SECRETS OF A PROPER AUTHOR
Secrets? Of course I have a few. I’m hiding a chocolate bar, a creamy, lovely, delectable slab of Lindt milk chocolate in my desk drawer. It’s not even the kind of chocolate—the extra dark kind—with redeeming health benefits. This is pure decadence, and unadulterated…
Wait. Somehow I doubt that’s the kind of secret you were hoping to find here. You can read that kind of luscious seduction scene in a romance novel, like say, Secrets of A Proper Countess, perhaps, or The Price of Temptation.
You want to know what secrets lurk in a writer’s head, don’t you?
If you could open the door in the back of my skull and look inside, I imagine it would look like a scene from American Pickers in there, full of old junk and the occasional treasure. On good days, it’s Aladdin’s Cave of Wonders, on bad days, Hoarders. A whole army of critique partners, agents, and editors (and maybe a Navy Seal or two) need to stage an intervention!
They’d find my real secret, the one tucked away under the half-great ideas, the impossible dreams and the piles of manuscripts. SHEER TERROR. I am afraid I can’t do this writing thing, even after three published novels and some very good reviews that say otherwise.
I sit down at my computer every day and panic. I stare at the screen and think about laundry. I should get up and do it. I should clean the bathroom, or scrape gunk out a drain trap someplace, because that’s far easier than writing.
But there’s one other secret. I let the laundry pile up. I stare at my computer like a bug-eyed lemur until the first word comes. The treasure chests creak open, the gems spill out. I uncurl my frozen fingers and write. Words on the page—that’s the secret of a proper author. From there, the rest is easy.
A lucky commenter will win a copy of Lecia’s latest release, The Price of Temptation!
* The draw has been made. The winner is ellenjorgy! *
I have that sheer terror regularly! I think that is one of the writing community’s best kept secrets to ‘outsiders’…. it’s not as easy as it looks to be a writer
And yet we can’t live without writing, either! We’re an odd bunch, we writers. Who says we don’t live on the knife’s edge?
Writing is a compulsion
Argh, stupid internet–it didn’t post my original comment!
*sigh* And it was a good one too. Well, I’ll summarize:
Great post–I agree with you completely, and that’s just from what I’ve experienced while writing a few short stories purely for myself, never to be published.
Oh, and very jealous of your Lindt–I’ve got a serious chocolate hankering right now and no chocolate to be found!
Enjoy!
TBQ
Oh, I’m thinking that most days it’s a far far better thing that there’s no chocolate handy! My hip just can’t handle any more chocolate…perhaps if I’m good until Valentine’s Day…
Lecia, me too after 3 books published I still think it was a fluke. Non-writers think what we do is so easy. Oh, if only they knew…
Great post. DO NOT ENTER me for the book,as I already have it. I so enjoy your writing. I think everyone has a secret or to…What’s next for you? Bandit Creek is an awesome group of people.
Thanks,
AprilR
tarenn98 at yahoo dot com
Hi April
Yes, Bandit Creek is incredible! I am so honored to know many of these fantastic writers! These stories are hot and sexy, intriguing, fascinating and so well written!
Next for me? I’m writing my next book as we speak (complete with daily terror and the usual fear that this is the worst thing I’ve ever, ever written). It’s called “How to Deceive a Duke” and will be published by Avon in December 2012. After I finish the manuscript, I have three other projects waiting for me…I can’t wait!
Insecurity. Everyone can relate to that. It freezes some people. Others manage to work through it and go on to great things. Congrats on being in the latter group. (And for avoiding laundry.)
Donna-woo!
Laundry is inevitable, unfortunately, is completely optional and best left to a good dry cleaner if you want to see your shirts back within the next six months…
Glad I’m not the only one
The cover for “The Price of Tempation” is gorgeous. Kudos to you for admitting your secrets and I’m sure all writers experience what you have. I think three published books thus far is great.
Thank you. The cover of The Price of Temptation was recently nominated by RT magazine for January’s best cover! I can’t take any credit for it—Avon has incredibly talented artists on staff.
Sheer terror? Now, if anything gives me hope of ever getting published, that does!
Love your attitude, Vickie! It can be a heck of a motivator. Run! Go forward, away from the fear!
I have found that the best things in life always create terror first. Getting married and having a baby just to name a couple. At the end of the day is the satisfaction of having stood up to the terror and quietly beating it into submission. Then you have something worth having.
I’m thinking that you should just keep swallowing your terror, Lecia, and keep writing those books. Because, you know, I just started THE PRICE OF TEMPTATION last night and will be looking for you to feed my reading habit with another wonderful story.
next up, fear of success! (I hope)
Just wrangled the terror monster this morning. He’s been rearing his ugly head a lot lately.
I saw Dean Koontz last year in L.A. and one of the things he said that really stayed with me was something along the lines of, ‘Every good writer is terrified.’
Oh, to be lumped in with him…and with you, Ms. Cornwall! I love your stories. Can’t put them down. Please don’t bother adding me to your contest because I’ve already got your books!
I think a lot of authors “suffer” from that kind of terror. It’s both a blessing and a curse, because in just the right amount it can be exactly what you need to let go and just write, but too much of it and you completely freeze. Ugh!
Great post, Lecia!
Hi Lecia,
Loved the post especially the “bug-eyed lemur” part ;D I’ve not heard it put that way before! I let things go as well but it’s usually because I’m reading not writing. However I have written some reviews for some authors and I confess I worry about all the errors that were probably made that I didn’t catch prior to pushing the post button! Thanks for the post.
Lori
That terror seems to be a requirement of all writers. the only difference is that some of us get past it and others of us don’t. It’s funny how universal this terror is, Or it would be if it wasn’t so…well so terrifying.
Lecia,
I see I’m in good company as I’m terrified every day as I sit at the computer. Where are the words? Why won’t they come? Why is something I enjoy so much work? Getting started is the biggest battle I fight and I fight it every day.
Hi Lecia,
Yeah, I wonder the same thing – will I be able to sustain a writing career once I sell? Right now the only pressure I have is self made but how will it change once I have deadlines and editors to work with? I suspect the aforementioned chocolate’s going to play a very important part! Can’t wait to read TPOT. 
Chocolate – part of a writer’s arsenal! Mine is stashed away in the freezer, to be hauled out piece by judicious piece as the need arises.
I’m at work with a HUGE smile on my face. I love your comment about your brain being a scene from American Pickers, “full of old junk and the occasional treasure. On good days, it’s Aladdin’s Cave of Wonders, on bad days, Hoarders.” Ain’t it the truth! I would NEVER want the ability to read minds–there’s just too much going on in there that other people wouldn’t understand and shouldn’t know about.
HI Lecia,
Sorry I am late. I agree with you. My fear is “Why would anyone want to hear anything I have to say? What if, what if what if?” Eventally, I hope to get over it and upload something to be published. Because, the fact remains, “What if I don’t?”…..I’m glad you shared your secret with us. It makes the world a little less scary when you know others think the same way.
There always is a million things to do! I find making a list of 3 things to accomplish during the day helps.
books4me67 at ymail dot com
Hi Lecia!
I think I would terrified as an author because I wouldn’t want to fail especially if I’ve gotten a fan base following that are depending on me to come up with something brilliant. I write reviews for a couple of professional review sites and I find that the more I like a book the harder it is to write the review. I’m always thinking that I’ve failed to do the book and author justice or that people won’t like it. I’m working on that, but it’s still a fear. Maybe that’s my secret of being a proper reviewer:)
yadkny@hotmail.com
This book sounds very interesting. I’m looking forward to reading it.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
I think the life of a writer would be very stressful for me. I would definitely have a breakdown every time I sat down to write
jepebATverizonDOTnet
LOL @ a scene from American Pickers! What a cool comparison!
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