As a
writer, I’ve dealt with that horrible thing called Writer’s Block. For me,
though, if I can’t move forward in a book, it’s usually because something is
not right with what I have written. This is especially true when I first start
a book. In the past, I’ve been stalled while my subconscious mind works out
what is wrong, where it’s wrong, and how to fix things.
Or maybe I
don’t know where I’m going. Sure, I have outlines and a synopsis but perhaps
I’m not sure how to get from point A to point B. Again, my mind needs to
percolate on the story. Eventually it hits like a bolt of lightning and I’m off
and writing again.
The
trouble with the two above scenarios for me is a lack of production and
efficiency in my writing. Writing is a business and I hate that the “creative
juices” overtake the “business manager.” I’ve been known to be stalled for
weeks while waiting for my mind to figure out what the heck it needs to move
forward.
A year
ago, I came upon the solution. It’s called Power Writing and it has powered my
writing through what I think of as my diva writer’s tantrums. I no longer
accept or put up with my mind’s desire to “percolate” or “let the solutions
just come to me” habit.
I have a
group of writer friends who were doing what they called Power Hour writing and
I was invited to join. They write for one hour. A conference call is made,
everyone states their current word count or if they are in edit mode, state
their page count (no chatter). Then we hang up and write for one hour. No
interruptions, no social media, no research. This hour is to write and rack up
those word or page counts.
Here’s
what Power Writing is involves:
The rules
are simple: write for one hour.
Write down
your current word count (scene/chapter/document).
No
interruptions allowed.
No
stopping to research allowed.
No going
on the internet to check facts allowed.
No
distractions period.
No
checking email, Facebook, twitter, or other social media allowed.
No phone
calls allowed.
Write.
Write. Write. THIS IS SO SIMPLE.
Warn your
family that you are taking an hour—JUST ONE HOUR—to write.
If you
write with other writers, at the start of the hour, conference in everyone and
state your current word count for your chapter or document. Those in edit mode
state page goals.
NO CHATTER
ALLOWED IF YOU DO THIS WITH OTHERS. SHARE CURRENT WORD COUNT OR PAGE COUNT
GOALS ONLY.
The idea
is to empower your mind and just write.
My first
session I was just starting a new book and thought I’d have to outline my book
or at least plan it out a bit. Didn’t even have a synopsis. I only knew the
heroine’s name. She’d been a traumatized child in an earlier book and I knew
she had a grandfather who might look for her. But I reminded myself that the
purpose was to write so I took the plunge. Pulled the hero’s name from thin air
and wrote a scene between him and the heroine’s grandfather. To my shock, I got
six hundred words in that hour and I never had to change what I wrote. It was a
solid start to the book!
I’ve been
doing this for a year now and cannot believe the results. I have not had a
single bit of downtime. The tantrums are gone; the Diva has been put in her
place. Of course, there are times when I don’t feel like writing or times when
I’m too tired physically or mentally, but no writer’s block or that equally
scary “what the hell am I doing. I don’t need days or weeks to figure out what
comes next. I am able to power my way though. That book I started, a 90k word
book, was finished in in eight weeks!
It’s
almost as though my mind already knows what it needs to know and when you
demand that it sit and produce for that hour, it does so. As I take breaks
between these power hours, my mind is subconsciously already working out the
next scene and the next chapter so when I sit to write, we are off and running.
The other
great benefit is my production is way up! This is ultimately a business and
career and there is no downtime to pander to the creative me. The CEO is in
charge! Here is what I’ve accomplished in a year:
July/August
wrote White Christmas approx. 90k words. Starting last December, I began writing
erotica novellas (30k words each). Dec. to present end of July) I’ve written 8
novellas. That’s like 2 2/3’s full-length books in seven months! I don’t know
about you, but that is a huge jump in my writing output. If my schedule goes as
planned, by the end of December I will have written an additional 7-8 novellas,
my contracted books, and the work for hire I’ve been doing to earn money now!
Yes, that’s almost two a month for the remainder of the year (5 months)
I could
never have done this without the discovery of Power Writing.
Title: Cinderella & Prince Dom
Publisher: Wild Rose Press:
Wilder Roses
Date Published: September 12 2014
Genre: Erotica
Word Count: 28,000
Jaimie Newberry is jobless, her rent is due, and her cat just died. On
top of that, she was accused of embezzling before she was fired. When her friend
invites her for a weekend of kinky fairytale role-playing, she agrees to go as
Cinderella. What has she got to lose when sex with a handsome prince is
involved?
CEO Bryce Langston needs to know if Jamie is innocent of embezzlement
or just very clever. He arranges for her to be his weekend sub but soon
realizes the pretty scullery maid is naïve to the BDSM lifestyle. As her prince
and her Dom, he intends to not only learn the truth but to make sure she has a
fantasy come true.
Cinderella & Prince Dom will be available worldwide at sites
including Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Wild Rose Press-Erotica
line (Wilderroses.com)
Excerpt:
Bryce spotted Cinderella entering
the parlor below. The ruffles of her skirt swirled playfully around slender
thighs, and the low cut of her simple top revealed a nice swell of breasts.
Deep inside, anticipation hummed. Annie had been gone five years now, and while
he hadn’t been celibate during those long years, he hadn’t participated in the
games he hosted either. This would be his first.
And only because he needed to know
the truth.
Jaimie had uncovered an embezzling
ring in one of his accounting firms. Her boss implicated her, but as he’d found
out, the man himself had proved to be a liar, and the leader in the group of
employees caught.
Lucy, his personal assistant, swore
Jaimie was innocent. The fact Jaimie had blown the whistle lent her story
credence, as did the files she gave Lucy to give to him. He’d hired auditors.
Everyone believed she was innocent. But he wouldn’t know until he spoke to her.
A study of her employment files indicated the woman was smart. She could easily
have done what she did to make herself look innocent and then gotten out before
being caught.
“Does it matter if she is as guilty as the
others?”
Bryce nodded. “Yes. No one steals
from me.” Determining Jaimie’s level of involvement was unfinished business.
Was his Cinderella truly innocent, or had she been framed? He needed to know
for sure.
Glorie laughed low in her throat.
“My, your little playmate looks ready to bolt, and it’s not even midnight.”
Bryce narrowed his eyes. Glorie was
right. Jaimie was staring at some of the costumes with mouth agape. He couldn’t
see her eyes but imagined they were wide with shock. Even from where he stood,
he could see her face was flushed with embarrassment. She took a big gulp of
her champagne then grabbed Lucy by the arm. Though he couldn’t hear the
conversation, it was clear his sub was having serious doubts.
Rocking back on his heels, he
grinned. From the questionnaire, he knew Jaimie was new to this world, and he
was looking looked forward to introducing her to some light BDSM.
Author Bio:
Sydney St. Claire is the pseudonym of Susan Edwards, author of 14
Historical Native American/Western/Paranormal romances and the author of the
popular “White” Series.
Sydney loves writing and sharing stories of love, happiness and dreams
come true with her readers. She credits her mother for her writing success. Encouraged
to read as a child, she always preferred happy endings which meant romances
were her favorite genre. Sydney takes her readers into the world of erotica
romance where her characters come together in explosive passion as they solve
life’s problems and find true love along with the best sex our hero and heroine
have ever experienced.
Sydney’s office is quite crowded with three dogs at her feet and five
cats to keep her company while she writes. Three cats always insist on beds on
her desk, barely leaving enough room for her monitor and keyboard. Life gets
fun when all five insist on supervising…
When not writing, she enjoys crafts of all sorts including quilting,
sewing, cross-stitch, and knitting. She and her husband of 30 + years are avid
gardeners. He takes care of the veggies, and Susan is in charge of the
‘pretties’. Her medicine wheel garden is in a contact state of war: flowers vs.
weeds. Sadly, right now the weeds are wining…
While writing, she listens to a wide variety of music. Her current
favorites are Blackmore’s Night and David Lanz.
Cinderella & Prince Dom is book one in my new Once Upon a Dom
series. Book two, Red & The Big Bad Dom will be out in November followed by
Snow & Her Huntsman early 2015. Beauty, Rapunzel and Wendy will make their
appearances in 2015.
