Mandy Michelle's Blog - Posts Tagged "romance-writer"
Sundays are for Blogging
So, this is a blog...
It's funny. I can write 50,000 every November for NANOWRIMO, I can write countless novels and short stories, and talk the ears off my friends and family, but when it comes down to writing a blog, I'm left sitting at my keyboard, staring at that blinking cursor with absolutely nothing to say.
I decided honesty is the way to go. I'm going to type what I'm feeling and thinking and that way, you'll get to know the real me.
I've always been the kind of person that wants to be the best at everything I try. A perfectionist, really. Well, writing is the kind of business that really puts a person like me in their place...at the bottom.
It's the first thing I learned when I decided to write books. There is always someone better than you, more successful than you, with more followers and fans. But that's okay. There's room for everyone. I truly believe that if you have a story to tell, someone will read and love it as much as you do.
Getting to the point that your book sees the light of day is a different story. I promised honesty and here it is. I struggled greatly with the editing process. Perfectionist, remember? Getting edits back from the publishing company was page after page of someone telling me what I did wrong.
BUT...
Then I woke up. The criticism wasn't an attack on me. After my ninth round of edits on Ready to Burn, it started to occur to me, these weren't my mistakes, they were improvements. And now, I love editing. I can't seem to read over my book enough. Heck, I'm even editing books I read for fun. Editing is a way of life.
So, what I've learned over the last couple years, is that, like life, writing is all about your perspective.
Not everyone has to like it, because some people will love it. And that's all that really matters in the end.
I'm Mandy Michelle, Romance Writer, Open Minded Perfectionist, and Editor Extraordinaire.
Ready To Burn
It's funny. I can write 50,000 every November for NANOWRIMO, I can write countless novels and short stories, and talk the ears off my friends and family, but when it comes down to writing a blog, I'm left sitting at my keyboard, staring at that blinking cursor with absolutely nothing to say.
I decided honesty is the way to go. I'm going to type what I'm feeling and thinking and that way, you'll get to know the real me.
I've always been the kind of person that wants to be the best at everything I try. A perfectionist, really. Well, writing is the kind of business that really puts a person like me in their place...at the bottom.
It's the first thing I learned when I decided to write books. There is always someone better than you, more successful than you, with more followers and fans. But that's okay. There's room for everyone. I truly believe that if you have a story to tell, someone will read and love it as much as you do.
Getting to the point that your book sees the light of day is a different story. I promised honesty and here it is. I struggled greatly with the editing process. Perfectionist, remember? Getting edits back from the publishing company was page after page of someone telling me what I did wrong.
BUT...
Then I woke up. The criticism wasn't an attack on me. After my ninth round of edits on Ready to Burn, it started to occur to me, these weren't my mistakes, they were improvements. And now, I love editing. I can't seem to read over my book enough. Heck, I'm even editing books I read for fun. Editing is a way of life.
So, what I've learned over the last couple years, is that, like life, writing is all about your perspective.
Not everyone has to like it, because some people will love it. And that's all that really matters in the end.
I'm Mandy Michelle, Romance Writer, Open Minded Perfectionist, and Editor Extraordinaire.
Ready To Burn
With Fabio on the Cover
I think it's every romance writer's dream to have their book on the shelf by the checkout at the grocery store, (or is that just me?), and have Fabio on the cover, his shirt conveniently missing its buttons.
It has yet to happen for me. But I know it will because I won't stop until it does.
The same can be said for finding a home for a manuscript. It's tempting to fall into the trap of believing a manuscript has no value when you receive endless rejection letters. BUT... when the manuscript finds the right publisher, everything clicks into place.
I sent a short story, about 15000 words long, for a contest and was promptly rejected. I sent the same story, with a few tweaks, to another publisher and was sent a contract. Had I given up with the first no, "Wrong Address" would not be coming out this fall with Limitless Publishing.
Keep positive writers. One day, your book, and mine, could be sitting in the shopping cart beside a carton of cookie dough ice cream.
I'm Mandy Michelle, positive thinker, Fabio fan, and cookie dough lover.
It has yet to happen for me. But I know it will because I won't stop until it does.
The same can be said for finding a home for a manuscript. It's tempting to fall into the trap of believing a manuscript has no value when you receive endless rejection letters. BUT... when the manuscript finds the right publisher, everything clicks into place.
I sent a short story, about 15000 words long, for a contest and was promptly rejected. I sent the same story, with a few tweaks, to another publisher and was sent a contract. Had I given up with the first no, "Wrong Address" would not be coming out this fall with Limitless Publishing.
Keep positive writers. One day, your book, and mine, could be sitting in the shopping cart beside a carton of cookie dough ice cream.
I'm Mandy Michelle, positive thinker, Fabio fan, and cookie dough lover.
A Part of the Whole
I'm going to be in an anthology! I am in an anthology. My story was selected to be a piece of puzzle, one sixth of a book about sexy men on motorcycles and the women they love.
It's called SINNERS MC: A Motorcycle Club Anthology. It will be released on December 3, 2020.
It's a different feeling to be in the company of other writers than to be on your own when your book is released. In a way, I find the idea comforting. We're all in this together and all that. We are a team. We are all women, all writers, all lovers of the alpha male. And yet, we haven't met.
I like the idea of sharing the glory of a book's release. I'm in an instant support group. I'm excited for it's release and I want it to do well, not just for me, not just to add another book to my repertoire of published works, but because I want these woman to succeed as well.
In the cutthroat world of publishing, where it's hard to climb to the top, to be seen, to be recognized, to be valued, it feels nice to have five more souls, arm in arm with me on the journey.
Mandy Michelle, Piece of the Pie, Cheerleader, and Anthologist
It's called SINNERS MC: A Motorcycle Club Anthology. It will be released on December 3, 2020.
It's a different feeling to be in the company of other writers than to be on your own when your book is released. In a way, I find the idea comforting. We're all in this together and all that. We are a team. We are all women, all writers, all lovers of the alpha male. And yet, we haven't met.
I like the idea of sharing the glory of a book's release. I'm in an instant support group. I'm excited for it's release and I want it to do well, not just for me, not just to add another book to my repertoire of published works, but because I want these woman to succeed as well.
In the cutthroat world of publishing, where it's hard to climb to the top, to be seen, to be recognized, to be valued, it feels nice to have five more souls, arm in arm with me on the journey.
Mandy Michelle, Piece of the Pie, Cheerleader, and Anthologist
One Year Anniversary
So, I'm a day late with the blog, but I can easily blame that on a turkey coma. Here in Canada, it's Thanksgiving weekend. We're lucky we don't have to wait until November for a great big dinner with all the trimmings.
But, I digress, you're here for book chat, not food talk, which I could discuss all day if asked to. Food is both my kryptonite and my superpower, which honestly sounds like a great book...
Today, October 12th, is the one year anniversary of my cover reveal for "Ready to Burn."
When I first saw my cover, I was thrilled. It really was everything I had ever dreamed of. I knew I wanted a shirtless man. And I was given a shirtless man. I mean, this is romance. My target audience is women who enjoy shirtless men. I really couldn't ask for more.
Except a face. That's my new vision: to have a book cover with a face for my shirtless torso hero.
A girl can dream.
Who is this man on the cover of my first novel? If I walked by him on the street, I wouldn't know it was him, because in all likelihood, he would be dressed.
So, whoever you are, shirtless man, thank you for gracing the cover of my novel. I truly appreciate you and all the hours you spent in the gym. *wink*
Until next week....
I'm Mandy Michelle, Food Connoisseur, Torso Lover, and Dreamer Extraordinaire.
But, I digress, you're here for book chat, not food talk, which I could discuss all day if asked to. Food is both my kryptonite and my superpower, which honestly sounds like a great book...
Today, October 12th, is the one year anniversary of my cover reveal for "Ready to Burn."
When I first saw my cover, I was thrilled. It really was everything I had ever dreamed of. I knew I wanted a shirtless man. And I was given a shirtless man. I mean, this is romance. My target audience is women who enjoy shirtless men. I really couldn't ask for more.
Except a face. That's my new vision: to have a book cover with a face for my shirtless torso hero.
A girl can dream.
Who is this man on the cover of my first novel? If I walked by him on the street, I wouldn't know it was him, because in all likelihood, he would be dressed.
So, whoever you are, shirtless man, thank you for gracing the cover of my novel. I truly appreciate you and all the hours you spent in the gym. *wink*
Until next week....
I'm Mandy Michelle, Food Connoisseur, Torso Lover, and Dreamer Extraordinaire.
