Please join me in welcoming the writing team of Lydia Dare to Debbie's Book Bag today! I'm really excited to have them here with us, because I am such a big fan on their writing. Sourcebooks has generously offered one set of four books by Lydia Dare for giveaway: A Certain Wolfish Charm; Tall, Dark and Wolfish; The Wolf Next Door; and The Taming of the Wolf. (See Details at the end of the post!)At least once a week we get asked, together or separately - what advice we would offer aspiring writers. Incredibly, we give the same answer - and if you knew how differently we think in real life, you would appreciate this rarity even more. So what IS the answer, you're asking?
The best advice we give is to surround yourself with other creative people. Find a group or organization where you can meet other writers, preferably with members who share your interests. The reason we so adamantly spout this advice is that following this path not only led to publication for us, but it also led us to each other.
We live more than an hour away from each other, and even though we write together, we never see each other. Well, we Do see each other at our local RWA chapter - Heart of Carolina Romance Writers. And we DO see each other at various publicity events, but if we hadn't met through HCRW, Lydia Dare would have never been born. Our paths would have never crossed.
Our local chapter currently has 140 members, but there's usually 50 or so at any given meeting. And when you first join a chapter that has impressive NYT Bestselling authors, it can be a little intimidating, no matter how nice they really are. So, the newer members generally have a way of finding each other. And that is exactly what happened to us. We both joined the chapter within a few weeks of each other and, introverts that we are, we tended to sit quietly in the back.
Eventually we became friends and then writing partners.
But two more different people you aren't likely to find, which in our case is actually a benefit. We balance each others strength's and weaknesses - or at least we hope we do. Tammy is very plot driven and Jodie is very character driven. Tammy tends to write a little spicier and Jodie focuses on the historical aspects. And hopefully, when we're done, we have a well-rounded story that readers will fall in love with.
Because we rarely see each other, we don't write in the same room. If we tried, we'd never finish any projects. Instead, we converse through e-mail and Skype on a regular basis. We have a goal of 1500 words or so a day. And the way that works for us is one will write the words then send the pages to the other, who then edits those pages and then starts writing where the first one left off. When we finish a chapter we post it on our online critique group and see what edits, revisions, suggestions these ladies offer. And we continue in this vein until we type "the end."
When we first decided to embark on this journey together, neither thought we'd be sitting her two years later with four books on the shelves and six more on the way. We were fortunate to find each other at the right time.
Have you ever decided to collaborate with someone on a project? And if so, was the person similar to you? Or did you have a different way of seeing things?
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Sourcebooks has generously offered one set of all four Lydia Dare novels to one very lucky winner. A Certain Wolfish Charm; Tall, Dark and Wolfish; The Wolf Next Door and The Taming of the Wolf could be yours!
The rules are simple:
- You must be a Google Friend Connect follower to participate in this giveaway.
- This giveaway is for U.S. and Canadian residents only. These books will be sent out directly from the publisher
- The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, November 30th!
1.)You must answer Lydia Dare's question in the comments below to be entered - NO COMMENT= NO ENTRY! This just lets me know that you read the post and are paying attention...
2.) You must fill out this FORM!
EXTRA ENTRIES: (You'll be asked about these on the form!)
+5 for following me on Twitter (sidebar)
+5 for being an Old follower
+3 for being a New follower
+5 for each original entry in any other giveaway on my sidebar
+5 for putting my giveaway on your sidebar
+10 for putting my button on your sidebar
+10 for subscribing via e-mail (sign up on the sidebar)
+25 for getting the word out about this giveaway via, blog post, twitter, facebook etc.
- You must be a Google Friend Connect follower to participate in this giveaway.
- This giveaway is for U.S. and Canadian residents only. These books will be sent out directly from the publisher
- The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, November 30th!
1.)You must answer Lydia Dare's question in the comments below to be entered - NO COMMENT= NO ENTRY! This just lets me know that you read the post and are paying attention...
2.) You must fill out this FORM!
EXTRA ENTRIES: (You'll be asked about these on the form!)
+5 for following me on Twitter (sidebar)
+5 for being an Old follower
+3 for being a New follower
+5 for each original entry in any other giveaway on my sidebar
+5 for putting my giveaway on your sidebar
+10 for putting my button on your sidebar
+10 for subscribing via e-mail (sign up on the sidebar)
+25 for getting the word out about this giveaway via, blog post, twitter, facebook etc.
11 comments:
The only thing I think I ever collaborate was the remodeling of my house with my husband and we saw almost everything differently. But all thats over now. Yay! :)
Always have different views, totally opposite. Really it is the way I want to do thing. I`m told I am very stubborn.
Oh man for school (since I have gone back in my later years) I have to collaborate a lot with others. When you get older it seems to be harder to work in a group with teens because their lives are so open, they don't seem to schedule well. It is hard to get them all together in one place if you are not offering a party, but work.
I collaborate in leading a Girl Scout Troop but the other leader is always forgetting we are supposed to do things, and on her part she is always lacking so I have to take up the load. Sometimes it works though. I really enjoy it.
I have never collaborated anything with anyone before except for maybe my husband. I am a loner and don't work well with others. I'm not a leader and more of a follower too. I think a project would be me doing it and someone telling me what to do!
I've never of my own volition collaborated with someone, not that I would be opposed to it. Anytime I've had to collaborate it has been for a school or work project, and generally everyone had a different way of seeing things. It was hard to get everyone to agree on anything.
Have you ever decided to collaborate with someone on a project? And if so, was the person similar to you? Or did you have a different way of seeing things? I have never collaborate with anyone. Maybe in school but I can't remember and if I did I was the different one and the quiet one and just went along with their ideas.Please enter me in contest. Would love to read all these books. Tore923@aol.com
I tend to go at things alone. Not that I don't enjoy the help or opinions of others it's just that I'm so super organized and detailed with things.
I thought I would answer this one as well so you'd know what my take is on the question.
I have collaborated on a lot of different projects for school, church, etc. etc. But never in writing. I tend to have very strong opinions about how things should be when I write and I fear I would probably scare a partner off, LOL! That's not to say I wouldn't try it, if the opportunity arose.
Very generous giveaway! Love all the covers!
I've had to collaborate on several projects at work with a co-worker and although we have some similarities there is one thing that we don't have in common and that is in the way we write. Whether it be an email, memo, report, etc., the times that I've had to work with her I always try to take over the writing portion because if my name is going to be on anything like that then I want it to be something that looks as professional as possible. She tends to write more explanation than just getting to point of the matter. In my job, people don't want to sit around reading a book they just want to know what the information is that you're trying to get out and then be on their way.
Yadira A.
yadkny@hotmail.com
What an Awesome contest! All 4 books in a row to try to win. Wow! This series is new to me. It's nice to learn about the author or in this case the Authors behind the books. I would never have guessed there were 2 of you behind the scenes ;)
Have I collaborated on a project? Sort of...and yes. My hubby luvs woodworking as a hobby when he isn't patrolling in the sky. I'm a crafty person too but in different parts of the project going on. I like the finishing & staining part ;) Trying to move, hold onto & Ripp 4 X 8 sheets of 3/4 inch Oak Sucks!! Their is always at least a comment, moan or gripe, a splinter, cut, or bruise accumulated during the project because I am only so strong & now in my older days, the Big 4 0 right around the corner in a few months ;( But I bite my lip, roll with the punches and push forward to get to the parts that I do like to do. Although I may not be a fan of ripping wood, the rest of the project is smooth sailing. It's our bonding time. We really talk and have a fun time. We do have other likes in common that are less painful to me :) Some examples of other common interests are we enjoy the same types of movies, music, family values & our dogs. BUT...outside of theses common interests, we couldn't be 2 totally more different people. He's quiet almost perceived as moody but that's the cop in him, planned & really smart. Me, I'm on the bottom, other end, of that rainbow. I'm OK smart and Me, I never shut up as you can read here. I'm very easy going and can roll by the seat of my pants, nothing really phases me. With all that said about our likenesses and differences, when it comes down to it, we find ways to compromise, whether it be projects or picking whats for dinner, like a good working team should.
I follow GFC & subcribe to the newsletter.
Stephmartin71(at)yahoo(dot)com
Awesome giveaway by the way.
Hmm...collaborate on a project...I have tried to do that on planning events and such but I find that I have a hard time doing so since I don't see eye to eye with the people I'm working with and we tend to argue. Unless we have separate responsibilities, it doesn't usually work.
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