For the last few days I’ve been enmeshed in a full time writer’s vacation. In an effort to step closer to my goal of being a full time writer, I’ve spent my whole vacation from my true full time job writing/editing at least 8 hours a day, and taking my writing as serious as a full time job. I’ve learned quite a bit from this time. The most important being pacing and other being a new respect for full time writers.

Starting off my fulltime writer’s vacation with a bang, I received my edits for Heart’s Ultimatum. I was thrilled when I saw them in my email as another goal I could get behind me as part of this vacation. I got them on Tuesday (the day before my vacation) and did the easy edits, such as deleting and adding commas, typos and fixing comma splices. On Wednesday, my first day of the full time writer’s vacation, I dug into the edits, but by the end of my eight hours that day I was feeling pretty drained and emotional. It took me a good twelve hours of sleep and a Kathy Griffin stand up special to get back to an even keel.

I learned from that first day the importance of pacing. Don’t do all your edits in one day, because that’s going to make you crazy. Once you get so far into edits you won’t be able to do anything else, you’re brains already drained. Since then I’ve been spending the first four or so hours of the day either writing or revising something new. Writing gives me energy, while revising and editing tend to take it away, so I need to building writing new stuff into the schedule early, to give me energy in the beginning of the day to make it through to the end and then I can end with edits, when I’d be tired any way.

I’ve also been spending an hour or two a day, doing promo. Setting up blog spots, emailing people, even discussing writing on some loops and facebook groups. That’s an important part of writing full time too, making sure people know who you are and where to find you when they want to buy your books.

Once I started to get the pacing down, I’ve been having a much better time on my full time writer’s vacation. I revised and submitted another work and I’m almost done with my edits for Heart’s Ultimatum, I hope to get them sent back within the next day or two, which is still way ahead of the January deadline set by my publisher.

For the remainder of the vacation (which will extend through January 2nd) I have one more short to revise and possibly submit (but it’s not ready I won’t push it, since I plan to submit it to a big publisher) and to write more of Foolish Desire and my superhero novella. I’d also love to make some progress on heart’s trailer, but we’ll see. That’s really at the bottom of the list as far as I’m concerned.

The biggest thing I’ve learned so far this week, is that being a fulltime writer is not as easy as it appears. It’s a lot easier to put in eight hours at my day job than my writing one (though there are definitely a few hard days at the EDJ too). It’s more emotional than I would have though and draining. While I still want to work towards being able to live off my writing, and open up more opportunities for myself for my future, whether it is writing full time, or with a part time EDJ or being a full time mom and part time writer, the future is pretty unclear. But I plan to keep working hard, pushing through and enjoying my writing the best I can.

Selected by a truly random number generator, the winner of my stuff your stockings christmas blog hop is June M.

You should be expecting your gift certificate soon June. I'm thrilled to not only be able to give you this gift, but also give you exactly what you asked for in your stock.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my blog for this hop, and I hope you come by again. I've already signed up for the valentine's day blog hop, and hope to have even more giveaways and awards avaliable on my blog in the future.

We’re at the half way point of my December Close Out plan, so I thought I’d let you all in on my progress so far. I finished revising and submitted one of the three shorts I wanted to push out the door this month, Snow Day, and I’ve made great strides towards revising the second one. I completed my character profiles for my superhero novella. And I completed the Midnight Mirage trailer I’ve been working on and off for months.

Here’s my results--

I’m very pleased with the progress. Though now that the month is partially done I realize some of my priorities need to be changed.

I had hoped to do a book trailer for Naughty List. And while I still want to build one someday, I think now that we’re so close to Christmas, my time would be better spent creating a book trailer for Heart’s Ultimatum so I can use it for promo during its release (February 2012).

I also had another great surprise this month. Amy and Will from Foolish Desire started to talk to me, and since I’d really like to get this book released during the spring/summer time (which means subbing it in January/February) I definitely listened to them. Not only have I completed all the character profiles for these two, and have a good handle on their personalities. I’ve even started writing. I have about 3k, and I’m only picking up speed. But this will probably keep me from finishing Hunter and Madison’s story for a little while longer.

Tomorrow my plan kicks into high gear, as my fulltime writer’s vacation starts. I’ll be focusing for at least eight hours a day on my writing for my entire vacation (besides Christmas day). In that time I should be able to revise and submit the other two shorts, as well as work on some of my other projects. I hope to have a very merry Christmas of writing and revising. And take a few steps closer to making my full time writer status not just a vacation, but a lifestyle.

Since the blog hop is all about stuffing your stocking full of great goodies. I thought I’d let you know a little of what I’m wishing for in my stocking. Hopefully Santa reads my blog, so he’ll know what to bring me Christmas morning.

An ereader that can hook into wifi, is in color, has a long battery life and allows you to add books from any site and in any format you want.

An endless supply of amazing books to read (would go really great with the above).

An agent that loves my work.

A book deal with a big NY Publisher

One of my books in print.

More time, so I could write half of the amazing ideas my muse comes up with (instead of the quarter or less I do now. My muse comes up with a lot of great ideas).

A new Evil Day Job. Preferably one where I could fewer hours and make the same or more money. One where I could help people would be even better.

A new condo with a garage, so I wouldn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to move my car in the snow before the plows go through.

Fat Free cheese that tastes good (I love cheese, but every fat free or low fat cheese I've ever tried is just gross, which

A litter box that doesn’t smell.

A way to cut my cats nails that they don’t hate, and only takes one person. Or maybe just some way to stop their nails from growing (I’ll leave it up to Santa to decide, whichever one he has in his shop is fine).

My own romance hero. I spend most of my days writing about great guys and reading about them too. I’d love to have my own real world example, who also understands why I spend so much time with other men (albeit fictional ones).

And most importantly…Snow for Christmas. I love snow at Christmas time, and it’s been years since we’ve had it. I’d love a nice white blanket across the lawn come Christmas morning.

While I’m getting this list off to Santa, why don’t you guys leave a comment of what you want into your stocking this year and I’ll add it to my list to the big guy. And you’ll be entered to win a $20 Gift Certificate to Allromanceebooks.com. Make sure to leave your email address so I can get in touch with you when Santa picks a winner on December 20th.

And make sure to keep hopping around the blogosphere to see all the other amazing stuff your stocking blogs and all the great prizes available.
You can find the complete list at http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page. Have a safe, amazing, happy holiday.

I don't know any romance author who hasn't heard that romance novels are shameful, below 'real' literature and ridiculous. This video shows how those stereotypes were created, and how romance novels are really good for women. Not only for them to enjoy and see more of the world than their tiny domestic sphere, but also as a means of income to support their families. 

So, for all those who want to roll your eyes at romance novels, here's the truth of you. Love it or hate it.

I'm over at Tonya's Rambling celebrating the 9th day of Christmas, talking about my greatest gift as an author, my gift of belief.  

I'm also giving away a copy of my christmas story, Naughty List, to one lucky commenter.

http://tonyasramblings.blogspot.com/2011/12/gift-of-belief-with-willa-edwards.html

Jennifer Labelle is featured on Nocturnal Nights. She shares with us her writing process, her beautiful covers and excerpts, and what in life she finds so inspiring.

http://tabithablake.blogspot.com/2011/12/interview-of-jennifer-labelle.html

So Nanowrimo has come and gone, and I won. But now it’s time to return to normal life, or as close as it gets in December. So I’ve put together a plan to make this December really count.

At my Evil Day Job, we have an event called the December Close Out. The idea is to move as much product as possible and make a big profit for the month/year. When I was in the sales force, I had to work it and push product big time. It’s a win/win for us and our customers. We get to move product off or books and increase our profits for the year, and they get a good deal. Now that I’m in finance I have to close out the financial books for the year, which is its own kind of chaos, but I’ve gotten off topic.

This December I plan to have my own close out. A writing close out. I want to get as many projects completed and pushed out the door as possible before January 1st.

My plan is already in practice. Wandering is currently with an editor, and I have a few more projects close to completion. I have a short story I wrote a while ago, entitled Snow Day, which I hope to send to a publisher by the end of the week, whether I can get a critique partner to look at it or not. I have two other short stories I want to finish revising and send to publishers, two trailers in the middle of completion and of course Hunter and Madison’s story to finish (my nanowrimo project). And I have another project I want to work on that I’d love to submit to Carina Press for a submission call they have. Due in March.

It’s a hefty load, especially with all the other blogs and programs I’m doing, plus Christmas shopping and the day job, but I’m going to do my best to get as much done as possible and start filling up my 2012 release schedule. And it will help that this year I’m going to take my first ever full time writers vacation.

A full time writer vacation is just what it sounds like. For my vacation I’m going to act like a full time writer. Which means this December (starting either the 21st or 22nd depending on how much vacation I have left for the year) I plan to promote, rewrite and revise like it’s my job, literally. And to work on my writing career for at least 8 hours a day (I’m going to time it :D) every day but Christmas and New Years Eve. So that should help me get some of these projects done. And help me end this year with a bang.

Wish me luck!!

Now that Nanowrimo is over, and I’m officially exhausted, but, like all Nanos, I’m so glad I did it. It took a lot of work, and a hard push towards the end, but I feel great. Though I’m not close to done with Madison and Hunter’s story yet, I don’t even have a title right now, 50,000 words has made a huge dent in the project, and it has allowed me to learn a lot about this new world I’m visiting.

I know the pack dynamics better. I understand the connection between Madison and the two legged world a lot more.  I’ve learned some of the character’s hard lines, and what their willing to give up for love, including Hunter’s abhorrence of anyone that eats medium steak! I even got to meet Sam and Lindsay, Hunter’s brother and sister-in-law, who play a huge part of his internal conflict. I certainly didn’t know I was going to meet them when I sat down at the computer on November 1st. I’ve also met two other characters I’ve come to love. Gary and Julie. I don’t yet know what their future is, but I’m hoping they both get a happily ever after eventually, whether I write it or not.

And I’ve learned what I don’t know, even though I thought I did. I don’t know Hunter’s relationship to Brianna. It seemed clear to me before, but as I write it doesn’t feel authentic. There’s some element of their relationship I don’t understand yet, and if it weren’t at the base of the story I might cut it out all together. This will need some time to soak that I didn’t get during crazy rush of Nano. But it will come to me eventually, it always has before.

I’m always amazed every time I do nano, it really does end up being a condensed version of the writing process, not only in words or time, but emotions too. I go through all the same emotions, from having the huge spurt of energy in the beginning, to hating my work in the middle, to finding a lot that I love in the end. It’s the emotional journey I take through every work, and every nano.

Would I do it again? Hell yeah. I love nano. November is my favorite month. And this nano was especially fun, since I got to take a stab at a different genre, which I probably wouldn’t have done without this event. If I’d just been writing as I normal do, I would have tried to finish up a project or get started on Amy’s story (though I didn’t know the story on November 1st. Another Nano present). But since I wanted to try for 50k, I knew none of my current projects would last that long, so I had to try something new. Now I have a whole new genre before me, and the potential to have many works in this new world.

Not too bad for 30 days….

Wolf Lake (temporary title) 51,305 words