Wednesday, September 17, 2008

...getting my head out of my behind.

...it's very hard to admit you're wrong, or were wrong. Maybe that's just true for me, but being the overly controlled OCD person I am--I find it hard to say--yeah, well--I made a mistake, I need to do a complete about turn and get it together.

I've had a bad year. *sigh*

But, I was cranking along on my series romance, thinking--for some reason, even though I've got the whole thing plotted and it's "coming", something is missing. That "spark", the little piece that says, okay--it's "mine", isn't there. It's sort of me-lite. So I was out cruising the web, looking--I dunno for what--and came across this site.

43 folders

...sort of like block-busting for the creative, time-management--whatever, it's in there. I haven't begun to scratch the surface. It's on my TBR list. Some people have books? I have sites. Joshua James recently indexed his writing posts, and I'm trying to read them all--it might take some time.

43 says if you're stuck in your wip and can't get going--just write the scene you really want, forget the order, forget everything else. Just write. And I did. And...it was nothing like a Harlequin.

It was raw, dark--and angsty. Voice is a truism. You can't run from your voice. Your voice is what makes you...you.

I spent a lot of time at Nationals chasing HAR. Not a waste--not really. I realized my focus has changed, not so much an assemble piece, but more h/h. I got myself unstuck, in itself worth the price of admission. And in my own, dark, angsty, messed up view of the world, I still want to save people one at a time. Maybe...just not for Harlequin.

9 comments:

Jeanna said...

Where do you find the time? You are kind of dark and angsty, aren't you?

Unknown said...

Jeanna--I am the Queen of Angst. If angst was a personality trait, I'd have so much personality it'd be coming out of my pores.

I only wish I were the Queen of lots of Serious-Money, but--angst is fine. :)

Anonymous said...

Raw, dark and angsty? Ah, now there's the Jodi I know. :)

Harlequin has done plenty of angsty, BTW. I haven't kept up with them in the last 2-3 years, but you might still fit in the IM line.

Anonymous said...

Um... you DO have personality coming out of your pores.

Liana Laverentz said...

Welcome back :)

Unknown said...

Thank you, Liana. :)

And Alice--I thought I was simply raw, tired and about to do laundry. But I like the alternate Jodi much better.

Unhinged said...

I've read a couple of those HQs included in your treasure trove from the conference, but didn't come across much angst. Of course, I'm still in my vampire phase--but not ala Ward, Hamilton or Viehl. More like Meyer. I love her TWILIGHT series characters. Still!

Maybe I'm supposed to be a YA author. And you know how I'm still trying to find my voice, right? I'm still trying to figure it out and taking turns feeling offended, cheated and like a failure (because I mostly think and don't WRITE). So that's where's my head's been, and man it stinks.

I could never write for HQ. I can barely write for myself.

Anonymous said...

Laundry, angst... there could be a relationship. :)

Jeanna said...

Is the Angst Queen a super hero? Shouldn't it be?