Jenna Harte

Author: JHarte

  • Writing What You Love…Even Across Genres

    Writing What You Love…Even Across Genres

    I once heard M.J. Rose talk about how she couldn’t get her book published because no one could figure out its genre. It had suspense, sex, psychological thrills, etc. So she sold it herself, garnered tons of fans and now has a publisher.

    Writing what you love, but not being able to get published because the book doesn’t fit into a neat category is frustrating. I enjoy romantic suspense, but prefer series over stand-alone books. This creates a dilemma for my writing because many mystery readers don’t like too much sex in their books and most romances don’t have series that are focused on the same two characters. But that is what I really want to write — a mystery involving two characters who are in love and do what people who are in love do.

    The first manuscript of Deadly Valentine had all the mystery and romantic elements, but I toned down the “good bits” because I know most mystery readers don’t want explicit intimate scenes. I thought by watering down the love scenes I would increase my chances at getting published.

    After making a few rounds and being told I have a “page turner”, “a great writing style” and “it could make a great romance if you elaborated on the intimacy”, but not getting an agent, I’ve decided maybe it’s time to just do what I want. So I’ve added the heat. It’s still a mystery, but offers more than a little cozy. One could consider it a romance, except that I have completed drafts of two more books in the series. Each has a mystery while also continuing Jack and Tess’ romance. I’ve done the same with the Delecoeurs; a happily-married, sophisticated, bantering couple ala-Nick and Nora Charles who often find themselves embroiled in murder and mystery. They also find time for passion.

    That’s not to say I’ve gone all “Fifty Shades of Gray”. Although I don’t have anything against explicit sex scenes, I much prefer intimate moments that focus on emotion and sensation over tactical details.

    I’ve discovered that many e-publishers are open to books that don’t necessarily fit within one genre, and I’m hopeful one will take a chance on Deadly Valentine.

  • The Waiting Game

    The Waiting Game

    Getting published is definitely an exercise in patience. Granted, every book, magazine article or agent/publisher submission guidelines suggests that the process can take months. In retrospect, for many submissions, I’ve experienced shorter waiting times. I had four agents respond within a a few days to a few weeks with their “no”. I had a publisher respond in five days asking to see a manuscript. An agent has kept in touch with me every few weeks with updates on the process. This is good. And yet, it’s hard to wait.

    On the other end, agents and publishers are probably working non-stop answering queries, reading manuscripts, working with writers. They are busy, busy, busy. But as the writer who’s sitting and checking her email every few minutes to see if someone wants to buy her work, the wait is excruciating. I find myself wondering, what part of the book are they at? Have they even picked it up to read yet?. How much longer do I have wait….?

    But every great goal requires work and patience. Losing weight takes time. Saving money takes time. And hearing back about a pitch from a publisher or agent takes time. Maybe that time will be today. I think I’ll go check my email again…

  • Is it Envy? The Incredulous Success of Fifty Shades

    Is it Envy? The Incredulous Success of Fifty Shades

    I love rags to riches stories, especially about indie writers. There is something satisfying about hearing about a writer rejected by traditional publishing, who delivers the ultimate payback…success. But in the case of Fifty Shades of Gray, I’m stumped.

    In theory, I should be excited that the Twilight fan fic turned published book is such a phenomenon since I got started by writing fan fic. What perplexes me is the quality of writing, not for fan fic, but for a traditionally published book. Fan fiction readers are so happy to read stories about their favorite characters, that they are forgiving of things like typos and quality of writing. But when a book is picked up by a publisher, it seems like editing for quality should be a part of the process. It doesn’t feel like that happened in the case of Fifty Shades of Gray. Didn’t the editor find the overuse of some words (i.e. “inner Goddess” and “holy….”) annoying? Or the sex scenes a little too flowery ala bodice rippers of yesteryear? I’m not criticising the the bondage or erotica, I’m talking about the over-the-top language like “…pushing higher and higher into the castle in the air” or referring to a part of Christian’s anatomy as a popsicle. Are these adults or teenagers? I was expecting to read things like “trobbing love thruster”.

    Is it jealousy or sour grapes on my part. Maybe, though I don’t think so. As I mentioned in the beginning, I’ve enjoyed seeing the success of other indie authors finally getting noticed by traditional publishers. But maybe I need to view the success of Fifty Shades of Gray as a good sign. Maybe other readers, not just fan fiction readers, don’t care as much about the quality of the writing as the story. Or maybe its just readers who like titillating reads. That must be it. After all, people who like porn don’t pay too much attention to cinematic style or quality.

    While I found Fifty Shades of Gray an annoying read, ultimately I have to congratulate E.L. James for her success. Afterall, what every writer wants are readers who love the story and that is what E.L. James was able to achieve.

  • Endangered Cover – What do you think?

    Endangered Cover – What do you think?

    Step-by-step I move closer to getting my novella Endangered published. It’s crazy how much there is do to self-publish a book. Aside from writing, there is editing, formatting for e-readers, buying an ISBN, writing a blurb that makes people want to read it, and creating a cover that entices people to read the blurb. I’m working on the final edit and then I’ll do the formatting. I’m also working on the cover. Below is the current incarnation, but I’m not sure it’s right. I’d love to have your feedback.

  • Silent but Busy

    Silent but Busy

    It’s been awhile since I’ve written a post, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been writing and reading and writing some more. Here’s what’s going on:

    1) I’m waiting to hear back from two e-publishers regarding Deadly Valentine. I submitted one in April, but have to wait until August to follow up. That seems like forever to me and it’s been incredibly hard to be patient.

    2) I’ve been studying indie publishing. I’ve decided that if the e-publishers don’t take Deadly Valentine, I’ll publish it myself. The big task at hand aside from manuscript prep and buying ISBNs, is marketing. Marketing is crucial even in traditional publishing, but at least with a traditional publisher you have a head start with distribution. Most publishers have a following of their own, giving a new release greater exposure. With indie publishing, you don’t have that until you build it.

    3) Finally, I’ve been working on a novella to giveaway in an effort to generate knowledge of and interest in my writing. This has been harder than I anticipated. First, I’ve rewritten an old fan fiction and I discovered that changing the names alone doesn’t work. In fact, once the names were changed, the work sucked. I determined that it was because in fan fic you don’t have to delve into the characters since everyone knows them. But once it’s an original story, it needs more character development.

    Second, I’m not sure it’s the right story to create interest in the Valentine mysteries. I considered writing the pre-story, but that ruins some of the intrigue in Deadly Valentine (Book 1). I could write a novella — a story between the stories — but that too is something I feel should come after the first book is published. So I chose a story about a couple similar to Jack and Tess, who get into trouble, like Jack and Tess, and who also enjoy doing things that couples in love do, like Jack and Tess. But it’s not Jack and Tess and I worry people would want the couple from the novella.

    That brings my to my third issue, which is now that I have this story, I feel compelled to write more of them. But that would takes away from my effort to get the Valentine mysteries published. I know that I can write more than one series or book (I have first pages to several other books), but my goal with the novella was to create interest in the Valentine stories and build my platform, not for them to take on a life of their own.

    4) In the midst of all this, I have done lots of reading. I read the first two books of Nora Roberts Inn Boonsboro. I don’t usually read her romance trilogies, but I’m interested in staying at the Inn Boonsboro (the Nick and Nora room), so I read them. I enjoyed them, but I think I’ll probably like the last book best because Ryder is so difficult.

    Along with fiction, I’ve been reading A LOT of ebooks on self-publishing. From these books, I know I’m on the right track, but it all takes time and I’m getting impatient.