I’m happy to say that some stories that didn’t work for me went on to have published lives elsewhere.

Christina, thanks for having me! It’s an honor to meet you, too.

Can I say again that I’ve read books written by all the hosts and I LOVE them! I can’t say enough about how much I’ve enjoyed reading your books. It’s really cool to be here with you. Seriously.

By the way, I hope you know that I pay Liz to say nice things about me (her fees aren’t that expensive and she’s got a convenient payment plan...check it out anytime you need a boost).

Eloisa, I don’t think you need to worry about shrinking violets in your books! I love that your heroines go boldly forth even in the face of their own fears. Fab!

Okay, I’ll stop being a gushing fan and get back to answering editor questions.

Hello Wanda,

Thank you for all of your advice so far.  It’s been very helpful, and I’m looking forward to meeting you when you come to Vancouver in May.

I have a question about Blaze. Are there any topics that will not be considered?  For example:  stories involving children, athletes, small towns… (not that my story is about a small town single mother… I’m just throwing out some topics that I haven’t seen yet in the Blazes I’ve read.)

Thanks,
Lindsay Macgowan

Pshaw, Wanda. The Squawkers all know I can’t be bought. Unless, you know, it’s really GOOD chocolate.

As for tips, the only reason I know what to leave is because I worked for tips for so long. So it’s a standard 20% unless the service is horrendous (and even then, I leave at least 10%). So I just round up to the nearest dollar, double it and leave 10% of whatever that number is.

And you guys are so sweet to say nice things about my books. Thank you. 

Welcome to the Squawk Wanda Ottewell!

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate these insights into the publishing world.  Little did I know when I started my book that it took so much to not only write it but get it published!  There are days when I think ‘sustainable conflict’ is a hex dangled over my MS!  LOL, isn’t it obvious the H/H love each other and will get their HEA?

As you stated, Harlequin and Silouette take queries directly from authors.  This is where I choke at the switch, so to speak.  What about a query draws an editor’s interest, prompts you to ask for a partial or whole manuscript?  How long should a query be?  Should it mimic the back cover of a book?

You would think that this part of the process would be easy but it has not proven so to me.

Thanks for your help and for popping by!

Laura T, not flaky questions at all! Editors do step outside their genres. Our core skills are knowledge of story structure. Although different genres have particular conventions, our core skills transfer.

For me, I work mostly on category books, but I do work across the lines. I have authors who write romantic suspense stories, paranormal stories, romantic comedy stories, as well as the sexier stories. I occasionally edit single title books, such as Liz’s YOU’VE GOT MALE and EXPRESS MALE. At the moment Harlequin doesn’t have a young adult publishing program, so no opportunities for me there.

If an editor says “I’d like to see more of your work and I think you have potential”, that’s great news!! Other editors may have differing opinions, but I don’t put a time limit on an author who I think has potential. It’s not always possible to send me a new proposal by return mail. Sometimes that proposal has to be written

I’m actually surprised by how often I’ve requested to see more work from authors and never received anything. I do wonder if those authors worry that they’ve taken too long to send in their proposals. I’ll state for the record I have no time limits on requests!

Wanda said: “I am excited by some of the developments I’ve been seeing. The many cross-overs between formerly separate genres and sub-genres--paranormal and comedy, romance and fantasy, etc.--opens up so many possibilities.”

You know, I think that’s one of the reasons erotic romances—and also inspirationals—are becoming so popular. Erotic romances have contemporary and historical, paranormal, chick lit, interracial, multicultural, futuristic, Goth, etc. etc. Inspirationals aren’t quite so broad yet but they’ve expanded into chick lit and suspense/mystery. (I know the hook that caught my editor’s attention was when I said my book was “interracial chick lit erotic romance” )

Personally, I love seeing the diversity. But is all of this going to mean there’s less of a role for the classic romance? (i.e., one that doesn’t have steamy sex between interracial werewolves?)

And another question. Wanda, you said you edit romantic comedies. I’ve heard that those books are less popular these days—and yet, aren’t they a wonderful way of lifting our spirits on a gloomy day? Do you think there’s still a decent market for them? And, if not, any signs that the market will pick up?

Hi Wanda,

I just wanted to tell you I’m really enjoying reading your posts - your job sounds amazing

Out of interest, what would be the most common plotline that appears in the stories you review/edit? The one that has you groaning Oh, and what type of character(s) drive you nuts?

Many thanks for taking the time to post,

orannia

Hello Wanda! 

I’m not a writer, but I did want to say hello and to thank you for giving us non-writers a glimpse into the editing world and what our beloved authors go through to produce the books that we (me in particular here) all love, cherish and keep me sane! 

--dorothy

Lindsay, I’m glad that I can help (even if I’m long-winded! Have you seen how long my posts are?) and look forward to meeting you, too.

Blaze is open to a variety of settings and storylines--it’s one of the fun things about working on the series. We have characters who are athletes, a few paranormal storylings, outside of North America settings, etc.

We don’t usually have children or babies in the books (although a pregnancy or two has shown up) because, as cute as they can be, they’re not sexy. It would be a challenge for authors to kick the kids off stage long enough for the hero and heroine to have long, incredibly hot, long, steamy, long sex and not anger readers for neglecting the kids. Usually the focus for Blaze stories is discovering love and commitment through steamy encounters...er, steamy encounters with one guy, I mean. These are romance stories, after all

Okay, Liz, let me see if I’ve got this tip thing straight. Round up...take ten percent...add five...double it...divide by six...do the hokey-pokey… Yeah. You can see where I run into trouble Guess that means you’ll have to be my constant dinner companion to figure out the tip.

Santa, thanks for the welcome and I’m glad to give whatever insight I can. As any published author can attest, writing the book is only a small part of getting it on the shelf! And I hear you on the “sustainable conflict” front...it is a hex!

Queries are necessary evils. Usually queries include a one-page letter and a two-page synopsis, but I’m not really strict about that and certainly have never rejected one based on form or lack thereof.

I don’t demand too much from the query letter because there isn’t a lot of room to provide information. I look to see if the story outline is something that could fit our publishing programs. If the synopsis details alien babies, space travel, and a hero with five wives, chances are the story won’t fit what we publish. I check for the presence of a conflict and the suggestion that the characters evolve and change throughout the story.

Because we publish a lot of new authors, I’m not as concerned about an author’s publishing credits or writing history, so don’t get hung up on that.

A lot of editors forego the query in favor of seeing a partial (three chapters and synopsis) because the actual writing tells us more. I’ve never rejected someone for not sending a query first, so don’t let the query hold you back.

In fact, that’s a good bit of advice for any aspiring author: don’t let the mechanics of submitting manuscripts prevent you from sending your work to an editor.

Susan, congrats on capturing your editor’s attention. I’d love it if all the books I worked on could be described so succinctly yet so powerfully!

There’s an interesting dichotomy in the industry--the most obvious being the popularity of both inspirational and erotic romances. I think the current diversity actually strengthens the demand for traditional, classic romance plots. The more we stretch the conventions of a given sub-genre the more we can appreciate the integrity of those conventions at the heart of the sub-genre. In slightly more clear language, adding plotlines to a story helps us to appreciate the core story. In romantic suspense, for example, the suspense plot helps to strengthen the romantic conflict, which is at the core of a classic romance plot.

It is true that romantic comedies don’t sell as well as they did a few years ago. These days the comedic voices are being blended with other sub-genres such as paranormal stories. However, I believe that the popularity of romantic comedies will cycle around again when we all want to remember that falling in love is funny as well as serious

Hi Wanda:

I am definitely not a writer but I do love to read.  This has been a really interesting conversation with a lot of good insights for us non-writers.  Thanks for being here.

Orannia, I’m glad you’re enjoying my visit (I know I’m having a blast!). And I must say, my job is pretty cool. I get to hang out with really smart, creative women who write stories I love to read. Does life get better?

I can’t say that I see a single plotline over and over (authors are very creative people). But I do see undeveloped plotlines and characters and that does make me groan. I also groan when I feel that authors took the easy way out with their stories, that they took the first answer that came to them when they asked “what if...”. Some of the best stories I’ve read--both at work and in my personal reading--have come when authors dug below the surface, when they asked “what if” several more times until they got a surprising and unique answer.

I tend to get frustrated with characters who have one negative experience in their lives then vow never to do X again (usually it’s one bad relationship and they vow never to fall in love again). That doesn’t seem realistic to me--I know I make the same mistakes over and over and over again (sometimes on purpose!). It seems more realistic to have characters use many experiences (some not even related) to construct their motivations and rationales. For example, a character who is afraid to commit because everyone she’s ever loved--her six high-school boyfriends, her parents, her siblings, her pets, her three fiancés, her best friends--has died (of course, if that was the character’s history, I’d be looking into getting that curse removed!). Okay, melodramatic and extreme, but that’s some serious experience to draw on and more believable than a single experience.

Had to pop in to say something about one of Liz’s comments...CHOCOLATE? Then why are you having me send all those bottles of Scotch?!

Wanda, you have such a clean lucid way of saying things! No wonder Liz loves your editing!

Dorothy, I hear you about the power of a good book. There are so many times I pinch myself because I can’t believe that I have a small part to play in producing the books that have so moved me. Books have always been magical to me. To walk into the literacy signing at the annual RWA conference and see a massive room filled with authors and stories always takes my breath away. Learning about the business side of book production has been a lot of fun.

Avery, I’m glad you’re enjoying the posts! I’m having a lot of fun being here. All of your questions are reminding me of the awesome parts of this industry so I should be thanking you!

Duh, Connie. The Scotch is to have for when there’s no chocolate. And you know how fast I consume chocolate.

Hmm. My code word is “inside67.” Wasn’t that a documentary about the disco era?

Wanda,

Thank you so much! This is such a terrific blog today!

I love everyone’s questions, too.

"I’m actually surprised by how often I’ve requested to see more work from authors and never received anything. I do wonder if those authors worry that they’ve taken too long to send in their proposals. I’ll state for the record I have no time limits on requests!”

Really?  Interesting.  (But what if the story you requested was designed for a series that doesn’t exist anymore?  Like Flipside/Romantic Comedies?  Would it still be a problem, since I thought in query letters we authors are supposed to know what kind of book we’re writing, what category we’re going into...and in the Harlequin realm, I don’t of the category romantic comedies would fall under?...)

Connie, thanks for the compliment! I truly appreciate it (note to self: send some of Liz’s goodies to Connie).

MsHellion, excellent follow-up question. While it is true that some stories do fit only one line and when that line is over, the project is without a home. But there is much magic we can accomplish with the power of revision (it’s a theme, I know). I had several promising proposals that were targeted to Flipside when that line closed. I had several discussions with the authors about ways to change the story and characters to fit other lines...and it worked! A few authors added suspense and action elements making the books suitable for lines such as Bombshell and Romantic Suspense. A couple others spiked the sensuality as required for Blaze. We’ll always do what we can to publish a good story.

Welcome to Squawk, Wanda!

Did you check your cell phone for a tip calculator? Mine has one under “tools” Its a lifesaver, lemme tell ya.

Enjoy your stay!

Hey Liz! Where’s my chocolate? I gush about you all the time.

I am madly making notes. Thanks for all the info, Wanda.

I keep reading comments from authoritative and not-so-authoritative sources that editors are looking for hot romances or inspirationals. Do you think the industry is so polarized? Is there still room for writers who want to write books that fall between these extremes?

Wanda,

You said:

“Understanding story structure and how to make a story work are requirements of the job. All the reading I’ve done and the theory I’ve studied over the years has helped in that regard.”

I think that’s how I’ve squeaked by so far… I’ve read thousands of books… I am finally learning craft (5 manuscripts later haha) Are there any great resources out there on learning story structure?

(I promise to stop annoying people with craft questions… PROMISE! That was my last one).

Clever suggestion, Bookwormkim! I’ll have to keep that in mind...for those times when I’ve remembered to charge my cell.

Janga, there definitely is room for stories that fall between hot romances and inspirational stories. The line-up of Harlequin and Silhouette series demonstrates this point. Harlequin Superromance, Harlequin American Romance, and Silhouette Special Edition all publish well-told stories that focus on other aspects of characters lives than their sensual lives and their spiritual lives. Silhouette Romantic Suspense and Harlequin Intrigue look for stories with strong mystery and suspense elements. I firmly believe that readers want a well-told story that captures the highs and lows of falling in love. That will never go out of style regardless of what trend is currently popular.

Laura, I’m sure other authors have suggestions about craft books. I can recommend a couple I’ve read.

Robert McKee’s STORY is a good resource. Although it’s targeted to film, the principles of story he talks about are universal and apply equally to fiction writing.

I also found Donald Maas’s WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL workbook to be useful, in part because he does provide some practical ways to execute the concepts he discusses.

Good luck!

Wanda, what a great blog!  It’s really informative, as well as entertaining.  Thanks for taking the time to answer all these questions.  I’m learning so much!

Boy Wanda, are YOU refreshing!  Seriously. It’s so lovely to see you haven’t edited away your inner fan girl.

But you lost me on the tip discussion.

I’m cutting and pasting all your writing suggestions. 

So...for fear of asking you more of the same questions you get every day, I’m addressing the reader/friend in you.

Without mentioning Squawkers (and to help you be diplomatic), can you give us a smattering of your favorite reads, please?

And can you give us a juicy story about Liz?--hopefully, an embarrassing one?

J

You KNOW I love you, Liz!

WOW! I’m finally one of the cool kids in school! I tried logging into comments for hours and it gave me an error of some sort every time so this must be the most popular blog going!

And, did I hear someone has too much Scotch? I’ll be your friend Liz, so call me!

Wanda, thanks so much for your info. Most of my questions have been asked/answered and the rest are just plain interesting! Hope we don’t wear ya out!

Wanda, what a fantastic blog--I loved reading it, and I’m so DELIGHTED that you’re visiting us! I agree 100 percent about the revision process . . . as an author, it gives me a chance to intensify things I didn’t go into deeply enough before. Those tweaks suggested by a great editor can really make or break a book!

I didn’t know you were a Virgo--my daughter is too! A very lovable sign

Thanks for visiting, dear . . . it’s a true pleasure for all of us.

Wanda, this is fabulous stuff!!  This is so incredibly helpful!  Ask away, Laura T! 

Oh, and Wanda, do dish about Liz!  She is such the epitome of perfection that any semblance of regularity would be illuminating!
(See J, that’s how you show the love!)

Santa
Waiting wide eyed (Blink)(Blink)

BTW, love the avatar, Ms. Hellion!  Nothing like a man in kilt in an upwind....

Carolyn, I’m glad you’re enjoying my comments. As my family and friends will attest, I do live to entertain (sadly, sometimes I’m the only one who understands my sense of humor).

J, I assure you my inner fan girl is alive and well. Being a part of this industry has only made me love reading romance more. I’ve met--in person and through their books--so many talented authors whose gift of storytelling amazes me. It goes without saying that all of the Squawkers have pride of place on my bookshelves...honestly they do. I have a lot of favorite authors--too many to mention. I did discover J.R. Ward thanks to the Squawkers and devoured her books instantly. I tend to read historical romance and romantic suspense as well as some contemporary authors. Talking about it makes me want to rush home and read a book or two!

Juicy stories about Liz...I wish I had one! She hasn’t done anything other than be a fantastic author to work with. I always have so much fun hanging with her because she’s smart and has that wicked sense of humor. Oh, and there’s that writing talent of hers. Sorry to disappoint on that score.

Cara, I’m glad that you could finally post! And I’ve had a lot of fun here today...you’ve all been so welcoming and so gracious.

Lisa, your views on revisions are music to my ears! I know authors can feel punished by them...and I do recognize that I sometimes go overboard in what I think can be accomplished in a short period of time. But I have always been more impressed by the revised version of a manuscript. Of course...that could be the Virgo in me.

I have to agree about Virgos being lovable--my awesome sister and my best friend are both Virgos. The three of us in a snit isn’t pretty, but that doesn’t happen...much.

Again, thanks for having me visit the henhouse! It’s been a wonderful experience!

Ms. Ottewell,

What a fabulous blog!  Thank you so much for coming and answering all these questions.  I’m in college now, and my goal is eventually to become a romance novel editor. I’m just starting to learn about the industry, and this opportunity to read your insights is a dream. 

When you said, “All the reading I’ve done and the theory I’ve studied over the years has helped in that regard,” what exactly did you mean by theory? 

Is there any word of advice you wish someone had told you at the beginning of your editing career?

Thank you so much!

Hah! See there, J and Santa? I have no bad qualities.

Ah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah!

Ahem. Thanks, Wanda!

And, Cara, I’ll see you in the bar.

Wanda,

I hope that it’s still not too late to ask you another question. 

I was just wondering say that you have fourteen chapters of a book done and there will probably nineteen more… Should you wait until the book is finished to start querying or can you start now?

I don’t know about that, Liz!  Nothing a few well timed matinis couldn’t help bring forth!

Great question, Ely!

Word verification: thing26....weren’t thing one and thing two enough?

Okay Liz.  So your editor is a sweetie.

I’m going to Teresa for the juicy Liz story (not that you aren’t the epitome of sweet, T........how’d I do, San?)

J

Much better J.  You are such a quick study!

Wanda, THANK YOU for this gift: your time, your advice, and your enthusiasm. I couldn’t get in here earlier to comment or question, but I’ve copied and saved every bit of this post.

I just wanted to say Hi from one Wanda to another Wanda and to keep those authors on their toes writing what we love to read .