Lori Matthews's Blog

There are times when I am writing that I become bored. There I said it. I get bored with writing my own books. It’s not that the story is boring. It’s that I have to write down the details so the reader can see the picture I see in my head. It can be so frustrating. I want to be able to download my thoughts into the computer and have it write the story. Okay, not really, but you get the idea.

So when I find myself with the urge to write blah blah blah across the page, I have to stop and remind myself why I write. What would happen if I didn’t write? I can tell you right now, I would drive myself crazy with the stories that are always happening in my head.

A few years ago, I realized not everyone creates stories in their heads while they are doing tedious tasks like washing dishes or folding laundry. I assumed the world functioned like I do. We’re all out there folding away and thinking about how a character might steal a secret from a computer or the best way for another character to kill an annoying neighbor.

I see my characters and stories in my head like a film. I am constantly rewinding and creating new scenes. It keeps me occupied and amused. Those images I see are what I write on the page. I only wish you could see the “film” version. It’s much better than what I manage to get on the page, but such is life.

Anyway, when the blahs kick in, I remind myself that it’s only temporary, and as soon as I finish writing the detail of the scene, I can get back to the good stuff. That thought usually works. Well, that and I often blow something up or kill someone in the next scene. So much fun! But all this leads me to a question.

What do you think about all day?

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My house can be a boisterous, busy place. I have a teenager, a husband, a dog, and a cat here with me all the time. It means that carving out time to write when no one needs me is damn near impossible. Someone is always walking through and asking me questions or begging for a walk, or sitting on my keyboard.

A lot of my writer friends make playlists to listen to while writing. It helps to block out the other goings-on in the house. I thought that was a marvelous idea. I have several playlists I like already. So I gamely gave it a try with disastrous results. I either ended up singing along and completely forgot what I was going to write, or I wrote the song’s lyrics that were playing.

My husband suggested wearing noise-canceling earphones. I tried the big ones, but they were heavy and uncomfortable to wear for any length of time, and I ended up yelping every time someone touched me to get my attention. It was stressful for the cat in particular and me. Eddie hates sudden noises. I tried earbuds, but they give me a jaw ache after a while. Odd, I know, but true. I also realized that because I can hear everything, I know precisely what’s going on in my home at all times. I can yell the answer to a question without ever leaving my desk and thus solve a situation before it gets out of control.

Where are my socks? In the dryer. Who ate the last chocolate chip cookie? There are more in the pantry.

In the end, I decided as annoying as my people/pets can be, it is much better to hear them coming and be prepared for the intrusion than being startled out of my skin. I can tune out the background noises of my home far better than music, and I don’t have an urge to sing along to it. It is, in essence, the music of my life.

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I love to read. Always have. I spent oodles of time at the public library going up. I even became a librarian. Books are amazingly great gateways to other worlds and adventures. On occasion, however, reading isn’t a good thing. At least for me.

As a writer, I cannot read the genre I am writing. I don’t want other author’s stories to linger in my head when I am trying to create my own. Reading in my genre interferes with my creative process. It also can wreak havoc on my confidence. I start thinking that the author I am reading writes so much better than I do, and things go downhill from there.

The problem is I have to read in my genre to keep current. Also because reading to a writer helps fill the well of creativity. Plus, people always ask what I’m reading and who do I recommend. So there’s always a struggle.

I get around it by reading mysteries, mainly with the occasional historical romance. They have elements of what I write but nothing that distracts me. It does make it a bit frustrating at times. Still, I always remind myself that having a clear mind is more important than reading the latest Janie Crouch. I’ll save her until I’m taking some time off.

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Okay, confession time again. I know I know I confess a lot during these writeups, but confession is good for the soul, right? So, there is a moment during every book where I get super excited. It’s the absolute best moment for me. It’s not when I write “The End” because that just means the start of editing. Nor is it when I finally upload my book to be published because then I have to start all the marketing.

It’s the moment when my book arrives in paperback or hardcover, and I get to hold my creation in my hands for the first time. It is the. Best. Moment. Ever. And it never gets old. Seeing my cover with my name in print just makes my heart smile.

There is another moment, however, that is pure panic, and it happens every single time. It’s the moment I open my new book and read a random page. I never, ever recognize the words on said page. Ever. It’s always about two seconds of intense terror. Did I submit the wrong file? Did the printer put the wrong story with my cover?

It takes a good two to three seconds before my brain unclogs, and I remember the scene before me. I know that sounds crazy, but it happens every time. I have come to accept it and learned to live with it, but I have to tell you, I will be thrilled on the day that I open the book and instantly recognize the words written within. That’s the day I will break open the champagne.

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So I have a confession. Sometimes I don’t love my characters. It never starts out that way. I always love my characters in the beginning. They’re all bright and shiny and new. They are fun. As I write and I get to know them better, sometimes they become a bit…bossy. Let me explain.

I always start out with an idea of where I want to go with the story. I plot a few (very few) points that I want to hit with my story, and I go forth and write. Things go along smoothly for the most part until a character…acts up. They suddenly pull a hard left, and I have no idea what they’re doing.

That whole dancing bar scene in Break and Enter? Never supposed to happen. Dani being afraid of water in Hit and Run? I had no clue until I was writing the scene with her and Gage at the docks, and she wouldn’t get out of the Jeep.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I am the writer, and theoretically, I have control over my characters. But, in reality? It doesn’t work that way. When I try to stop my characters from doing certain things or force my characters to do other things, my characters stop talking to me.

In reality, I guess my subconscious has a plan that my conscious mind is just not aware of. It’s part of the creative process, but I have to tell you, sometimes it’s damned inconvenient. If my characters would just go along and do what I want them to do, writing would be much easier. But, on the other hand, where’s the fun if it’s too easy?

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We all do it. How else are you going to decide to even look at a book? The cover is what draws us all in, and the blurb on the back completes the sale. Of course, as writers, we know this, but as booksellers, that sometimes causes us great difficulties.

You see, every genre has a particular look to the book covers. Cozy mysteries often have quilts or cats on them and look, well, cozy. Psychological thrillers are dark covers with a mysterious half a face or a person walking away on the cover. Or fog. Fog is big these days. Romantic suspense uses a woman in the mist with her back to the camera as well.

And for me, therein lies the problem because romance covers are changing. It used to be the half-naked man and then the couple. Now it could be either of those or a cartoon cover as well. Romantic suspense can be the woman in the fog or the man with the naked chest or a couple or honestly just about anything. So how are readers supposed to identify my books?

When I decided on the cover of Break and Enter, I was new to indie publishing and didn’t realize how much impact the book cover would have. So, I chose what I liked. I don’t regret it. But now, I’m starting a new series, and I have no idea what the cover should look like. It’s another romantic thriller series. So, if you have a favorite type of cover or any suggestion, please comment. I need help on this one. Truly.

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Yes, as writers, we’re not supposed to tell you that any part of the writing process is difficult or tedious, but the reality is much different. At least for me.

Editing can be fun, but sometimes it is just deadly dull, not to mention annoying. When I get the suggestions and notes from my editor, I am usually excited to see what she has said. I actually look forward to making my stories more robust and more engaging. However, there are times when editing is so painful, I have to force myself to sit in my chair and continue working. Sometimes I have to set a timer, and I’m not allowed to get up until it goes off.

The problem is that in my mind, at a certain point, after I have fixed the big things (think plot holes you can drive a truth through), the story is finished, and my brain has moved on to other things. So going back and having to fix details becomes agonizing. I find myself thinking, the reader is smart enough to know what I mean, why do I have to write every little detail?

The answer is because they can’t see inside my head, and if I scrimp on details, then the story loses focus. Knowing the reasons why I have to fix minor details does not take away from the tedium. Eating chocolate does. So as I edit my latest manuscript, I find myself setting a timer and eating chocolate, and you can bet I’ll have a glass of wine when I’m done.

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Some writers will tell you the most challenging part of writing a book is the beginning. Staring at a blank page can be daunting, but usually, I already have ideas flowing, so I just dive right in. Usually, I have a few chapters down in no time, and I am well on my way.

Somewhere at about the three-quarter mark of the book, I start to realize that maybe just maybe, I started in the wrong spot. That thought haunts me all the way to the end when I finish the first draft. It stays with me until I sit down and start my edits.

I don’t know if any of you are runners, but there are some crazy (well, crazy to me!) people out there that when they run a race like a 5k or a 10k, they have to run a kilometer or two first before the race starts to get warmed up and then they run the race. That just blows my mind! Run more than you have to? Seriously?

Sadly, I am often that runner when I start a book. I usually (more times than I would like to admit) start the story in the wrong place. Meaning those first chapters that I dove so confidently into my story with are actually not useful at all. I have started to think of them as my warm-up chapters. They get me moving and get my characters on the page.

I guess they aren’t such a bad thing since they allow me to start a new story without hesitating, but it’s always a bit heartbreaking when I have to cut 7k-8k right out of the gate. Maybe someday I will release my warm-up chapters, and you all can read the very beginning of my books. Or maybe not…

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I like to snack while I write. It’s a horrible habit and one that has only gotten worse. It’s a real problem. Not only am I gaining weight, but my keyboard gets greasy. I do wipe my hands before I type, but the grease from the popcorn can be pesky to get off. And the dog shows up. It’s hard to write while she’s staring at me, willing me to drop food. The cat also shows up because he loves crunchy things. Go figure. Then there’s the time involved. Eat a piece of popcorn. Wipe hand. Ignore the dog. Type a sentence or two. Push cat off the keyboard and away from the bowl—type another few sentences. Repeat. It really takes away from my writing time. It would be so much better if I could get my brain working with the dictation software. Of course, then I would have it turn it off, so it didn’t hear me chew…

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Interruptions are a part of all of our lives. These days, in particular, it can be hard to carve out time to work or relax without interruptions. I am aware of this, and I’ve tried to create a bit of a schedule when I need to write scenes that require more concentration. Today this is not working. Seriously, for the love of God, I need an hour of uninterrupted time to finish this sex scene!!! First, the dog came and whined because she wanted to play fetch. I played with her and then came back to my desk. Tea in hand, I read the last bit I wrote and then started again. My daughter came in ten minutes later and asked a question. Then the phone rang. My husband wandered by to ask about lunch. Now, the dog is back, and the cat has joined her. He currently wants to sit on my laptop keyboard. I know a great many authors that can write a sex scene just about anywhere. I am not one of them. After re-reading what I wrote, the current situation is this: my heroine is naked and bald because my hero was holding her up by her hair. Note to self: The hero can only have one hand in the heroine’s hair at a time if he’s holding her up. Sigh. I apologize in advance if you read one of my sex scenes and ask yourself, What the heck? Is that even physically possible? Now you know what happened and understand why my heroine is bald.

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