I think the most painful word in the world is "rejection," (this word is closely followed by "we can still be friends," and "I’m sorry, we don’t make that dessert anymore," but I digress). Rejection. Three syllables worth of disappointment, hurt, confusion—the angst-related synonyms could stretch on for eternity.

 

There are different reasons for rejection—the story doesn’t fit the line; there’s too much telling, not enough showing (writing, it appears, is the one industry where baring all and exposing one’s self are regarded as the commendable…unlike in the real world where showing your everything could get you a fine and jail time). Perhaps the most confusing rejection for a writer to hear is "It’s a good story, but it’s not a romance."

 

Not a romance? Not a romance! There’s a boy, there’s a girl, they end up together in the end. What else could the editor want?

 

Well, a lot, actually.

A Murder Wall is a vital tool for crime novelists. Imagine trying to write a story without knowing your suspects or their possible motives. For any great crime novelist, your job is to treat your novel like a police investigation, following the clues and the evidence until it reaches the outcome or climactic resolution. If you watch most great crime dramas such as Law & Order and Without a Trace, you will notice that investigators often use visuals on a wall to keep each case organized. This is a Murder Wall.

Article posted by Nina Davies with the permission of Cheryl Kaye Tardif.

The Midlist. You know where that is, don't you? Technically, the midlist is the well-stuffed section of a publisher's catalog full of books written by authors who are neither debut nor bestsellers. For new writers of commercial genre fiction, most especially in romance, this is a clear and well-defined destination. No longer a newbie, a midlister has a decent, if not magnificent, print run. A midlist writer probably has a good agent, a fairly attentive editor, and a growing audience. Life in the midlist is fine - not the fanciest house on the street, but, heck, it is in an exclusive neighborhood. The lure of 'lead' is out there, the next destination, the next move up.

Romantic suspense is one of the hottest subgenres in the market today and shows no sign of slowing. The subgenre is broad and encompasses a lot of different styles of writing, and one of the first questions that new writers ask is what exactly qualifies as ‘romantic suspense?’

Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of writing a miniseries with Joanne Rock.

How to write for two genres and/or two publishers and/or two editors and keep your voice, your writing style and your sanity! On how to be true to yourself as a writer and the line/publisher you write for.

"I wish I could do that!"

"Were you funny as a child?"

"Where do you come up with your ideas?"

I hear those comments every time someone learns I write romantic comedies. These are my stock answers:

Does size matter? Not as much as knowing what to do with it!

During our careers, many of us will write fiction of different lengths. Switching lengths is an adventure and a learning experience, and can be highly rewarding.

Read on to learn more from Susan Lyons' experience.