That final full stop.

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Reaching the end of a book is definitely a moment of mixed feelings!  Like most romance writers I suspect, I am both glad and sad when I get to the end of a story.  Living for several months with two characters as they journey through the minefield of getting to know, trust, and finally love each other until they reach that happy ever after is as emotional for me as it is for them.  As a writer, you have to feel every pang of jealousy, every ripple of joy, every stab of pain and every surge of passion, just as they do, otherwise your characters won't come alive for you and they certainly won't touch, much less convince, the reader.

Time and again, I  hear comments from people about how easy it must be to write romance, and especially a  Mills and Boon  romance, but nothing could be further from the truth.  It's not an ordeal of blood, sweat and tears, exactly, but it's far from easy. Rather it's a 100% commitment of time, energy, determination and, most of all, belief that you are writing something that other people will want to read, starting with the editors!  But the upside of writing every day, even when you don't feel like it or when inspiration seems to have up and left you for good, is the completion of the 50,000 or so words that make up a novel you are proud of and that you hope with all your heart will finally be the one to make it to those hallowed bookshop shelves. It really is one of the best feelings in the world.

So, my current work in progress is now complete, ready for submission to the NWS come spring, and the next one is brewing away quietly at the back of my mind while I take some time away from the keyboard over the Festive Season.  Phew!


Happy Christmas and a Fabulous 2015!!

Comments

  1. Sarah Snowdon1 January 2015 at 10:23

    Congratulations, Melissa, on finishing your book. I'm keeping everything crossed for you.
    Happy New Year. xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lissa Morgan2 January 2015 at 07:59

    Hi Sarah, thanks for your lovely message and Happy New Year to you too. Here's to a fab year for writing in 2015 :)
    xx

    ReplyDelete

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