Passion

I promised myself I would post several times a week.  Seems I’ve fallen behind.  Who can I blame?  Me , of course!  It’s been a busy week, with a helluva coughing/cold thrown in.  It’s some kind of bug going around my area.  My mom had a yard sale, an ordeal in itself.  Never again!  My grandson had his tonsils removed.  My washer broke down, sending me to the laundromat for an emergency wash. 

However I’m proud to say that I did continue writing.  I managed an hour+ each weekday in addition to my coffee shop meeting with some of the writers in my critique group.  We sit around a table (OUR table), pull out laptops and pound away.  Accompanied by coffee, tea, exotic brews, an occasional sweet treat and some talking.  

 Being a writer means you have to write. Regularly.  I don’t always manage the regularly part.  Writers don’t write in a vacuum though.  We have the same demands on our time as everyone.  Very few fiction writers are able to live solely on their writing income.

So why do we do it?  Passion.  Pure and simple.  We have stories churning inside us, clamoring to get out.  Or we simply have an itch to see words on paper, whether they make a story or not.

Why do we put our writing out there for others to see and judge?  Well, that’s another story.

Duty

“I think the first duty of all art, including fiction of any kind, is to entertain. That is to say, to hold interest. No matter how worthy the message of something, if it’s dull, you’re just not communicating.” –Poul Anderson

As a fiction writer I have to believe this.  My job is not to preach or moralize.  I try to reflect honest values of family and personal pride but that must be secondary to the story. 

Why Men Don’t Read Romances

Please give me feedback on this topic.  Why do you think some people turn away from romance novels, usually never having read one?

Here is some opinoion from one man who happens to be a romance writer and former Romances Writers of America president. Leigh Greenwood

http://www.romantictimes.com/authors_tip.php?tip=61

Getting Started

here are some beginning career stories from authors I like and admire

Cheris Hodges http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/entertainment/books/15474926.htm

Alice Wootson  http://www.romanceincolor.com/authormthwootson.htm

Michelle Monkou http://www.romanceincolor.com/authormthmonkou.htm

Gwynne Forster  http://www.romanceincolor.com/authormthforster2.htm

Beverly Jenkins http://www.romanceincolor.com/authormthjenkins.htm

Naming

Names are important in fiction writing.  Your character’s name leaves an impression. I.e., “Ralph” is not a romantic hero.  “Keshon” is a young Black male.  “Shenetra” is a ghetto girl.  “Shanna” is a pretty, maybe beautiful woman or girl.  “Heather” is a White girl who says “like” a lot.

Some authors use baby naming books. If you’re writing a science fiction or fantasy though, you’ll probably have to make up some names.  I like the ones who have obviously put some thought into conveying meaning through names, such as family, rank, nationality etc.

Here is a list of names I have on hand, which may become characters one day.

KARIE, KARRY, CARRIE

ALANNA

STEPHANIE

STEYANA, STEVANYA

STEVE, STEVIE

TIMON

CARON

JUSTINE

TENA

STELLA, STAR,
SHARON

AMANDA

DANTÉ, DONTÉ WEBB/PATTERSON

PALMER

CHARLOTTE

SHERRY, SHARLENE, SHERRY, CHARLENE, CHARLIE

ANDY

CARLIE, CARLY

STODDARD

ANNA CARLA

CARLY
ADAMS

CARLIE, CARLLY, CANDY

CARROL

WANDA CHERYL, SHIRLY

MERRY, MARY, CANDY, CARLY

CASIE, CASSANDRA, CASS,

ALLY ALLISON

SANDY, WEBB PALMER

ALLISON