Writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon

Anglea

Good luck SB on your writing plans. Word of warning, there is something called fear of success, so when I got commissioned for some books (non fiction) I suddenly talked myself out of carrying on - from what I've heard, my actions aren't uncommon.

Are you still going to do the story about the vet?

LL - good luck with your ideas about Brazil. I did one about a doctor in the Amazon

Mizzbizz - the website has all the details about word count etc, there are some links on the earlier pages of this thread. They're not all cheesy nowadays, there is supernatural and crime as well.

gingerandrubarb

Hi,
I am so interested in this and it's my only thing on my list to do in my life left lol.
I use YWriter software from here http://www.brothersoft.com/ywriter-64644.html

It doesnt cost anything and keeps me on plan to write those daily limit of words that i set myself. I think i may go for the nocturne side of the books. :cool:

mizzbiz

gingerandrubarb wrote: »

Hi,
I am so interested in this and it's my only thing on my list to do in my life left lol.
I use YWriter software from here http://www.brothersoft.com/ywriter-64644.html

It doesnt cost anything and keeps me on plan to write those daily limit of words that i set myself. I think i may go for the nocturne side of the books. :cool:

That software looks excellent.:cool:

SlopingBird

Anglea, thanks for the word of warning. I do sometimes wonder why I prevaricate so much when I actually have some time to write. Like today. I went running and while I was out, the ideas were positively flowing (unfortunately not for M&B but for a competition I saw advertised and another novel I've been thinking about). Then, the minute I sat in front of my computer, I got distracted by a million other things (like this forum ). Maybe I am scared of success - or failure? Which one is it? I used to write non-fiction for a living so it's not the blank screen syndrome.

Anyway, back to M & B. They'll accept the first three chapters plus a synopsis so yes, I think I will write up the vet story first. It's all worked out so it seems daft to waste all that effort.

Mizzbiz. Fortunately, I know the area firsthand and did some research (about horrible diseases affecting sheep) some time back so I have all that to hand. When I wrote my first M & B, most of it was set aboard a sailing yacht so I had to do quite a lot of research about sailing, tides, speeds, etc. Research is actually good fun and usually helps to get the ideas flowing too.

So who's going to join me? No need to write a M & B - let's just commit to writing something.

If anyone out there is interested in writing, you might be interested in Leaf Books. It's a great little organisation which runs regular competitions, often for very short pieces of writing. Competitions cost £3 to enter, which is pretty good these days.

http://leafbooks.co.uk/New/For%20Writers/CurrentCompetitions.html

SlopingBird

Anglea

Hi to the newcomers.

Sloping Bird

I'm not sure if I could write a MB as having to get a solicitor for a divorce so not in a romantic frame of mind.

However I do fancy writing something, so will give it a bit of thought.

My dad just got his book published and it's caused some problems. That's another thing to consider, that not everyone is appreciative of your writing efforts in getting published

Your procrastination today, I'm guessing you're doing it because there isn't a deadline.

Are you entering any of those contests from the site?

SlopingBird

I did think about the Day in the Life one - I don't want to write about me though so I need to think about whose day would be really interesting. 500 words isn't much but the deadline is in a few days' time.

I can understand why you don't feel like writing a romance at the moment having been through more than one divorce myself. Sadly, I'm still a hopeless romantic and I now have a wonderful partner who I really did fall in love with at first sight.

I went to a Katie Fforde event recently and she really loves her writing career and I thought 'what a great way to make a living' so that's another reason why I'm going to have another go (and finding the discarded M & B outline from years ago makes it easier).

Must go now - OH waiting to watch Lost (which I also love). Goodnight. SB

Amara

Intersting thread. I used to write in my teens-midtwenties. Why I stopped? I don't know,it just happened, I suppose... Many times I thought about coming back to writing, but I never did it. Maybe I should just sit and start to write?

Anglea

You've got no excuse now you've joined the thread Amara

Good luck SB for writing tomorrow if you do the contest.

gingerandrubarb

mizzbiz wrote: »

That software looks excellent.:cool:

It really is, keeps me on track as it helps plot characters and storylines and you can put in the amount of words min or max you want to do and it keeps tally making sure you stick to it :j
I'm rubbish normally at remembering things due to disability so i used to forget which character was doing what or what parts i surprisingly thought of at 4am while in bed lol. But i can just pop them in here and stop worrying

What does everyone else do/use? (books, notepads, computer, programmes etc) x

Amara

Anglea wrote: »

You've got no excuse now you've joined the thread Amara

Thank you I just need to sit and write. I've never thought about publishing anything, the only people who read my works were my friends and family. But itwas relaxing , I've enjoyed it and it was some sort of achievement to start and finish .