Splitting A Series
I receive questions from quite a few writing buddies and a handful of reading buddies around why I’ve split the cyborg world into subseries.
It wasn’t really a sell more books strategy.
Sure, when I split a series, there are more entry points for new-to-me readers and more permafree first in series opportunities (as well as BookBub possibilities).
But that is offset by some booksellers having systems that greatly favor long series. Apple, for example, sends new release information to anyone who has ever purchased a book in the same series. Every time I start a new series, I start at zero. That’s not very effective.
I split the series because that’s how I think as a writer.
I can’t hold 20 future stories in my brain. (grins) I can barely hold 1. And I find a super long series daunting. I like 5 core stories. That’s manageable. If I apply myself, I can write that in a year and a half or less.
I also split the series because that’s how I like to read.
I like the way Lisa Kleypas, for example, splits her huge historical world into 5 (on average) book series. I can read 5 books and have the satisfaction of reading an entire series. That’s extremely fulfilling.
Then I can wait for a bit to start the next series. Or I can skip a series if the premise for that overall series doesn’t appeal to me (that hasn’t happened yet with Lisa Kleypas’ historicals). Or I can (gasp) stop. Yes, there will be things I’ll never uncover but there should be a satisfying stopping point.
You, as a writer or a read, might have different preferences. And hey, that’s okay! Do whatever brings you joy. Happiness is precious. Protect it.
***
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Baring Grudge
No one in the universe is more determined than a cyborg warrior tracking his female.
***
Grudge, a C Model cyborg, has been assigned a mission – safeguard a Humanoid Alliance space station for his kind. Honor was once all he had, and he is determined to fulfill his duty.
That resolve is tested when a tiny human female enters the space station and sets the prettiest little explosives the warrior has ever seen. She is Grudge’s genetic match, the one being manufactured for him. He wants to touch her, kiss her, claim her in all ways, but first he has to stop her from blasting him into the next galaxy.
Taelyn has a self-appointed mission—to destroy every battle robot the Humanoid Alliance has ever manufactured. A huge gray-skinned, blue-eyed cyborg warrior with mismatched arms won’t prevent her from achieving her goal. She’ll escape him, leaving destruction in her wake.
Before she departs, she’ll experience one toe-curling moment of hatred-edged passion with her handsome foe. She’ll show him how skilled with detonations she truly is. He will have his universe rocked.
Then she’ll disappear.
Her cyborg, however, has no intention of ever letting her go.
***
Baring Grudge is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a determined, damaged warrior, an equally resolute human female, and an explosive game of predator and prey played across galaxies.
Baring Grudge is the third of five core stories in the Rebel Cyborgs Series.
Book 1: Containing Malice
Book 2: Under Strain
Book 3: Baring Grudge
Book 4: B Free
Book 5: Seizing Power
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZL2D986
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08ZL2D986
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08ZL2D986
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/baring-grudge/id1559566673
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baring-grudge-cynthia-sax/1139086727
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/baring-grudge
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1075600
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Splitting A Series
Savvy Marketing Vs Simply Having Fun
I talked with a newer writer a few days ago. She is sharing updates on characters in her newsletters, hoping to increase her sales. I do that, she told me, so it must work.
Except…
I don’t share updates on characters to increase sales of my stories. I suspect it doesn’t increase sales at all.
I share updates because that’s fun for me. I like visiting with Rage and Joan and Kralj and other characters. It is like spending time with dear sometimes murderous friends. (grins)
I post the updates in my newsletters because I think you and some of my other reading buddies might enjoy them also. It might make you smile when you receive my newsletters. It might be the reason you agreed to receive communications from me. It might make you more excited about my next book release.
Who knows? (shrugs) The key thing is… I have fun with the updates.
I do many things simply because they’re fun. These things might look like marketing efforts. Because I continue doing them, other writers might believe they’re successful marketing efforts. But often, they’re simply fun things I like doing and think reading buddies might enjoy.
If you’re in doubt about whether a tactic is savvy marketing for me or merely me having some fun, contact me. I’ll happily tell you which one it is.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Buy Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Savvy Marketing Vs Simply Having Fun
How Long Should Your Book Series Be?
I shared my thoughts on The Wicked Writing Corner about how many stories a series should have (I’ve figured out the right length for my series but that likely won’t be the right length for every writer or every series.)
Here is a snippet…
“I’m a pantser, a writer who writes by the seat of her pants. Sometimes, I’ll start a series with the intention of it being X stories long and the series becomes X+12 stories long. That happens. I write as many stories as I have to write to give readers a satisfactory end to the series.
But my ideal series length at this moment is five.
That’s because I’m self-published so I know my publisher (me – grins) will give me those five stories to run with. It is because my current favorite marketing strategy is to price the first story in the series, after a few years of being published, at permafree. And it is because, in cyborg romance, I see readership of a series dramatically drop off after five stories.
That might not be your ideal series length.”
You can read the full post here –
https://thewickedwritingcorner.blogspot.com/2021/03/guest-post-how-long-should-series-be.html
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Containing Malice
This tormented cyborg craves vengeance…and her.
***
Malice, a C Model cyborg, has spent his long lifespan enslaved by the Humanoid Alliance. His cruel manufacturers have hurt him in all the ways a male could be hurt.
His enemy has now added a new weapon to their arsenal—a tiny human medic with soft hands and a delectable scent. She experiments on him multiple times a shift, delivering pain…and frustration.
He wants her. He also seeks retribution.
Once Malice frees himself, he plans to achieve both of his goals, taking Medic Illona captive and ending her research…permanently.
Illona is as much a prisoner as the cyborgs she experiments on. Since her arrival at the Human Alliance’s secret laboratory, she has carefully, stealthily, crafted a plot to free her test subjects. To conceal her covert activities, the medic has been forced to harm beings rather than heal them.
The being she has damaged the most is also the cyborg she fiercely desires— Malice, a huge, gray-skinned, blue-eyed C Model with massive hands and a voice deeper than space. He hates her, has good reason to do so, and, when he’s freed, there’s a high probability he’ll kill her.
Illona will take that risk to ensure he survives.
***
Containing Malice is a STANDALONE enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It is the first of five core stories in the Rebel Cyborgs Series.
Book 1: Containing Malice
Book 2: Under Strain
Book 3: Baring Grudge
Book 4: B Free
Book 5: Seizing Power
Buy Today:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LK4CWHS
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08LK4CWHS
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08LK4CWHS
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/containing-malice/id1536770487
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/containing-malice-cynthia-sax/1137961594
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/containing-malice
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1049881
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on How Long Should Your Book Series Be?
Trad, Hybrid AND Indie – I’ve Tried Them All
I’m at Coffee Time Romance, talking about the wandering route I’ve taken in this wonderful writing career.
Here’s a snippet..
“I didn’t want to be Indie, so I did it in the laziest way ever. I built a team, finding an awesome editor, cover artist, formatter. I was already doing the bulk of the marketing for my books. To my amazement, self-publishing wasn’t much extra work.”
Read the full post here: http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/adjun2018-cynthia-sax/
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Dark Fire
What the Beast wants, the Beast gets.
Dare’s savage nature has made him an outcast among his kind. The silver-scaled Dracheon warrior can’t control his inner beast. It’s too strong. When his primitive instincts told him his destined mate was on Carinae E, he had no choice. He had to travel to the outlaw planet. There, he hoped to meet a female powerful enough to survive his Drache.
He finds Faylee, a delicate little human.
Faylee is the best thief on the planet. Everyone she encounters mistakes her for a young boy…except for a tall, shiny warrior from off-planet. When she gazes into Dare’s flame-filled eyes, he makes her feel, for the first time, like a desirable female. The fire-breathing male has her yearning for hot kisses, fierce embraces, and a future filled with love. She doesn’t realize mating with him might be the last thing she ever does.
Dare’s beast isn’t the only danger on the planet. An enemy from the past has returned and he’s determined to stop Dare and Faylee…permanently. They’ll need luck and the assistance of every warrior in the Refuge to stay alive.
Dark Fire is a STANDALONE SciFi Romance set in a gritty, dark world.
Buy Today:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Fire-Refuge-Book-4-ebook/dp/B07CW2Y8B7/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Fire-Refuge-Book-4-ebook/dp/B07CW2Y8B7/
Apple/iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dark-fire/id1381353384
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-fire-cynthia-sax/1128614574
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dark-fire-22
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/824382
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Trad, Hybrid AND Indie – I’ve Tried Them All
Crash And Burn And Open-Ended Series
Today, I’m visiting EverydayFangirl, talking about open ended series
Here’s a snippet…
Series can also be closed (the writer knows exactly how many stories will be in the series) or open-ended (the writer doesn’t know how many stories will be in a series).
Crash And Burn, my most recent release, is the latest installment in my open-ended cyborg series. Reading buddies ask me how many stories I plan to write in the series and I have no idea. Each story is crafted to be read on its own.
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Safyre will do anything to save her friend, the being she loves like a sister. She’ll ravish a huge hunky cyborg, kiss his best friend, and invoke scorching hot desires the male never realized he could feel. Dark soulful eyes, a quick wit, and a tempestuous passion won’t divert her from her mission.
Love, and a planet-destroying weapon, however, might stop her permanently.
Order Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B019EBKIF2
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook-x/dp/B019EBKIF2/
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-crashandburn-1950244-147.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crash-and-burn-cynthia-sax/1123141101
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/crash-and-burn-13
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Crash And Burn And Open-Ended Series
Talking Crash And Burn And Building A Series
I’m talking about one way to write a standalone series today on Liza O’Connor ‘s online home.
http://multiuniversesoflizao.blogspot.ca/2016/02/cyborg-brethen-building-series-with.html
Here’s a snippet…
There are a number of ways to build a standalone series (a series with books that can be read on their own). My favorite, by far, is the sexy brother premise.
This is exactly what it sounds like. The hero of the first book in the series has two or three or four or more sexy, single brothers. In the subsequent books, these brothers find their own heroines (or heroes or heroines and heroes, depending on the stories being told – grins).
These brothers don’t have to be brothers by birth.
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Safyre will do anything to save her friend, the being she loves like a sister. She’ll ravish a huge hunky cyborg, kiss his best friend, and invoke scorching hot desires the male never realized he could feel. Dark soulful eyes, a quick wit, and a tempestuous passion won’t divert her from her mission.
Love, and a planet-destroying weapon, however, might stop her permanently.
Pre-order Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B019EBKIF2
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook-x/dp/B019EBKIF2/
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-crashandburn-1950244-147.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crash-and-burn-cynthia-sax/1123141101
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/crash-and-burn-13
Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on Talking Crash And Burn And Building A Series
Writing Erotic Romance – Prologues
I wrote a 3,000 word, 12 page prologue for Breathing Vapor, the follow up story to Releasing Rage (Breathing Vapor will release in November).
Mira, my heroine, acts like a major beyotch when she’s around other beings. She has a great reason for acting this way but I was worried that if you didn’t know this reason when you first met her, you might find her an unsympathetic heroine (i.e. you’d hate her guts).
So I wrote a prologue, sharing a scene from her past that showed why she was that way. It was powerful. It made me, as a writer, cry.
It was also unnecessary. My awesome editor convinced me I didn’t need it, that I’d created a character readers would love without knowing the backstory. I took it out and you know what? It’s a much stronger story without the prologue.
I’ve written many prologues. Not one has survived the editing process. Why? Because usually a prologue isn’t required (usually! There are always exceptions to every rule, including this one, but those exceptions are rare.).
Why Editors (and Readers) Hate Prologues
A prologue is set at an earlier time and often a different place than the core story. Every time writers change settings, we jar the reader out of the story. Jarring the reader out of the story between the prologue and chapter one is a HUGE risk. The reader hasn’t yet become emotionally invested in the story.
Especially since the first pages are a prologue. The reader bought the story expecting the hero or heroine portrayed in the back cover copy. In Releasing Rage, readers want to meet a tormented, angry hero. They don’t want to read about Rage when he had a kinder, gentler view of the worlds. It is kind of like seeing a guy’s baby photos on a first date. It’s much too soon for that.
Prologues are also backstory dumps. Backstory is powerful. Readers often read for it (in the case of E.L. James’ Grey, they’ll buy an entire book to read a character’s backstory). That’s why they turn the pages. “This hero is completed fucked up. I have to know why.” We can only use a juicy piece of backstory once. Do we really want to use it at the beginning of a story, before the reader cares about the character?
Alternatives To Prologues
A great writer once told me that ideally backstory should be threaded into a story as the reader needs to know it (threaded, not dumped – again, you don’t want to draw readers out of the story). That timing often makes it more powerful.
In romance, this revelation is often easy to do because a heroine, loving a fucked up hero, for example, will eventually want to know WHY he’s fucked up. The reader can discover this at the same time.
If both of the characters already know the backstory, it is a bit more challenging. If the past truly haunts the character, he or she will likely dream about it. An incident might also trigger a memory. In Breathing Vapor, the heroine sees someone and, at first, thinks that person is a person from her past. The character might be facing the same decision they faced in the past. Will he or she make the same choice?
There are thousands of great ways to reveal backstory. If you’re stuck, reread beloved stories and note how those authors handle it. (Or email me and we can brainstorm!)
How did I handle the unsympathetic heroine in Breathing Vapor?
Mira acts like a beyotch when she’s around other beings. The solution? I show her true nature when she’s alone (actually, she’s caring for a cyborg baby but he can’t tell anyone about her kindness so she feels she’s safe).
Yes, the solution was ridiculously simple. I threaded the rest of the information throughout the core story and eliminated the prologue entirely.
How have you eliminated prologues in your own manuscripts?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.
Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.
Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.
When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?
Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing Erotic Romance – Prologues
Writing Erotic Romance – Why Do You Write Erotic Romance?
In my humble opinion, this is THE most important question any writer can ask herself. The second most important question, which we’ll also cover in this post, is ‘Why do you want your stories published?’ These questions are very different and they might have different answers, yet they’ll craft your career, directing you toward YOUR personal definition of success.
Note: The answers to these questions will likely change over time. The reason I’m sending my stories to publishers today is not the same reason I sent my stories to be published two years ago.
Why Do You Write Erotic Romance?
There are many, MANY answers to this question. None of them are wrong or right, better or worse. Agents or publishers or fellow writers don’t need to know your answer. This is YOUR truth.
Here are merely a few of the possibilities
– writing helps you sort out your thoughts or emotions
– you need to see your fantasies in print to fully enjoy them
– it’s fun, an outlet for your creativity
– writing fictional stories reveals real life issues you might be grappling with
– you’re writing erotic romances you can’t find in Romanceland
– you read an erotic romance, didn’t like the ending, so you’re changing it
– you see writing as a possible career or a way to become wealthy
– writing gives you a task to complete while you’re home, caring for your kids
– you want to enter your bookstore and see your name on a book cover
– your mom thinks you should write a book
– you were dared by a buddy to write an erotic romance
– you’ve always written. It is part of you
– writing is a way to vent your emotions
– you love the craft of writing, the manipulation of words
– it’s a way to use the research you love collecting
– your hubby is stationed overseas and loves receiving hot stories from you
– you see writing as a way to become famous
For a long time, I didn’t write for anyone else. I wrote only for myself, simply for the joy of putting my fantasies on paper (I’m a visual person. I have to see something to fully enjoy it). I didn’t need to be published or edited or see my story in a bookstore to be happy… so I didn’t do these things.
I still write primarily for myself. Yes, writing is now my career but I know if I ever agree to write a story I’m not excited about, I’ll be unhappy. I would rather not be published than write a story I’m not thrilled about. Some writers would call that unprofessional and unrealistic. (shrugs) Maybe it is but it’s my truth. It is what I need to be happy.
Just because you’re a writer doesn’t mean you need to be published writer. Ever. Being a published writer doesn’t automatically increase every writer’s joy of writing. For example: If you write to sort out your thoughts or feelings, you might not want anyone else to read your stories. Showing these innermost thoughts to others could erase all of your joy of writing.
Why Do You Want Your Stories Published?
Before you self-publish your first story or send it to an agent or publisher, ask yourself WHY you’re doing this. Again, there are no right or wrong answers.
Here are some possible answers
– working with an editor will improve your writing skills
– you want to widen the diversity of erotic romances in Romanceland
– you need the possible income/it is a way to possibly become wealthy
– you want to enter your bookstore and see your name on a book cover
– your mom wants to show your book to her friends
– you have a message in your stories that you wish to share with the world
– you wish to give back to Romanceland, to contribute to the industry
– you want to introduce yourself as a published writer
– you’re curious as to whether or not your story is good and want a professional’s opinion
– you want to be famous
Your answer to this question changes your options. If you want to see your story in a bookstore, you would only submit your story to publishers that have presences in bookstores. If you need income ASAP, you might look at publishers with short publishing lead times or publishers offering advances. If you want to see your name on a cover of a book, you likely wouldn’t use a pen name. If you want to become famous, you might promote your books by attending conferences or hosting book signings.
Are there some possible answers that I haven’t listed? (I’m certain there are zillions I’ve missed)
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.
To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.
Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00JZOVYQG
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards7-1718231-237.html
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-7
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-7-cynthia-sax/1119919841
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_7?id=CGsOBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-7/id870582006
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing Erotic Romance – Why Do You Write Erotic Romance?
Writing Erotic Romance – Finding (and Keeping) The Perfect Critique Partner
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
It doesn’t matter how many years you’ve been writing, how many stories you’ve published or how many awards you’ve won. Your story isn’t perfect.
(If someone says your story is perfect, she’s blowing smoke up your tight ass or is afraid of hurting you or, the opposite, doesn’t give a shit about you or perhaps all of the above. Thank her for her kind words and look for another critique partner or editor.)
Yet-to-be published writers have two choices.
We can send our rough stories out and hope the crazy busy editor/agent we’ve contacted recognizes these diamonds in the rough and works with us through multiple revisions
OR
we can send these rough stories to critique partners (or paid editors) and make them the best they can be first and THEN send out these polished diamonds.
I always make my stories the best they can be first. Unless asked, there’s no resubmitting the same story to agents/editors. (They track this shit so don’t bother being tricksy.) We only have one shot at this and I’d like my shot to be as good as I can make it.
Critique Partners Or Paid Editors
I’ve had very few critique partners in my writing life. Why? Because in a critique partner relationship, manuscripts are exchanged. I’ll read and critique your story. You’ll read and critique mine.
When I was writing professionally part time, I had very little time. I could earn more money working additional hours at my non-writing job than I would spend hiring a freelance editor or paying for a critique. So I opted to go that route. Freelance editor vs critique partner doesn’t make much of a difference to the process. IMHO it merely changes what is being exchanged.
How To Find Perspective Critique Partners (Happy Hour)
One of the best ways to find perspective critique partners is to attend a writing workshop (either in person or online). We know that everyone paying for this workshop is interested in a) improving as writers and b) whichever topic is being covered. I especially love workshops in my specific genre. Angela Knight’s How To Write Sex workshop is a goldmine for finding erotic romance writing critique partners, as are many of the workshops offered by Passionate Ink.
Having critique partners with backgrounds in our genres is AWESOME. I don’t read or write inspirational romance. For me to give feedback on an inspirational romance is waste of everyone’s time. I don’t know the reader expectations. I wouldn’t know a good inspirational romance if it bit me on my ass.
However, I do know contemporary/SciFi/Paranormal erotic romance. Ask me to critique one of these stories and I can add value.
There are also often calls on RWA (Romance Writers of America) loops and other writer hangouts (forums, blogs, loops) for perspective critique partners.
Evaluating Perspective Critique Partners (Dating)
I say perspective critique partners because I’d never ask a complete stranger, someone I knew nothing about, to critique my manuscripts, trusting him or her with my hopes and dreams, with my writing career.
I like to virtually hang out with possible critique partners first, have a discussion, find out their personality types, their pet peeves, their strengths and weakness, hell, their genre.
Here are some questions to ask perspective critique partners…
1) Which genre do you write? Do you read in this genre? Do you LIKE this genre?
As I mentioned, every genre has expectations. Asking me, as an erotic romance writer, to evaluate an inspirational romance is useless. My critique will do more damage than good.
Does this mean that critique partners in different genres can’t work? Of course not. This is writing. I’ve seen every type of relationship work. Simply keep in mind that your genre might have different expectations.
2) What are your writing strengths? What are your writing weaknesses?
When I’m asked to critique a yet-to-be-published manuscript, I always ask what I’m critiquing. If the writer says ‘everything’, I decline because I’m not an expert in ‘everything.’ No writer is. We all have our strengths. If you don’t know your critique partner’s strength, you shouldn’t be asking them to critique your manuscript.
Preferably your critique partner’s strength should be your weakness. I’m terrible at grammar. One of my buddies is the grammar queen. I send critical manuscripts to her. In exchange, I look at her WTF (what the fuck) moments, her plot holes and emotion gaps.
3) How many stories a year do you write? How many words are these stories?
A critique partner relationship is an exchange. If I write 50,000 fresh words a month and you write 10,000 fresh words a month, you’ll spend much more time critiquing my work than I spend critiquing yours. If you’re okay with that, fine, but this is good to know at the beginning of the relationship.
4) How do you like to receive your critiques?
When I receive revisions, I read them, cry, get very, very angry, eat too much Nutella (just joking – there’s no such thing as too much Nutella), and then, the next day, I’ll incorporate them into my manuscripts. I could never receive a verbal critique. My reaction would scare the shit out of those critique partners (and editors). I need to receive critiques by email so I have time to move through this emotional process.
Some of my buddies are the opposite. They don’t learn from a critique until they hear it out loud. They need more of a back and forth on the critique that might be easier done in person or over the phone. Do whatever works for BOTH of you!
Note: Critiques are supposed to hurt like a son-of-a-bitch. If they don’t, either the critique isn’t thorough enough or you’ve developed the much-needed rhino skin or you’re on your third bottle of vodka and wouldn’t feel a transport truck if it ran over your feet.
5) What is your expected turnaround time on critiques?
If you have a family, a non-writing job, and other responsibilities, you might not be able to turnaround a critique in a day or two or three. Again, this is about setting and then meeting expectations. That’s the core of any solid relationship.
6) What do you expect from this relationship?
I usually don’t ask anyone for a critique unless I like her. However, I also don’t have a lot of extra time to chat so I tend to be mostly business. Some writers like chattier critique partners. They want to go for coffee, talk about their kids, etc. and that’s fine, as long as everyone is okay with this type of relationship.
Rejecting Potential Critique Partners (It’s Not You. It’s Me.)
If I get any strange vibes from potential critique partners, if they’re not a fit for me or if they’re unable to give me what I want from the relationship, I don’t waste anyone’s time. I walk away. Romanceland is very small so I’m polite. I simply say something like “I don’t think I’m the type of critique partner you need.”
Many (usually) newer writers are concerned about critique partners stealing premises or story ideas. A story is copyrighted as soon as it is written BUT lawsuit hassles can be avoided by teaming with critique partners we trust. There are plenty of writers looking for critique partners. Don’t team with anyone you don’t feel comfortable with.
First Exchange (The Trial Marriage)
After you decide you’re potentially compatible, consider exchanging a scene or two to test the waters. Before this happens, I usually share with editors and critique partners how I learn. Theory doesn’t mean anything to me. I like it when critique partners give me examples of how they would rewrite sentences. Examples drive some other writers crazy. They prefer the theory.
A good critique partner or editor usually won’t give writers solutions. They’ll point out problems, and perhaps, as I mentioned, give an example or two of how we might fix it. It is the writers’ responsibility to derive the solutions that are right for OUR stories.
Do we have to address every ‘problem’ critique partners point out? No, of course not. No critique partner is perfect. We’re all juggling multiple responsibilities. But we should keep in mind that if one reader (and all writers are readers first) has a problem with the scene or character or whatever, other readers (including agents and editors) might also.
And we should be polite. Critique partners are taking valuable time out of their lives to try to help us. They are doing this because they sincerely want our manuscripts to be stronger.
Evolving Relationships (Marriage)
Relationships change. This is true for critique partnerships also. You might have to amend or possibly dissolve the relationship. Communicate. Be as honest as you can yet polite and professional. If it isn’t working for you, make suggestions for improvement. If there’s no hope of resolution, shake hands and go your separate ways.
Learn from dysfunctional relationships but never talk smack about critique partners, not now, not ever. This is a trusted relationship. They trust you with their hopes and dreams. You trust them with yours. Maintain this trust.
What are some of your tips for finding and keeping awesome critique partners?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.
To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.
Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00JZOVYQG
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-7
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-7-cynthia-sax/1119919841
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_7?id=CGsOBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-7/id870582006
Topics: Writing Tips | 1 Comment »
Writing Erotic Romance – Pacing
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
All of the installments of Sinful Rewards are roughly the same number of words. Why then do some readers and reviewers claim the installments are becoming shorter?
The answer is one word—pacing.
Pacing is the speed of reading or comprehension. Pacing in writing is very similar to the tempo in music. This is why many writers write to music. They match the tempo. One scene might be a slow song, the sentences long and luxurious, the action leisurely. Another scene might have a dance beat, the sentences short, the action rushed. These two scenes might have the same number of words but the arrangement is very different, tricking the brain into reading faster or slower, as the writer intends.
And the writer should intend. Pacing is one of the most powerful tools in our toolbox. It decides whether or not readers finish our stories, what they grasp, what they overlook. It is how I can hide clues in my stories without readers perceiving them as obvious. For erotic romances, it is the difference between a fast and furious against the wall quickie and a Sunday morning sexual exploration.
The Natural Flow Of A Story
A story usually starts slower, speeds up in the middle, and then slows down at the end. The reason for this is because action and dialogue is faster to read than narrative and description.
At the beginning of a story, we normally describe the characters and the setting and weave in back story. All of these have a slower pace.
At the end of the story, the characters often think back on what they’ve learned, how they’ve grown. The action is winding down and the characters are absorbing what this means for them, giving readers a glimpse into the future.
The middle of the story is normally dialogue and action heavy. Both of these are fast to read. As Sinful Rewards is a serial, one continuous story, the installments in the middle naturally have a fast pace.
The Reader Breathes As Our Characters Breathe
To draw readers into our stories, we want to eliminate as much separation between them and our point of view character as possible. One method to have the reading pace reflect our point of view character’s pace. If our character is in a life or death car chase, her adrenaline pumping, her breath ragged, our reader should be reading as fast as she can. If our character is lying on the beach, relaxing, our reader should be relaxing also, leisurely turning pages.
A faster pace isn’t always better, especially for erotic romances. If the entire story is go-go-go, the reader won’t be able to breathe, won’t reflect on events, might become tired. A fast paced sex scene can be an exciting fast fuck but it isn’t romantic or lovey dovey. Having one pace for the entire story also reduces the power of this tool.
Pacing Problems
When I’m told by an editor, an agent, or a critique partner, that I have pacing problems, my first temptation is to change what happens in the scene, to crank up (or down) the action, if it is a battle scene, to increase (or decrease) the body count.
That is often not necessary. I can write the same scene with a fast pace or with a slow pace merely by changing my choice of words or my sentence structure.
Size Matters
The size of words and the length of sentences influence pacing. Readers read two short sentences faster than they read one long sentence. They read two one syllable words faster than they read one two syllable word.
Short simple sentences are easier for our brains to understand. If I really want a reader to note a point in my story, I use a short simple sentence. “I love you” is one example. This sentence is three words long. The words are one syllable each.
However, a short simple sentence is also read quickly. As “I love you” is usually a critical declaration, I will often frame it with long, complex sentences to slow down the moment, to allow the reader to savor it.
“I love you,” he declared. And he did, madly, truly, intensely, feeling an endless depth of emotion he never thought possible.
This second, run-on sentence serves the first, encouraging the reader to linger over the words, the sentiment.
Not So Fast, Mister
Forget what your English teacher taught you. In erotic romances, run-one sentences are our friends. They slow down sex scenes, increasing the emotion, bringing the reader along for the sizzling hot ride.
Using description in a sex scene is an easy way to slow pacing. The heroine doesn’t simply press her lips to the hero’s shoulder. She notes the salty taste of his skin, his musky scent, the way his muscles flex under her. She’s intensely aware of him, of everything about the man she’s fucking.
Sneaking in some introspective will also slow down the scene. The hero is rocking into her, moving in and out, in and out, and she’s thinking how easy it would be to fall in love with him, to crave a lifetime of this loving. But, oh noes, she knows they’re not meant to be. They only have this one sextastic moment and she’ll make every second count. (See how we inserted some delicious conflict? Grins. Yes, we’re tricksy that way.)
We don’t want to have a slow pace for the entire sex scene. The pace of the scene should reflect the pace of the act, starting slow, increasing faster and faster, until oh my God, the pacing climaxes when the characters come. Then the pace gradually slows as rational thought returns.
Pacing is a powerful tool, one that I am always working to perfect, taking courses, dissecting well written or best selling stories.
How do you control pacing?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.
To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.
Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00JZOVYQG
Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/book/cynthia-sax-sinful-rewards-7
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-7-cynthia-sax/1119919841
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_7?id=CGsOBAAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-7/id870582006
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing Erotic Romance – Pacing
