A Slice of Orange

Lately I’ve been thinking—and talking and blogging—about romance novel heroines. Usually it’s heroes who take over the limelight in any discussion of characters. Dark hair or blond? Cop or sheikh? Cowboy or bad boy? We all have our preferences, and we’re not afraid to state ’em.

But when I read a romance, it’s just as important (well, almost) that I like the heroine. Love her, even. After all, she needs to be worthy of that fantastic hero, and I want to be sure she’ll make him as happy as he makes her. Which isn’t going to happen if she’s, say, whiny. Or selfish. Or dull.

There’s a theory that when you read a romance novel, you “become” the heroine. Subconsciously, you put yourself in her place, experience her trials and her delights. Which makes it all the more important for the heroine to be someone you like.

I like my heroines strong, but with a sweetness of character that reminds the hero just how churlish he’s being. A great heroine knows what she wants and is willing to work for it. Intelligent – very! Honest and principled, too (though she may at some stage have to fake an engagement, pretend her marriage of convenience is for real, or pose as the hero’s girlfriend…all in a day’s work for even the most honest heroine).

What I don’t want is a perfect heroine: never having a mean thought, always sacrificing ungrudgingly for others (if you’re going to sacrifice, it’s more realistic to begrudge it!), endlessly patient. As for the heroine who refuses to accept the gorgeous designer dress purchased for her by the super-rich hero…what’s that about? No, my kind of heroine is also a pragmatist…one who likes nice clothes even if she’s not always sure how to choose them.

So who are these non-paragons I love to read about?

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has written a few of my favorite heroines: Annabelle in MATCH ME IF YOU CAN, Daisy in KISS AN ANGEL and Jane in NOBODY’S BABY BUT MINE. I loved Maggie in Kristan Higgins’ CATCH OF THE DAY. Karina Bliss wrote a wonderful librarian in WHAT THE LIBRARIAN DID.

Becky Brandon nee Bloomwood (aka SHOPAHOLIC) is a heroine I loved more in the subsequent books than in the first one, but I’ve adored her through five books.

Georgette Heyer’s heroines deserve a special mention. She wrote so many delightful women (or girls). Warm and funny Arabella and Venetia in the eponymous novels, Mary in DEVIL’S CUB (feistier than the hero could ever have dreamed), wry and creative Hester in SPRIG MUSLIN, courageous Phoebe in SYLVESTER.

If you can recommend a great heroine whose story I can add to my To Be Read pile, I’d love to know!

“Everything comes to those who hustle while they wait.” –Thomas Edison

I got that quote in a writing workshop years ago and have it hanging on the wall above my desk. I think it really defines the business of being a writer.

Much of the writing business involves waiting. The wheels of publishing turn very slowly, and a writer who wants to be successful in publishing has to make the best of time while waiting for that response from the agent or editor or that contract or that check. Now you can hang out in front of the TV for the weeks it might take to get that call or that contract or that check—or you can use that time to make things happen in your career while you wait.

Becoming and staying published is partly about good writing, partly about determination, and partly about luck. Now a writer can learn her craft, and she can doggedly do her research about the market. That takes care of good writing and determination. But what about luck?

What some people call luck, I call opportunity. And opportunities abound for those who are watching for them. The trick is having the courage to jump on the chance when it comes around.

Chances to move your career forward happen every day, and I firmly believe that half of them come for the writer who does everything she can to make something happen. How do you do that? Put yourself in the way of potential opportunity whenever you can. Hustle while you wait!

Networking is one way to do this. Get to know people. The more contacts you make, the more chances you have of hearing the newest market news as soon as it hits the grapevine. Facebook, Twitter, writers meetings, email loops…there are tons of ways to network without going too far from home. Also, the more people you know, the more people you will get to meet as your friends introduce you to their friends.

Get involved with your chapter. Not only will you get to know other members, but holding a position on the board or a committee could put you in a position to meet visiting industry VIPs face-to-face. Great networking opportunity!

Enter contests. Contests are subjective, but there is always a chance that you might make the finals and have your manuscript end up in front of the agent or editor of your dreams. That’s the best case. Worst case scenario is that your work is read by two or more skilled judges who can provide valuable feedback. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

Go to conferences. I can’t tell you how many people I have met at conferences over the years. My favorite thing to do is sit in the lobby at RWA and watch people go by. You’d be amazed how many people you can meet, or, in the case of a bestselling author or other industry professional, just get a look at. Recognizing someone’s face could prove valuable at a later time. I love meeting people!

A lot of writers attend conferences because of the editor/agent appointments. This is another kind of opportunity, one that you helped bring about because you paid the fee and went to the conference. At the appointment, you have about eight minutes to make the editor/agent fall in love with your concept and request to see the work. Here’s the thing about appointments: if your book isn’t done, don’t request an appointment.

The editors have a job to do filling their publishing schedules with the hottest works they can find, and the agents are looking for new clients whose work they think they can sell. So many times these people get excited about someone’s pitch and eagerly await the work, but it never arrives. Why? The book wasn’t done. Or the author got cold feet. Make sure when you request an appointment that you have something to sell, something that could be put in the mail as soon as you get home—something you intend to put in the mail when you get home. Be a professional and follow through with what you pitched.

Get involved in your own career. Go places, take classes, meet people. It’s the best way to make sure that when opportunity knocks, you’ll be waiting to open the door.

I have been trying to get myself motivated to write. It hasn’t been going very well. I went to plot group this morning and five of the members had stories that they needed help with. It is always a great time. We meet about every six weeks and have breakfast, then work, then have lunch. Lots of eating. Lots of working.

I wasn’t one of the five with something to plot. Then I’ve plotted two stories and haven’t started either one of them. I did finally finish the contest I had running on my website. Other than that, I have managed to accomplish nothing when it comes to writing.

Maybe tomorrow when I go to lunch with Debra Young, my critique partner, I will get more inspired. I am setting a goal to start writing in September and writing every week. I’ll see how that goes.

Then it hasn’t been the best month. Rob’s wife lost the baby and everyone was very upset. This too will pass, but for the moment things are a bit unsettled.

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Hi everyone! Check out the exciting online classes offered by the
Orange County Chapter of RWA!

“Creating that Fatal (or Not So Fatal) Flaw”
with Laurie Schnebly Campbell
September 6 – October 2, 2010

Giving likable, plausible characters a truly compelling conflict is easier with Enneagrams. Counselors and HR managers use this tool to identify the nine distinctive personality types — known as the Perfectionist, the Nurturer, the Achiever, the Romantic, the Observer, the Skeptic, the Adventurer, the Leader and the Peacemaker.

Each one has its own uniquely heroic and appealing traits, as well as a troublesome (if not fatal) flaw that will naturally bring them into conflict with other people…AND with themselves. Find out which strengths and weaknesses will make your characters’ lives more rewarding as they reach their happily-ever-after, and more challenging along the way!

There’ll be lectures and Q&A every weekday, as well as homework assignments every day or two. Homework, of course, is always optional — but people from previous sessions have said that Laurie’s comments on their work make this class unusually helpful in shaping believable characters as well as intriguing plots.

About the Instructor:

Laurie Schnebly Campbell loves speaking to writers about psychology issues that draw on her background as a counseling therapist AND a romance novelist who beat out Nora Roberts for Best Special Edition of the Year. She’s taught workshops, live and online, for writers from New York to New Zealand and Los Angeles to London. In fact, she likes teaching so much that she chose her website (BookLaurie.com) so people would remember to Book Laurie for workshops.

Along with romance and how-to books for writers, Laurie writes scripts for videos and commercials at a Phoenix ad agency. She also enjoys teaching a catechism class, playing with her husband and son, vacationing in Sedona (the red-rock town named for her great-grandmother, Sedona Schnebly), narrating for Talking Books, and working with other writers. Laurie says, “People ask how I find time to do all that, and I tell them it’s easy. I never clean my house!”

Enrollment Information at http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassSept10.html

COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members

Coming in October 2010–

“Mauled Men, Drowned Dames and Crispy Critters; a Body Disposal Primer for Writers”
with Jeanne Adams
October 11 – November 6, 2010

You’ve axed, shot or otherwise knocked off a key character in your latest book, now what? You have to do SOMETHING with the body! Find out everything you ever wanted to know about the pernicious particulars of body disposal and how to use minutiae of death to throw your characters together or drive them apart.

Jeanne P. Adams knows a thing or two about getting rid of a body, in reality as well as in books…her third book, Deadly Little Secrets (Zebra, Sept. 2010) is already being hailed as “One of the best Suspense Books of the Year!” by Romantic Times. She also is a multi-published non-fiction writer and consultant with twelve years of funeral business experience working both for a cemetery and several funeral homes. In her reading, she’s winced over a variety of mistakes dealing with the story’s dead guy (or gal), which led to this class!

COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members

Check out our full list of workshops. http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html

Want to be notified personally two weeks before each class? Be sure you’re signed up for our Online Class Notices Yahoo Group! Sign up at the bottom of http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html or send a blank email to OCCRWAOnlineClassNotices-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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