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Christine Merrill

Goodreads Author

Website

http://www.christine-merrill.com

Twitter

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Genre

Romance, Humor

Influences

Jennifer Crusie
P G Wodehouse

Member Since

July 2009

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/christinemerrill

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Christine Merrill has wanted to be an author for as long as she can remember. But one thing stood in her way: touch typing.

Six weeks spent on an IBM Selectric in her Sophomore year of high school proved that she would never be able to produce one readable page of manuscript, much less several hundred.

Twenty years passed, and she found ways to pass the time: marrying her high school sweetheart; having two sons; and taking an assortment of jobs in professional theater costume shops, including a miserable year and a half spent styling wigs for a certain hamburger-selling clown (who shall remain nameless, since I don't want to incur the wrath of a major American corporation) and a couple of weeks working on a TV movie with one of the sexiest me ...more

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I'm an aspiring writer, but I'm dealing with two things: I get discouraged every single day because 96% of manuscripts are rejected, and I haven't had an idea for years, literally. There's too many people wanting to be writers, and knowing there's so much competition just kills me a little every day. When I get motivated, immediatly something appears about the industry that kills it. Any tips on how to deal with this?

Christine Merrill I am sorry for taking so long to answer this. I am a flake and on deadline. Hopefully, you have not given up while waiting for me. (crossing fingers) …moreI am sorry for taking so long to answer this. I am a flake and on deadline. Hopefully, you have not given up while waiting for me. (crossing fingers)

The first step is always to keep working on your craft. Make sure you are the best you can possibly be. If you get the same criticism a couple of times, pay attention. Ignore random comments, since that is what they are. Just random noise.

But if you are already doing that...

If it helps, most writers have been where you are now. There was a period or 2 or 3 years, where I was ready to be published, but still getting rejections and brutal contest entry critiques. There is a period of time where you have to put up with a lot of crap while waiting for the world to catch up to you.

When it comes to the fact that everyone seems to think they are a writer? The first step is to not think of them as competition. (and yes, that is hard). The ad that says "If you read only one book this year, read..." is totally inaccurate. Romance readers, are voracious. If you have the book they want, they will make space on the TBR pile for it. Marketing sucks, and you can get lost in the shuffle, but trust me, in the long run, you will feel better as a failed writer with finished books, then you would if you had not tried at all.

Do your best to ignore the industry news. It is always all bad. When I sold my first book, it was after being told by everyone I pitched to that the historical market was dead. I was a contest finalist, and eventually a winner, and yet, they did not want that book. (The contest judges bought it 2 weeks later).

As far as lack of ideas go? My best advice is to fill the well. Watch movies, read books, watch TV. Watch other people's stories. Pay attention to the ones that suck. Say to yourself, "This would be a lot better if..." Improve it in your mind. One step at a time, change everything about it. Now, you have a fresh idea.

Mostly, know that you are not alone in any of this. Keep trying. (less)

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What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Christine Merrill Not having to wear socks to work. Also, getting to keep pets on (and under) the desk.

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Christine Merrill’s books

Average rating: 3.6 · 12,476 ratings · 1,434 reviews · 239 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Inconvenient Duchess (The Radwells #1) 3.60 avg rating — 5,488 ratings — published 2006 — 32 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Miss Winthorpe's Elopement (Belston & Friends, #1) 3.56 avg rating — 865 ratings — published 2007 — 24 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lady Folbroke's Delicious Deception (Ladies in Disgrace, #1) 3.52 avg rating — 472 ratings — published 2011 — 29 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	An Unladylike Offer 3.65 avg rating — 358 ratings — published 2007 — 19 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Paying the Virgin's Price (Regency Silk & Scandal, #2) 3.41 avg rating — 344 ratings — published 2010 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lady Priscilla's Shameful Secret (Ladies in Disgrace, #3) 3.55 avg rating — 292 ratings — published 2012 — 18 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Taken by the Wicked Rake (Regency Silk & Scandal, #8) 3.74 avg rating — 261 ratings — published 2010 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lady Drusilla's Road to Ruin (Ladies in Disgrace, #2) 3.58 avg rating — 271 ratings — published 2011 — 21 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dangerous Lord, Innocent Governess (Belston & Friends #2) 3.50 avg rating — 265 ratings — published 2009 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Wicked Liaison 3.71 avg rating — 216 ratings — published 2008 — 20 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Christine Merrill's Blog

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Series by Christine Merrill

The Radwells (4 books)
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Christine Merrill (Goodreads Author)

3.61 avg rating — 6,346 ratings

Belston & Friends (2 books)
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Christine Merrill (Goodreads Author)

3.55 avg rating — 1,151 ratings

Ladies in Disgrace (4 books)
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Christine Merrill (Goodreads Author)

3.54 avg rating — 1,042 ratings

The Sinner and the Saint (2 books)
by

Christine Merrill (Goodreads Author)

3.39 avg rating — 322 ratings

Those Scandalous Stricklands (3 books)
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Christine Merrill (Goodreads Author)

3.75 avg rating — 283 ratings

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Christine Merrill wrote a new blog post TEST Blog test
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Quotes by Christine Merrill (?)

“This is the life you belong to, not the life you’ve lived so far. The past is an aberration. The future is merely a return to the correct path.”
― Christine Merrill, The Inconvenient Duchess

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“She had the patience to measure success in inches.”
― Christine Merrill, The Truth About Lady Felkirk

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“One can aim high, hoping to hit a star, and miss the target entirely.”
― Christine Merrill, The Inconvenient Duchess

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