Earlier this year I put together a writing workshop in motivation–not character motivation, but motivating the writer to chain her butt to the chair and pursue her dream career. Oh, how easy it is to lecture on a subject I struggle with constantly.

Until I did one simple exercise that truly opened my eyes.

I always hear the same complaint from writers who have to balance an outside job, family, home life, commitments, life–I don’t have the time. I have those commitments as well, I will say. I’ll talk about the time my son with autism takes away from my daily writing, the commitments of being both a stay at home mom and a full time writer. The looming hell that can be deadlines. You have the time, I always extoll these writers. “You can carve it out.”

And quite frankly we all can. Even me.

The light bulb moment came last January as I was both searching for a way to show people how they could write a book–easily–every year. Perhaps even more than one. I’d been taking part of 1K sprints on Twitter and at the retreat I went on with my writer pals. 1K in 1hour they are called. You write, focused and not stopping for one hour–with the goal to get one thousand words into your manuscript. Turn off the editor and just write.

For me this works because I am a plotter. I have my scenes mapped out and I “draft” them by hand before I ever approach the computer. I like to think about the scene and let it mull around a bit before I dive in. So as I would approach a sprint, out came my notes and away I went. But this method also works for Pantsers–people who like to sit down and let the story unfold before them. Either way, you sit down and write for one hour and push yourself to get one thousand words done, which works out to be about four pages.

Now do the math. 1K in 1hour. Five days a week. Over the course of the year. Give yourself some time off for vacations, holidays and sick leave, and do you know how many words you would have written?

290,000.

A little over three full length 90K books.

Holy Crap! It truly was a light bulb moment. And one that has changed my entire outlook. Instead of eating the entire elephant in a month and ending up with a large pile of poo, considering the measured, deliberate, fully thought out approach. A little focus and 1K in 1hour, five days a week.

Thoughts? Comments?

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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I started this new series for a variety of reasons–I had felt that the Bachelor Chronicles had run its course. While at first, I thought about doing another spin-off series with Lord Andrew and his band of misfits from Lord Langley is Back in Town, but then I got hit with another idea: a village in England that is cursed.

Before you get to alarmed that this series is going to be paranormal, it is not. The curse was only the starting point.

The first peek at the steamy stepback!

Like any idea, the spark or the curse, in this case, began brewing around in my imagination, and suddenly I saw the entire village. High Street–with its tidy row of shops, the lane running up the backside of the village from the vicarage and St. Edwards, a wonderful stone church dating back to Norman times, with its tall tower that had weathered centuries. And spinsters and young ladies with nothing to do. Not a single gentleman will marry them. And most haven’t the means to go to London.

Then I realized what the true heart of this series must be–it wasn’t the curse, but the friendships, the deep, abiding friendships these women would forge.

Far better for storytelling than just a mere curse.

The more I wrote, the more I fell in love with how these friends looked out for each other, viewed each other as sisters more than friends, and how they would find their place in a world that usually gave unmarried women a skeptical eye.

The first three stories revolve around Tabitha Timmons, Daphne Dale and Harriet Hathaway. None of them are prepared for marriage, courtship or even a flirtatious glance, but what they lack in guile and intrigue, they make up for in sheer determination, spunk, and humor.

Look out London, here comes the spinsters from Kempton! And happy reading!

P.S. And why is the series called Rhymes with Love? Because the titles of the first three books are all taken from nursery rhymes: Along Came a Duke, And The Miss Ran Away with the Rake, and If Wishes were Earls.

As you will notice, the cover for Along Came a Duke even sports the perfect tuffet on which to eat curds and whey while awaiting a duke.

And finally and most importantly, if you haven’t heard, the digital version of Along Came a Duke is on pre-sale for $4.99 at Kindle and Nook.

CONTEST:
To get ready for the May 29th release of Along Came a Duke, I am giving away four prize packets–each of which will include an advanced reader’s copy of Along Came a Duke, as well as an autographed copy of one of Julia Quinn’s books. The prize packet will also feature tons of author swag and bragging rights to have been one of the first to read Along Came a Duke.

To enter, answer the following question before midnight PDT, May 12th: Which is your favorite nursery rhyme?

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Take this one for example:

I absolutely loved this gown! A Regency fashion print from 1810, published in Ackermann’s Repository Series 1, Vol 4, the July Issue. Not only was it right dead on for the year of my book, but this would have been quite the height of fashion and daring–which I wanted, if only to get my rather reticent, and unlikely heroine to step out of her shell.

But the print also works to put all kinds of details into the scene–how Tabitha’s ankles would be showing–Scandalous!! The Van Dyke lace around the neck. And the slashings in the front that would let the interior show. I changed the gown to blue to match my heroine’s eyes. And to give the gown even more meaning, it was actually Tabitha’s best friend, Daphne who chose the gown for her–in secret and away from the stringent eyes of Tabitha’s strict guardians. Immediately the gown in this print added all that much more to the scenes. Which is exactly what picture inspiration should do.

I’ve used photos for inspiration since I was a kid. I’m notorious for ripping photos out of magazines–in the doctor’s office, from my mom’s house and my own are shreds when I am done with them. Pics of gardens, house interiors, recipes, knitting patterns, sweater pics, clothes, whatever I find interesting.
And then they go into folders, of notebooks, or pinned to the wall.

Oh, Pinterest where have you been all my life?!

My friend Jane Porter, writes with an entire notebook of pictures to inspire each scene. She collects photos of all her characters–and then goes the extra mile to find as many pictures of those models, movie star or person, who inspires that character. She has them in every mood, nuance and angle, so she can continue to pull from them the bits of inspiration that help round out a scene. Check out her Pinterest boards–they are amazing.

Q. How do you use pictures to inspire? I’d love to know where you find your pictures and how you use them.

P.S. And if you want to see some of the pictures and prints and places that helped inspire Along Came a Duke, here is the link to my Pinterest page.

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Thus said the woman who always writes long.

Writing a full love story, in 10,000 words or less, is not easy. In fact, it is a true challenge to an author used to having the roomy wide open spaces of 90,000+ words to introduce characters, establish conflict, introduce a plot that will entice readers to follow the hero and heroine along on their adventure and, like the hero and heroine, fall in love along the way.

No, 10,000 words requires you jump right into the story, into that snapshot of a moment, when two people fall in love and find their soul mate. In other words, love at first sight. Which is why I used that most perfect of love at first sight plots, Cinderella, as the framework for my short story, Cynders & Ashe.

I also had only about 10 free days to write the story, while I was between contracts and novel commitments.

So I planned accordingly–taking notes about the story when they occurred to me, mapping out the characters much the same way, so that when I sat down one Sunday evening, I had a file of information to organize. I also used this story as my first attempt to use writing software–in my case, Scrivener. I organized my story into the software folders–using the plot note cards to designate each and every scene, compiling my character sketches so I had all my players lined up like a cast in a play.

Then when Monday morning rolled around, I sat down to write.

But in this case, I didn’t start at the beginning, I wrote whatever scene appealed to me at the moment. In the mood for a masquerade? I wrote the ball scenes. Feeling a little morose about my future, I wrote about the heroine’s life as a lowly seamstress. The story unfolded quickly before my eyes and I found myself, like the characters in the story, enfolded right into the action. At the end of 10 days, I had it. 33 pages of passion, love and a satisfying romance. Okay, so I did run a little over 10,000 words. But then again, I always do.

Eventually the story was published in The Mammoth Book of Regency Romances, and now I am pleased to offer it as single story for a digital download. Check it out on Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, and coming soon to iBooks.

(And of course, I had to use Earthly Charms for the cover design–isn’t this the most stunning cover you have ever seen?)

So, do you like short stories or novellas? If not, why? I’m about to start work on another novella and would love to hear reader’s thoughts on these stories.

Comment below to be entered in this week’s blog drawing.

The Rules:

1) Leave a comment below and let me know which of the covers or books you love:

and/or

2) Tweet the following: Enter to win a signed book by #JuliaQuinn & an arc of @elizboyle’s Along Came a Duke at http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=2189 #contest

Do both and you are entered twice! I’ll give you all until midnight, PDT, Saturday, April 7th to get your entries in.

Make sure to check back here Monday, April 9th to find out if you won. You’ll have a week to claim your prize.

Last week’s winner is: TinaM, who was poster #23 and made her comment on March 26, 2012 at 2:07 PM. Tina, contact me with your address and I will send you your prize. You have a week to claim it.

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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This week’s winner is Alana, who left the first comment on the blog. There is always a moment when I enter all the information and hit the “generate” button that I feel like I am in my own personal Las Vegas.

Who is going to win??

And then when I have the number, I go back and hunt through the entries for that entry. When there is 127 and the winner is 87, I sort of groan and get to work counting. But it was easy this week because it popped up with #1, and I sort of did a double take, and then did the line from Staples.

Wow, that was easy.

So, Alana, contact me and I will get your prize packet of an autographed Julia Quinn, one of mine and a stash of author swag that I coerced my fellow Avon authors to cough up. Which also happens to be the prize packet for this week.

I’m off this week to Philadelphia for PLA, the public librarian conference. If I were answering last week’s question of, who are your heroes, I would have to add my local librarians.

When I started writing in the late 80s, there was no internet, no Wikipedia, no immediate access to the countless people I have met via email over in England who have helped answer my countless questions about their villages, landmarks and history. I simply had my local library and the long wait of written questions sent via the post office to get my answers.

Weekly, I would go into my library and I swear the reference librarian would duck under her desk when she saw me coming. But I would give her my questions, and while I had a passing knowledge of Dewey–having worked in my hometown library all through high school–the librarians could always steer me in the right direction for hunting down answers or finding some obscure, out of print reference book that I had to get my hands on.

So when I get a chance to go speak to a room full of librarians, I always start with two simple words: Thank you.

That leads me to this week’s question, which is similar but a little different to last week’s question:

Who would you thank for helping you along that you might not have thanked? Comment below to enter this week’s blog drawing.

The Rules:

1) Leave a comment below and let me know who you might owe a thank you to, but they don’t know it:

and/or

2) Tweet the following: Who deserves your thanks? Tell the world and enter to win a signed book by #JuliaQuinn! http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=2061 #contest

Do both and you are entered twice! I’ll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, March 17th to get your entries in.

Make sure to check back here Monday, March 19th to find out if you won. You’ll have a week to claim your prize.

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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If you’ve never heard me tell the story and you want a good reason to get a little weepy and romantic on a Monday, there you need to read My Favorite Hero. Then once you’ve read the story, come back here and tell me: Who is hero worthy in your life?

And then you are entered in this week’s drawing for an autographed copy of one of Julia Quinn‘s book, an autographed copy from my backlist, and some fun author swag to fill out the package.

The Rules (’cause apparently we have to have these):

1) Leave a comment below and let me know who you think is hero worthy in your life:

and/or

2) Tweet the following: Find out who is Hero Worthy from @ElizBoyle’s Brazen Angel & enter to win a signed book by #JuliaQuinn! http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=2039 #contest

Do both and you are entered twice! I’ll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, March 10th to get your entries in.

Make sure to check back here Monday, March 13th to find out if you won. You’ll have a week to claim your prize.

Last week’s winner: Allison Edney, who was commentor #50 and commented on March 2, 2012 at 10:52 AM. Allison, you have a week to Contact me and claim your prize.

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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And they usually always end up in the final book. I realized I have always done this as I was rereading and cleaning up my first three books ( Brazen Angel, Brazen Heiress and Brazen Temptress) for their digital re-release. I was reading Brazen Angel and came to the following lines, where my plucky heroine, Sophia is admiring a sword that one of her mark’s owns. Lord Selmar makes the mistake of offering it to her to hold and admire.

Sophia didn’t need any urging. She slipped her hand into the hilt. To her surprise she found it fit. Balanced and deceptively lightweight, the blade molded to her grip as if it had been made for her. She twisted her arm back and forth, the sword moving gracefully like an extension of her arm.

Selmar grinned. “I thought you would find that amusing. It was made for a lady. A pirate of some note.”

“A pirate’s blade,” Sophia repeated. She knew the rumors well enough to know better than to provoke Selmar, but she didn’t have all night to view his collections. She had business to finish.
“Is it sharp?” she asked, eyeing the edge.

“Very,” he cautioned. “I keep all the blades in my collection well-honed. Best you hand it back to me.”

“Not just yet.” She stepped back, pointing the deadly weapon at his chest.

Now this scene is to most anyone else, just another scene where the Brazen Angel is robbing another aristocratic, but not to me. Or my critique group. When I wrote this scene and brought it to my critique group at the time, they howled with laughter because they caught the joke.

You see, the first book I ever wrote (and which currently lives under my stairs) was a Restoration set swashbuckler, The Spanish Blade. Are you starting to see the joke? Yes, the sword Sophia is about to steal is my original Spanish Blade.

The joke still makes me smile.

Now something to make you smile that it is Monday. A blog contest. Over the next ten weeks, I’ll be giving away prize packets of author swag as well as a signed book from the always wonderful, Julia Quinn. And I’ll throw in an autographed copy of one of my books. That makes me smile and I hope it does you.

To enter:

1) Leave a comment below and let me know if you’d like to hear about more about the inside jokes from my books.

and/or

2) Tweet the following: Get the inside joke from @ElizBoyle’s Brazen Angel & enter to win a signed book by Julia Quinn! No Joke! http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=2022

Do both and you are entered twice! I’ll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, March 3rd to get your entries in.

Make sure to check back here Monday, March 5th to find out if you won. You’ll have a week to claim your prize.

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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1) Find friends who share your goal for the retreat. If everyone is on the same page (literally)–writing pages or plotting or critiquing–then things will most likely run smoothly–as no one is interrupting another’s pursuits. For our weekend, the four of us all had books in progress that needed to be jumpstarted after the holidays. So our goal was simple: Pages. Lots of pages. We wrote on our own, we used group sprints (1k words in one hour) and took breaks together to unwind, chat about road blocks, to share music tracks. Then it was back to the pages. Relaxed, yet productive.

2) Find a good space. Jane Porter and I lucked out at a charity auction last year and sprung for a big condo in Palm Springs. The place was amazing. Far more than we expected–it was so perfect. Two large bedroom suites, an individual bedroom, big living room, dining area, big patios. Perfect–because everyone found their favorite spot and hunkered down to write. We were not shy about moving furniture around to suit our mood–including taking the dining room table out on the patio so we could eat and write outside. I loved the patio off my bedroom–bright light, privacy and fresh air. Perfect.

3) Collaborate ahead of time. We had a flurry of emails the week before–on goals, expectations, food, groceries, and it all came together quite effortlessly. At least it felt that way. We shared cooking, making coffee and tea. We took turns with those chores and were respectful of each other’s time.

4) Clear your head and keep a clear perspective. Too much writing and togetherness, especially for writers–since we are usually solitary creatures–can be a bit stressful. Take breaks. I went for walks. I went to mass. Closed the door on my room. And bit my tongue a few times. Anyone who knows me, knows that is me showing huge restraint. In other words, it is only weekend. And if things bubble a bit, well, consider that is writers being writers and it is after all, only a weekend.

5) Come prepared to work and share and learn. I had my scenes all mapped out, my notes in order and my pages with me so I could take additional notes as needed. I had them all in one of my Levenger Circa notebooks. I tend to think this is the way everyone writes–only to discover that everyone of us worked so very differently. The coolest part of the weekend were the times we each shared our writing process and explained how we work. Fascinating and so amazing. And yes, I will share what I learned.

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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To that end, I polled a bunch of friends, tweeps and writers from all over and asked them: What writing books do you love? What has done the most for your creativity and career?

What I was looking for were books to fuel a year of creative growth, gaining and honing my skills and perhaps learning a few new tricks. Who doesn’t like new tricks?

So I present this recommended list of writing books. I have read some, some are now on order based on the marvelous writers who swear by them. A sort of Writer’s U at home. A staycation of self-improvement. So if you are game, consider picking one from the list each month and joining in. I’m going to be blogging about one book a month and sharing my own experiences and hope you can join in.

Even if you have no desire to write, creativity is not unique to writers, it resides in all of us. My hope is to inspire each and every one of you to find your own place to blossom and grow.

Making a Literary Life by Carolyn See. I have not read this one, but when I asked Liza Palmer her favorites, this title was out of her lips without any hesitation. Now on my TBR.

On Writing by Steven King. This is the audio version, because face it, it is Steven King reading Steven King.

How to Write Killer Fiction by Carolyn Wheat. Another book on Liza Palmer’s must read list. As she explained, “Don’t we all want elements of suspense in our novels to make them page turners.” True that!

Bird by Bird by Annie Lamont. This was Megan Crane/Caitlyn Crewes first choice out of the gate, and she’s picked a true classic, one that is on everyone’s list. But have to admit, I have never read it. Time to change that.

Save the Cat by Blake Synder. I love this book. It helps you see fiction through a screenwriter’s focused eye and keeps you on target. Love it!

The Courage to Write by Ralph Keyes. Another book on Megan’s list. Another for my TBR.

Writing from the Inside Out by Dennis Pulumbo.

The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell. I adore this book. The perfect pick up and read a short chapter for your daily kick in the pants. JoAnne Ross says it is a perfect book for “quick encouragement.” Can’t we all use that from time to time? Keep this book within reach.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. Another one of those books that is always on the top of writer’s lists of inspiring and helpful books.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser

The Writers Journey by Chris Vogler. If you haven’t read this book, make this the first one you pick up. The best book on novel writing out there. And as Christina Dodd said, (and rightly so) “Not boring.”

Reading like a Writer by Francine Prose.

If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland.

Writing Dialogue for Scripts by Rib Davis. Lori Wilde recommended this book and called it an “eye opener.” Another for the list.

Walking on Alligators by Susan Shaughnessy. This book is another one for quick inspiration and daily affirmations and exercises.

The Writing Life by Annie Dilliard.

How to Write Your Best Story by Philip Martin. This and the Annie Dilliard book both came with the recommendation: “Good advice, well written.” What more could you ask for?

Goal Motivation & Conflict by Deb Dixon. I will be honest. This book has never sung to me. But on the other hand, I know so many writers who rave and love it. I mean LOVE it. So I could hardly leave it off.

Break into Fiction by Mary Buckham and Dianna Love Snell. Love Mary Buckham–and her workshops are so popular. So if you can’t get to a workshop, then the book is the next best thing.

Scene and Structure by Jack Bickham. The quintessential and essential nuts and bolts book for every writer. Love this book.

Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass. One of my all-time favorite books–a great nuts and bolts read for honing and making your novel standout.

Are there books that are missing from the list? Add your own in the comments and enter for a chance to win $100 Amazon gift card.

DRAWING TO WIN:

Rules:
This is how you can enter for a chance to win:

1) Leave a comment below and tell me which of these books you love, or what book does inspire you, or which one you want to read first.

and/or

2) Tweet the following: Feeding the Muse: All time best writing books. http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=1908 Enter to win $100 Amazon gift card. @ElizBoyle #writingbooks

Do both and you are entered twice! I’ll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, January 14th to get your entries in.

Make sure to check back here Monday January 16th to find out if you won. You’ll have a week to claim your prize.

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Needless to say, when the clock struck midnight, I opened the door and said a hearty and happy “Welcome!”

What do I want to do this year? Lots of things.

I want to begin traveling again–and I have trips planned to So. Cal, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Denver. (Watch my Events page for details as I get them.) And hoping to add a few more destinations in there to round out the year.

I love seeing new places, getting a chance to meet some of you and of course, just strike out a bit on my own. As a stay at home mom and someone who also works at home, sometimes I just need to GET OUT. I’m sure there are plenty of you who can sing the chorus to that song. So here’s to getting out.

I want to write more. In fact I feel energized to write more. I went to a wonderful conference in October that I have to say probably renewed my love of writing more than anything has in years.

I couldn’t put my finger on any one thing about the conference (The Surrey International Writer’s Conference) but I came back just stoked to get writing. Perhaps it was meeting new friends, laughing my backside off, and hearing such wonderful writers share their truly inspiring stories. I loved every moment of that conference, even having my car searched by the RCMP before I could enter the hotel. (That is a story in and of itself!)

All in all, what I want to do in 2012 is push myself to try a new project and find a new joy in the ones I write for all of you. I’m working on my 20th book right now, and I truly needed that creative reawakening to revive and re-motivate my muse. She’s stoked to get storytelling as well.

And in the face of all this enthusiasm, I want to bring balance to my writing and personal life. I know that seems at odds with the two goals above, but I think it is in that finding balance that the creativity will continue to well up and I will be a better writer for it. There are so many other things I love doing: knitting, gardening, camping/hiking, exploring new places, spending time with the family–and this list is in no particular order, especially if you are my family. LOL. These things have to have their place as well and are very important to me. And they need to be in the forefront.

I’ll probably blather on a bit over the new year about my progress, as well as popping in with a few surprises I have up my sleeves. In the meantime, I would love to hear about your ideas, resolutions and plans as well. What are you planning on doing in 2012?

©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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