*I was recently asked to write up a few guest posts as part of Temptation’s Harlequin blog tour. So I thought I would share them with you here*
Some things I learned while writing Temptation ~
Learning has no bounds; it is infinite. And that prospect alone excites me to no end. Why? Because I like to consider myself somewhat of a human sponge. Just call me SpongeBob… no, I’m kidding, don’t call me that.
Since becoming a writer, I have learned so much — some good and some bad. Probably my biggest lesson learned, on a personal level, is to always back yourself. To quote my current WIP, Attraction (book 4 in The Temptation Series):
‘If you try and fail you still succeed; for succeeding in failure is still a success’.
I truly believe this notion as I am an advocate of ‘try’ and ‘you’ve got nothing to lose’. We all strive for success, but failing in an attempt to achieve it can be just as important. If you look behind all failure, there is a lesson of value.
And speaking of those lessons, I’ve experienced many during the process of writing and publishing Temptation. One being — and shouty caps are necessary here — GET YOUR MS PROFESSIONALLY EDITED. Not just beta-read. No, you need to invest in a professional copy editor to go through your book with a fine-toothed comb. Never solely rely on yourself and your nearest and dearest to edit your own book… unless you or they are an English Professor. And even then, I would still advise you obtain that editor.
Another lesson learned is to always write the story that you want to write. Don’t veer away from your original premise or be persuaded to change tact to suit others. If you wish to dabble in something different, then do it on your own accord. I can guarantee that you will NEVER please everyone, so don’t even try.
Oh, and another thing I’ve learned while writing Temptation is that my wonderful American readers do not understand the terms: bonnet, chook, ratbags and Christmas crackers, LOL. Really? The language barrier is a funny thing and can be quite difficult to overcome. But with being an Aussie comes many Aussie-isms. I’ve always been just a teency bit stubborn and opted to stay true to my region where these are concerned. I do, however, understand that if you cater for just one nationality and their understanding of terminology, you can inevitably limit your readership. That being said, I did compromise on many terms in order to try and achieve a fair balance but stay true to writing an Australian story.