But please, not the discount model--I only want the government standard Cone that actually works.
I can see you now, scratching your head and wondering, "What is she on about?" After all, random Get Smart references seem a little out of place on a blog about writing and Jane Austen. Bear with me, it will all make sense in a minute.
Confession time: I am addicted to conversation. In college, I'd hang out in the lounge until everyone else had gone to bed, just chatting away. Dorm life killed my sleep schedule. After college, I discovered instant messaging, and I'd be on AIM or Yahoo for all hours of the night.
Now, it's Twitter. I open it up intending to just scan through my feed and post something about writing, and suddenly I'm in the middle of a conversation. I do manage to get to bed earlier than I did when I was younger, but not before I've killed my writing time for the evening.
So here's my plan: Every night at 8:00, the Cone of Silence will fall over me and my novel. I will not be able to "hear" Twitter, and (hopefully), Twitter will not hear from me. At 10:00, the Cone will be lifted back to the ceiling and communication will resume.
I need your help, friends. If I start talking to you between 8:00 and 10:00 Pacific time, tell me to get offline and back to my writing. I'll probably whine, but I'll do it.
Meanwhile, does anyone know how I hang up my shoe?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Austenesque Lesson: Character Development
Characterization is a classic fanfiction pitfall, and Austen sequel readers are especially picky about this. They know these characters inside and out, and they want to recognize their favorites in our stories. To avoid their ire, we work hard to present the characters exactly as Austen left them.
However, that's not true to life and it's not good writing. People grow and change; I will not be the same person at the end of this year as I was at the beginning. That change is even more vital in fiction. If we are to believe the crisis that drives your plot matters, your character must be changed by the events.
In Charlotte Collins, Jennifer Becton strikes the middle ground. Becton begins her story with the Charlotte we all know, the lady who believed that "happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance." If anything, after seven years of marriage to Mr. Collins she is even more pragmatic than before.
After her husband's death, she is assiduously courted by two men; one a gentleman, the other a rake. When the rake ruins her reputation by spreading a scandalous falsehood about her, she is faced with a decision. Will she remain the same Charlotte who chose security over all other concerns, or will she risk everything for one chance at happiness?
Our last picture of Charlotte is of a woman who has finally found true love. Her life is no longer ruled by propriety or a striving for security. Her life is exactly the opposite of where Jane Austen left her, but those same purists we fear have done nothing but praise this book.
There are three keys to Becton's success. I already touched on the first--Charlotte starts out as the recognizable Austen character. The second is an inciting incident that is both believable and big enough to cause the ripple effect you're looking for. Mr. Collins' death certainly qualifies on both counts.
The third is where the magic is. Charlotte doesn't transform overnight. This is where that little thing called plot comes into play. Each decision Charlotte makes drives her to the next change, which leads to the next decision. When we finally reach the climax of the story, she is sufficiently changed that we can almost guess what she will do.
Character development is a difficult balancing act when writing a Jane Austen sequel, but if we pull it off, the result is a book that will satisfy both the purist and someone only looking for a good story.
However, that's not true to life and it's not good writing. People grow and change; I will not be the same person at the end of this year as I was at the beginning. That change is even more vital in fiction. If we are to believe the crisis that drives your plot matters, your character must be changed by the events.
In Charlotte Collins, Jennifer Becton strikes the middle ground. Becton begins her story with the Charlotte we all know, the lady who believed that "happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance." If anything, after seven years of marriage to Mr. Collins she is even more pragmatic than before.
After her husband's death, she is assiduously courted by two men; one a gentleman, the other a rake. When the rake ruins her reputation by spreading a scandalous falsehood about her, she is faced with a decision. Will she remain the same Charlotte who chose security over all other concerns, or will she risk everything for one chance at happiness?
Our last picture of Charlotte is of a woman who has finally found true love. Her life is no longer ruled by propriety or a striving for security. Her life is exactly the opposite of where Jane Austen left her, but those same purists we fear have done nothing but praise this book.
There are three keys to Becton's success. I already touched on the first--Charlotte starts out as the recognizable Austen character. The second is an inciting incident that is both believable and big enough to cause the ripple effect you're looking for. Mr. Collins' death certainly qualifies on both counts.
The third is where the magic is. Charlotte doesn't transform overnight. This is where that little thing called plot comes into play. Each decision Charlotte makes drives her to the next change, which leads to the next decision. When we finally reach the climax of the story, she is sufficiently changed that we can almost guess what she will do.
Character development is a difficult balancing act when writing a Jane Austen sequel, but if we pull it off, the result is a book that will satisfy both the purist and someone only looking for a good story.
Monday, February 21, 2011
England, Research, and More
England
Have you noticed the widget at the bottom of the right column? I'm taking off for England in just 28 days! I'll be there two weeks, touring and visiting friends.
Of course, the first stop on my trip is Hampshire and all the Jane Austen sites. I'll stay three days with a friend in Winchester, where I'll visit her grave at the cathedral. I'll also take the bus out to Alton to visit the Jane Austen's House Museum and possibly Chawton House Library. (My only hesitation is that I don't know if I'd have time to actually use the library.) Then I'll be off to Portsmouth and the Royal Naval Museum so I can take notes for a future story featuring Wentworth. When I'm in Bath the following week, I'll go to the Jane Austen Centre there.
I'm reaching out to you, friends. Do you know of any place special I ought to visit a Janeite? Maybe there's a bookstore that carries a wide selection of her works and related criticism, or... well, I don't really know what else.
Research
That brings me to my second point. I'm in the middle of edits, and I am constantly finding things I need to research more. What resources do you turn to? I'm interested in books, blogs, or websites--anything that might give more insight into the early Regency. I do have quite the library of my own, but I still feel like there's something I'm missing.
Right now I'm interested in the life of a Regency gentleman. There are several good books out there on Regency women, but I haven't seen anything focused primarily on the men.
More
I will post the first Austenesque Lesson on Thursday. As you can imagine, I read a lot of Austenesque novels. I try to learn something from each book, a lesson that will make my own stories stronger. Some will relate to the broader craft of writing, but oftentimes they will highlight things unique to writing Jane Austen sequels.
Have you noticed the widget at the bottom of the right column? I'm taking off for England in just 28 days! I'll be there two weeks, touring and visiting friends.
Of course, the first stop on my trip is Hampshire and all the Jane Austen sites. I'll stay three days with a friend in Winchester, where I'll visit her grave at the cathedral. I'll also take the bus out to Alton to visit the Jane Austen's House Museum and possibly Chawton House Library. (My only hesitation is that I don't know if I'd have time to actually use the library.) Then I'll be off to Portsmouth and the Royal Naval Museum so I can take notes for a future story featuring Wentworth. When I'm in Bath the following week, I'll go to the Jane Austen Centre there.
I'm reaching out to you, friends. Do you know of any place special I ought to visit a Janeite? Maybe there's a bookstore that carries a wide selection of her works and related criticism, or... well, I don't really know what else.
Research
That brings me to my second point. I'm in the middle of edits, and I am constantly finding things I need to research more. What resources do you turn to? I'm interested in books, blogs, or websites--anything that might give more insight into the early Regency. I do have quite the library of my own, but I still feel like there's something I'm missing.
Right now I'm interested in the life of a Regency gentleman. There are several good books out there on Regency women, but I haven't seen anything focused primarily on the men.
More
I will post the first Austenesque Lesson on Thursday. As you can imagine, I read a lot of Austenesque novels. I try to learn something from each book, a lesson that will make my own stories stronger. Some will relate to the broader craft of writing, but oftentimes they will highlight things unique to writing Jane Austen sequels.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Three Reasons Why I'm Indie-Bound
This weekend, I made the monumental decision to self-publish HIS GOOD OPINION. There are dozens of reasons why I believe this is the right choice for me and my book, but I'm only going to share three with you today.
1) I can speak my mind. I'm not the type to mouth off about agents or the publishing industry as a whole, so that's not what I mean. However, those same agents tend to look down on NaNoWriMo, and I am heavily involved with that program. Not only was HIS GOOD OPINION originally written during NaNoWriMo, I actually run my local region. I've censored myself more than once on Twitter or in a blog post, afraid a potential agent would run if they knew.
2) The market is ripe for self-published authors. In fact, current events might skew it in favor of indies. Eric at Pimp My Novel made an interesting point today about the effect Borders' bankruptcy could have on the midlist author. As that is what I am/will be, I definitely took notice. Meanwhile, the establishment is finally showing some respect to the indies. USA Today included self-published works in their bestseller list for the first time last week, and eventually others will follow.
3) I am fiercely independent. I didn't realize how independent until I decided to do this. The sheer excitement is almost overwhelming. I will choose the cover, I will make marketing decisions, I will connect with local bookstores. It's definitely a lot of work, but I love the thought of doing it all myself.
The strange thing is that I've never thought of myself as an entrepreneur. My brother is the business person in our family; I'm the artist/creative type. But writing is a business too, and when it comes to the business aspect of my own livelihood, I want to handle it myself.
Those are three of the biggest reasons. I have others, some of which I'll share later. Feel free to ask questions in the comments; if several of you ask the same thing, I'll probably answer in another post.
EDIT, 8/12/11: Some of those other reasons were explained on Indie Jane today.
1) I can speak my mind. I'm not the type to mouth off about agents or the publishing industry as a whole, so that's not what I mean. However, those same agents tend to look down on NaNoWriMo, and I am heavily involved with that program. Not only was HIS GOOD OPINION originally written during NaNoWriMo, I actually run my local region. I've censored myself more than once on Twitter or in a blog post, afraid a potential agent would run if they knew.
2) The market is ripe for self-published authors. In fact, current events might skew it in favor of indies. Eric at Pimp My Novel made an interesting point today about the effect Borders' bankruptcy could have on the midlist author. As that is what I am/will be, I definitely took notice. Meanwhile, the establishment is finally showing some respect to the indies. USA Today included self-published works in their bestseller list for the first time last week, and eventually others will follow.
3) I am fiercely independent. I didn't realize how independent until I decided to do this. The sheer excitement is almost overwhelming. I will choose the cover, I will make marketing decisions, I will connect with local bookstores. It's definitely a lot of work, but I love the thought of doing it all myself.
The strange thing is that I've never thought of myself as an entrepreneur. My brother is the business person in our family; I'm the artist/creative type. But writing is a business too, and when it comes to the business aspect of my own livelihood, I want to handle it myself.
Those are three of the biggest reasons. I have others, some of which I'll share later. Feel free to ask questions in the comments; if several of you ask the same thing, I'll probably answer in another post.
EDIT, 8/12/11: Some of those other reasons were explained on Indie Jane today.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Hero profile: Fitzwilliam Darcy
Two of my Twitter friends and I have discovered that in addition to Jane Austen, we all share a love for Star Wars and Superman. As these aren't interests that tend to go alongside each other, we wondered what common point they all share and eventually we landed on the ideal of a hero. Since today is Valentine's Day, the three of us are all blogging about our favorite hero: Jessica is writing about Superman and Rebecca about Han Solo. I get to share my love of Darcy with you for the first time.
First, I have a confession to make: Darcy did not immediately win me over when I first read Pride and Prejudice as a teenager. His first proposal was disastrous and though his second was better, there just didn't seem to be much to swoon over. I was much more taken by Elizabeth's strength and wit. I wanted to be Elizabeth, rather than be with Darcy.
That didn't really change until I decided to tell Darcy's story. To gain a better understanding of him, I read the novel once more with I had two questions in mind: 1) What made him so reluctant to give his good opinion to others, and 2) How did Elizabeth so easily gain it, almost against his own will? The answer completely won me over.
Darcy prizes honesty above all else. As a man of position and wealth, he is accustomed to being used and pursued. Men want to be known as his friend and women want to be courted by him. His disdain of this is clear in his response to Miss Bingley in Chapter Eight: "Undoubtedly," replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefuly addressed, "there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable." Caroline catches enough of his point to drop the subject.
Elizabeth is often described as artless--that is, free from deceit. She never pretends to like Darcy, and thus he cannot help but fall in love with her. Unfortunately, it does not occur to him that if she shows him the barest civility, she actually might not like him. This he discovers in his proposal, when that same admirable honest streak leads him to say things he perhaps ought to have kept to himself.
However, Darcy is not just honest with others, he is also honest with himself. After the immediate sting of Elizabeth's rebuke dulls, he sees the truth in her words and he resolves to change. He respects her opinion enough to trust her insight, even when her words hurt.
An honest man who wants nothing more than to be deserving of an honest woman? Swoon. Then he takes Lydia's rescue upon himself to save Elizabeth the pain of having a fallen woman for a sister and his character is fixed as the noblest man in Derbyshire. I could not help but fall in love with him, as generations of women before me have done.
So much of modern courtship is deceit. Pretend to be someone you aren't, so the other person (who is also pretending) will then fall in love with someone that doesn't exist. No wonder relationships are falling apart! We need heroes; men who are honest with us and with themselves, who are willing to tells us the truth about our flaws and listen when we gently point out theirs. We need... Well, just watch this.
First, I have a confession to make: Darcy did not immediately win me over when I first read Pride and Prejudice as a teenager. His first proposal was disastrous and though his second was better, there just didn't seem to be much to swoon over. I was much more taken by Elizabeth's strength and wit. I wanted to be Elizabeth, rather than be with Darcy.
That didn't really change until I decided to tell Darcy's story. To gain a better understanding of him, I read the novel once more with I had two questions in mind: 1) What made him so reluctant to give his good opinion to others, and 2) How did Elizabeth so easily gain it, almost against his own will? The answer completely won me over.
Darcy prizes honesty above all else. As a man of position and wealth, he is accustomed to being used and pursued. Men want to be known as his friend and women want to be courted by him. His disdain of this is clear in his response to Miss Bingley in Chapter Eight: "Undoubtedly," replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefuly addressed, "there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable." Caroline catches enough of his point to drop the subject.
Elizabeth is often described as artless--that is, free from deceit. She never pretends to like Darcy, and thus he cannot help but fall in love with her. Unfortunately, it does not occur to him that if she shows him the barest civility, she actually might not like him. This he discovers in his proposal, when that same admirable honest streak leads him to say things he perhaps ought to have kept to himself.
However, Darcy is not just honest with others, he is also honest with himself. After the immediate sting of Elizabeth's rebuke dulls, he sees the truth in her words and he resolves to change. He respects her opinion enough to trust her insight, even when her words hurt.
An honest man who wants nothing more than to be deserving of an honest woman? Swoon. Then he takes Lydia's rescue upon himself to save Elizabeth the pain of having a fallen woman for a sister and his character is fixed as the noblest man in Derbyshire. I could not help but fall in love with him, as generations of women before me have done.
So much of modern courtship is deceit. Pretend to be someone you aren't, so the other person (who is also pretending) will then fall in love with someone that doesn't exist. No wonder relationships are falling apart! We need heroes; men who are honest with us and with themselves, who are willing to tells us the truth about our flaws and listen when we gently point out theirs. We need... Well, just watch this.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Presenting the Romace Title Generator
After a week of outlandishly funny suggestions, the Romance Title Generator is ready. To create your own romance title, simply select a handful of words from the lists below. For example:
The Castronian Prince's Mysterious Reporter
Bought for the Billionaire Mechanic's Oleaginous Pleasure
Claiming His Concubine Bride
As promised, the list now has its own page for easy reference. Have fun, ladies.
Exotic locale
Castronia
Kyalonia
Aniketos
Euphrasia
Andulasa
Eapretia
Agrada
Crete
Rome
Capri
Mediterranean
Caribbean
Southern
Capitol
Estate
Manor
Castle
Penthouse
Suite
Trailer (Park)
Hero
Rocket scientist
Honest politician
Best-selling novelist
Chef
Billionaire
Millionaire
CEO
Prince
Duke
King
Sheik
Cowboy
Rancher
Shipping magnate
Human Resources Director
Senator
Archeologist
Mechanic
Artist
Musician
Doctor
Master Gardener
Naval Commander
Pirate
Engineer
Actor
Model
Cartographer
Rogue
Boss
Playboy
Soldier
Father
Stranger
Laird
Lord
Earl
Chieftan
Gentleman
Detective
Cop
Spy
Reproductive Endocrinologist
Heroine
Bride
Mistress
Secretary
Enemy
Princess
Tourist
Virgin
Prisoner
Stowaway
Nanny
Teacher
Nurse
Doctor
Wedding Planner
Caterer
Television Host
Reporter
Waitress
Stable hand
Single Mom
Paralegal
Waif
Wife
Housekeeper
Innocent
Love-slave
concubine
harem girl
lassie/lass
starlet
Adjective
Pregnant
Reluctant
Captive
Secret
Mysterious
Passionate
Wicked
Innocent
Virginal
Sudden
Ruthless
Chivalrous
Lustful
Heart-breaking
Devilish
Angelic
Devoted
Fearless
Courageous
Enchanted
Wanton
Oleaginous
Lascivious
Wistful
Yearning
Devestating
Undercover
Fugitive
Deceitful
Expectant
Stormy
Bought
Red-hot
Sexy
Notorious
One-night
Convenient
Inconvenient
Forced
Royal
Reclusive
Untamed
Dark
Innocent
Public
Impatient
High stakes
Private
Cruel
Tortured
Highland
Daring
Verb
Bought
Stolen
Bought and paid for
Purchased
Seduced
Ransomed
Married
Kidnapped
Abducted
Punished
Abandoned
Jilted
Attracted
Enthralled
Captivated
Masqueraded
Hidden
Surrendered
Tamed
Kissed
Cherished
Adored
Worshipped
Ravished
Disputed
Desired
Tempted
Hijacked
Bonded
Redeemed
Wedded
Tricked
Blackmailed
Failling
Hired
Claiming
Revealed
Married
Taken
Extra element
Baby
Revenge
Marriage
Surprise
Twins
Seduction
Bargain
Acquisition
Merger
Inheritance
Wedding
Pleasure
The Castronian Prince's Mysterious Reporter
Bought for the Billionaire Mechanic's Oleaginous Pleasure
Claiming His Concubine Bride
As promised, the list now has its own page for easy reference. Have fun, ladies.
Exotic locale
Castronia
Kyalonia
Aniketos
Euphrasia
Andulasa
Eapretia
Agrada
Crete
Rome
Capri
Mediterranean
Caribbean
Southern
Capitol
Estate
Manor
Castle
Penthouse
Suite
Trailer (Park)
Hero
Rocket scientist
Honest politician
Best-selling novelist
Chef
Billionaire
Millionaire
CEO
Prince
Duke
King
Sheik
Cowboy
Rancher
Shipping magnate
Human Resources Director
Senator
Archeologist
Mechanic
Artist
Musician
Doctor
Master Gardener
Naval Commander
Pirate
Engineer
Actor
Model
Cartographer
Rogue
Boss
Playboy
Soldier
Father
Stranger
Laird
Lord
Earl
Chieftan
Gentleman
Detective
Cop
Spy
Reproductive Endocrinologist
Heroine
Bride
Mistress
Secretary
Enemy
Princess
Tourist
Virgin
Prisoner
Stowaway
Nanny
Teacher
Nurse
Doctor
Wedding Planner
Caterer
Television Host
Reporter
Waitress
Stable hand
Single Mom
Paralegal
Waif
Wife
Housekeeper
Innocent
Love-slave
concubine
harem girl
lassie/lass
starlet
Adjective
Pregnant
Reluctant
Captive
Secret
Mysterious
Passionate
Wicked
Innocent
Virginal
Sudden
Ruthless
Chivalrous
Lustful
Heart-breaking
Devilish
Angelic
Devoted
Fearless
Courageous
Enchanted
Wanton
Oleaginous
Lascivious
Wistful
Yearning
Devestating
Undercover
Fugitive
Deceitful
Expectant
Stormy
Bought
Red-hot
Sexy
Notorious
One-night
Convenient
Inconvenient
Forced
Royal
Reclusive
Untamed
Dark
Innocent
Public
Impatient
High stakes
Private
Cruel
Tortured
Highland
Daring
Verb
Bought
Stolen
Bought and paid for
Purchased
Seduced
Ransomed
Married
Kidnapped
Abducted
Punished
Abandoned
Jilted
Attracted
Enthralled
Captivated
Masqueraded
Hidden
Surrendered
Tamed
Kissed
Cherished
Adored
Worshipped
Ravished
Disputed
Desired
Tempted
Hijacked
Bonded
Redeemed
Wedded
Tricked
Blackmailed
Failling
Hired
Claiming
Revealed
Married
Taken
Extra element
Baby
Revenge
Marriage
Surprise
Twins
Seduction
Bargain
Acquisition
Merger
Inheritance
Wedding
Pleasure
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Romance title generator: That Extra Something
I apologize for posting this so late. I'm not feeling well today, so I stayed in bed for the morning.
What exactly do I mean by extra element? Essentially, this is anything that commonly shows up in a romance title but doesn't fit into any of the other categories. Baby and Revenge are two examples that come to mind immediately.
We're almost to the end of this project. Monday I'll post the complete list, and we can spend the week creating bizarre and random romance titles. The Romance Title Generator will also have its own page on my blog for easy access whenever you need a laugh.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjectives
Friday: Verbs
Saturday: Extra element
What exactly do I mean by extra element? Essentially, this is anything that commonly shows up in a romance title but doesn't fit into any of the other categories. Baby and Revenge are two examples that come to mind immediately.
We're almost to the end of this project. Monday I'll post the complete list, and we can spend the week creating bizarre and random romance titles. The Romance Title Generator will also have its own page on my blog for easy access whenever you need a laugh.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjectives
Friday: Verbs
Saturday: Extra element
Friday, February 4, 2011
Romance title generator: Verbs
The last two elements of romance titles, while easy to spot, are not as ubiquitous as sheiks and pregnant secretaries. Here are a few examples to get you thinking.
Bought by the Billionaire Prince
Stolen by the Sheik
Purchased for Revenge
His Bought and Paid for Bride
Once again, those are real titles. (I could go into a long ramble at this point about why titles that subjugate women sell... to women. I won't though, as the purpose of the game is to have fun, not get caught up in the psychology of marketing.) I've got a long list of verbs that I collected in my research today, but I'm very curious to see what you come up with. Some of your non-traditional answers have been hilarious. I'm especially interested to read The Oleaginous Human Resources Director's Pregnant Hairstylist.
Grammatical disclaimer: I realize that many of the verbs and verb phrases in romance titles are used as adjectives. However, they are still verbs and thus deserve their own column in the matrix.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjectives
Friday: Verbs
Saturday: Extra element
Bought by the Billionaire Prince
Stolen by the Sheik
Purchased for Revenge
His Bought and Paid for Bride
Once again, those are real titles. (I could go into a long ramble at this point about why titles that subjugate women sell... to women. I won't though, as the purpose of the game is to have fun, not get caught up in the psychology of marketing.) I've got a long list of verbs that I collected in my research today, but I'm very curious to see what you come up with. Some of your non-traditional answers have been hilarious. I'm especially interested to read The Oleaginous Human Resources Director's Pregnant Hairstylist.
Grammatical disclaimer: I realize that many of the verbs and verb phrases in romance titles are used as adjectives. However, they are still verbs and thus deserve their own column in the matrix.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjectives
Friday: Verbs
Saturday: Extra element
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Romance title generator: Adjectives
Our novels so far take us from Agrada to Castronia to Kyalonia. They are filled with princes and virgins, sheiks and nannies. But what kind of princes and nannies are they? Reluctant? Pregnant? Vengeful? Only you can decide! (Just trying add a bit of drama to the proceedings...)
The creators of romance titles are clearly not admonished to tighten up their writing. While authors are told never to use two words when one will suffice, in romance titles we find such winning combinations as billionaire magnate or innocent virgin. Of course, sometimes rather than being redundant, the titles are illogical. Who's ever heard of a virgin mistress or an inexperienced love-slave?
I know you many of yesterday's heroines included the adjectives. Go ahead and repost those today, in addition to any others you can think of. Remember, these are describing any aspect of the title--the hero, heroine, marriage (of REVENGE!!), the baby... anything.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjectives
Friday: Verb
Saturday: Extra element
The creators of romance titles are clearly not admonished to tighten up their writing. While authors are told never to use two words when one will suffice, in romance titles we find such winning combinations as billionaire magnate or innocent virgin. Of course, sometimes rather than being redundant, the titles are illogical. Who's ever heard of a virgin mistress or an inexperienced love-slave?
I know you many of yesterday's heroines included the adjectives. Go ahead and repost those today, in addition to any others you can think of. Remember, these are describing any aspect of the title--the hero, heroine, marriage (of REVENGE!!), the baby... anything.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjectives
Friday: Verb
Saturday: Extra element
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Romance title generator: The Heroine
You guys definitely outdid yourselves with the heroes. We had the complete list of classics, from princes to sheiks to magnates, and then there were the random, over the top suggestions like best-selling author and human resources director.
Now we're moving on to the heroine. I'll get the obvious descriptor out of the way: pregnant. My coworkers and I spent at least five minutes today listing all the different ways women are said to be pregnant in romance titles. My favorite was pregnant and surprised--one I'm sure I've actually seen!
Don't forget, it's not always the man who's the prince. Sometimes, the heroine is a princess and the man is a completely unacceptable match for her. I'll leave it to you to figure it out from here.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjectives
Friday: Verb
Saturday: Extra element
Now we're moving on to the heroine. I'll get the obvious descriptor out of the way: pregnant. My coworkers and I spent at least five minutes today listing all the different ways women are said to be pregnant in romance titles. My favorite was pregnant and surprised--one I'm sure I've actually seen!
Don't forget, it's not always the man who's the prince. Sometimes, the heroine is a princess and the man is a completely unacceptable match for her. I'll leave it to you to figure it out from here.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjectives
Friday: Verb
Saturday: Extra element
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Romance title generator: The Hero
Yesterday we made a list of the far-flung places where romance novels take place. Your suggestions were hilarious. These do occasionally make their way into the title; for instance, "The Agradan Prince's Lovechild of Revenge."
Today we're moving on to perhaps the single most important element: The Hero. Is he a prince? A sheik? A billionaire? You decide. Once we've exhausted the commonly used professions, feel free to make some up. After all, this list is in the interest of fun.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjective
Friday: Verb
Saturday: Extra element
Today we're moving on to perhaps the single most important element: The Hero. Is he a prince? A sheik? A billionaire? You decide. Once we've exhausted the commonly used professions, feel free to make some up. After all, this list is in the interest of fun.
Monday: Exotic location
Tuesday: Hero
Wednesday: Heroine
Thursday: Adjective
Friday: Verb
Saturday: Extra element
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