You mean I actually have to write?

This is something I struggle with as a writer - that sounds rather like an oxymoron doesn't it?

I'm good (maybe even great) at a lot of things writers have to do:

1)  Plotting - I love deciding where my story is going to take place, who the characters will be and what the struggles will be.  It's something I've actually gotten much better at over the years.

2) Promotion - I enjoy meeting new people at conferences, teaching online classes, touring blogs. Interviewing people on my blog.  It connects me to readers on more than a "buy my book" level and I think that's very important.

3) Editing - I would have to say while this isn't my favorite part of the process, I find it much easier than writing itself.  I'm not an author who is attached to every word or phrase.  I'm not even emotionally attached to certain plot devices even though I love that piece.  Ultimately I trust my editors to have the knowledge of what their readers expect from the house as well as my work.

 And then there's Writing - This is the painful part for me.  I'm not talking about the first 30 pages here.  I'm talking about the transition between scenes,keeping sex scenes fresh and which POV do I write from?  I tend to over think this part of the process - a lot. 

If I hit a bump at all here - I tend to avoid it.  I've tried all the tricks to put my butt-in-chair and type.  Fake deadlines, write or do housework, force myself to sit there and stare at the screen for an hour.  It just doesn't work for me.  And of course with a day-job it's a lot easier for me set writing aside as an excuse that I'm tired, don't have time, etc.

I'm not a Write-or-Die writer.  I truly admire those who have to write.  Of course I'm sure they have their own troubles with this business but it's unlikely writing is one of them. :)

Once I do actually sit down - I can usually stay there for a full eight hours finally having the ambition to finish or get close to it.  I love typing "THE END", because then I get to move onto: Plotting, Editing or Promotion.

Who knew to be a successful writer...you actually had to write?  :)

Going to DragonCon

I’m about to leave for my favorite summer camp for wayward adults: Dragon*Con. This year they’re working me to the bone, and I hate to suffer alone. So if you’d like to drop by to cheer, jeer or just say hello, this is where you’ll find me:

Saturday

Paranormal Romance vs. Urban Fantasy - The panel hopes to explore what distinguishes the two genres and whether it’s possible for writers to break genre barriers and still keep their core audiences. Panelists: Raven Hart, Rita Herron, Carol Malcolm (Moderator), J. Kessler, Jean Marie Ward. 2:30 p.m., Montreal/Vancouver Room (Hyatt)

Magic and Religion in Science Fiction and Fantasy - Magic as religion? Or religion as magic? Is there such a thing? Can it be both? A. Davis, Glenda Finkelstein (Moderator), Katherine Kurtz, Jody Lynn Nye, Jean Marie Ward. 4 p.m. Fairlie Room (Hyatt)

Attack of the Dead Authors Society - You want to see what happens when I channel Mary Shelley? It ain’t gonna pretty--especially when they let me loose against a bunch of guys. I'm not kidding, despite Stephanie's presence on the panel, they're all coming as male authors. That is so wrong on so many levels. Come and see the carnage--I mean, fun. Joe Crowe, Larry Davis, Van Allen Plexico (Moderator), Stephanie Souders, Jean Marie Ward. 10 p.m. Fairlie Room (Hyatt)

Sunday

Other Worlds, Other Times - Romance is now exploiting the tropes of science fiction--space voyages, time travel, magical lands, etc. What are the key motifs for today’s romance writers? How do they use them differently than their SF/fantasy colleagues--especially when, under other names, they may be the same people? They’re letting me run this one, and for some reason, they expect me to be conscious the morning after the Cruxshadows' midnight concert. I believe the term "cock-eyed optimist" was coined for situations like these. Panelists: Sandra Hill, Susan Kearney, Susan Sizemore, Jean Marie Ward (Moderator), C.L. Wilson. 10 a.m., Montreal/Vancouver Room (Hyatt)

Dark Secrets, Shadowed Hearts - Tortured anti-heroes or insufferable jerks? Why we lover (or hate) alpha males and “bad boys”. Panelists: Carole Nelson Douglas, Rita Herron, Donna Lynch, Carol Malcolm (Moderator), Jeanne C Stein, Jean Marie Ward. 1 p.m., Montreal/Vancouver Room (Hyatt)

Plumbing the Anima: On Fritz Leiber - Everything Fritz Leiber will be up for discussion. Since he’s the fantasy writer who inspired me to write fantasy, I’m looking forward to this. I’d look forward to it more if there were more of us on the panel, though. Panelists: T. Leonard, Jean Marie Ward. 2:30 p.m. Greenbriar Room (Hyatt)

Monday

Tales of Dragaera - This time around this discussion centers on Steven Brust. Expect the good, the bad, and lots of Eastern European food porn. Panelists: Van Allen Plexico, Jean Marie Ward. 11:30 a.m., Greenbriar Room (Hyatt)

What’s Next for Romance? - These days, it seems you can’t have a con without asking this question. Industry professionals talk about the current trends in the romance genre and where they expect the field to go next. Panelists: Althea Kontis, Carol Malcolm (Moderator), Deborah Smith, Jean Marie Ward. 2:30 p.m., Montreal/Vancouver Room (Hyatt)

See you there!