Today author Heather Lin joins me to talk about writing and editing Westridge, her new romance novel. Read to the end for an insightful excerpt comparing the original opening of chapter one against the edited intro. What a difference small changes can make!

Before we jump into our interview, though, meet Gabby and Jason, the stars of the book:

Gabby Jones and Jason Dawson were born only months apart in the small town of Westridge. For the next eighteen years, they were inseparable, but after their high school graduation, Gabby got on a bus to the city, leaving Jason with a weak explanation and a broken heart. After five years of making it a point to avoid her old flame, Gabby comes home for a funeral and, thanks to meddling parents and circumstance, she and Jason are thrown together again.

But now Jason is an auto mechanic with an ex-wife and a daughter, and Gabby owns a successful flower shop in the city. Even if Gabby is able to admit she still loves Jason, and even if Jason is able to convince her to tell him the real reason she left, will they be able to get past the changes and broken pieces in time to start over?


Please note that Heather Lin is a blog guest and not a Romance Refined client.

 
Rachel: Thanks so much for stopping by, Heather. Let’s start by talking about your writing process. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Heather: I am a proud pantser. The one time I tried to work with a detailed outline, the story came out just awful. I get an idea, I write down the bare bones, and then I get to work.

Rachel: That’s what I love about interviewing authors: for all the advice out there, I think writers need to be reminded that there is no right or wrong way to write a book. Study, ask questions, try new methods, but ultimately each author must do what works for them.

Do you have a critique partner or beta reader that you consult before submitting to agents or editors?

Fans have been eagerly awaiting the follow-up to the popular, sexy, angsty, paranormal mythological fantasy (yeah, it's all those things!) Blood Flows Deep in the Empire, and it's here! Blood Stained Tranquility is mere days away from publication. Read to the bottom of this blog post to enter to win each title in the highly-rated Szolite series, which "pits free-will against Destiny, Destiny against Fate, and love against brutal desire."

Please note that N. Isabelle Blanco is a blog guest, not a Romance Refined client.

Rachel: Thanks so much for stopping by on your blog tour! When you were writing Blood Stained Tranquility, was it a private affair until it was time for submission, or did you seek early feedback as part of your self-editing process?

N. Isabelle Blanco: I actually have an entire team of people (most importantly, my fellow business partner and author, Elena M. Reyes) that are with me during the entire writing process. I can’t write “blind” and need to have opinions on how I’m doing as I go.

Rachel: If I were an author, I think I’d be much the same! How tightly do you hold onto your original plot and character ideas, even if you feel they aren’t coming together?

As an editor, education and awareness are ongoing endeavors for me. Grammar rules, spelling, and style preferences get updated; plot trends are constantly in flux; industry operations are changing rapidly these days; publishers, agents, editors, and organizations are interacting with "the public" like never before, offering up-to-the-minute insight; and I try to stay abreast of it all as best I can.

Here are some of my favorite clicks from last week:

• "Top 3 Reasons Why Manuscripts Get Rejected": Three tips each from a literary agent, an editor, and an author. (Authors Publish Magazine)
• "The Real Men Who Read Romance": Romance authors might have a larger fan base than they think, and could expand it even further with different marketing tactics. But should they? (Huff Post Books -- The Blog)
• "Highbrow Media's Sexist Blind Spot: Romance Novels": What will it take for the romance genre to be taken seriously? (Salon)
• "Publishers Are Warming to FanFiction, But Can it Go Mainstream?": Another new viable avenue to becoming a published, money-earning writer in this ever-changing publishing landscape. (Wired)

Did you find any of these links helpful? Have you stumbled across some goldmines of your own this past week? I'd love to see your comments!

As an editor, education and awareness are ongoing endeavors for me. Grammar rules, spelling, and style preferences get updated; plot trends are constantly in flux; industry operations are changing rapidly these days; publishers, agents, editors, and organizations are interacting with "the public" like never before, offering up-to-the-minute insight; and I try to stay abreast of it all as best I can.

Here are some of my favorite clicks from last week:

• "How to Say 'This is Crap' in Different Cultures": After 4 years in England, I definitely know this advice to be true! Although this article is aimed at business environments, it's pertinent for writing dialogue for characters from a country other than the writer's own. (Harvard Business Review)
• "10 Things I Wish I Knew as a Beginning Writer": Do you know what to expect? (Authors Publish Magazine)
• "The Three Stages of Editing (and Nine Handy Do-It-Yourself Tips": Just like it sounds! Tips for authors to re-write, edit, and proofread their work. (Aliventures)
• "Confessions of a (Retired) Grammar Cop": There's a difference between being helpful and critical. (Craig Forsyth)