Category Archives: writing craft

Satisfying Endings

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

This post was originally written for Shelley Munro’s blog. Though I read a lot, I was never good at articulating what made a satisfying ending for a novel. Over years of writing, I got better at endings, mostly thanks to … Continue reading →

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The World Beyond the Story

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

This post was originally written for Ella Drake’s blog. The Duke and the Pirate Queen is set in a fantasy world that’s based on all kinds of elements taken from our own world. Maxime’s duchy is a Mediterranean-esque land with … Continue reading →

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Writing Explicitly

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

This post was originally written for Kate Elliott’s blog. I think there are several keys to writing good explicit sex scenes. The first is to give up any pretense of hiding yourself. You can’t hide from the reader, and you … Continue reading →

Posted in erotica, writing, writing craft, writing process | 2 Comments

“Satisfying Endings” Guest Post

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

It’s the end–I think–of my blog “tour” in celebration of this month’s launch of The Duke and The Pirate Queen. The last stop is Shelley Munro’s Blog where I’m talking about, appropriately, “Satisfying Endings.” Stop by and let me know … Continue reading →

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Hints of Mystery

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

This post, in a shorter form, was originally written for K.S. Manning’s blog. One of the things I experimented with while writing The Duke and the Pirate Queen was a mystery plot. Throughout the story, I interspersed questions that weren’t … Continue reading →

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Telepathy and Romance

Posted on October 1, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

Telepathy and romance are two great tastes that ought to taste great together. So why is it that, so often, a telepathic heroine or hero–finds true love with the one person whose mind can’t be read?It’s part of a romance … Continue reading →

Posted in romance novels, sf/f, writing craft | 6 Comments

Prose Architecture and Experimentation

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

Back when I wrote a lot more short stories, I used to use each one as an opportunity for experimentation. This was partly because I feel experimentation is one of the best ways to improve your writing, and partly so … Continue reading →

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Writing the Senses

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

Have you ever done one of those writing exercises to make you think more about using all your senses in your writing?I’ve at least tried some, but I get bored pretty quickly with exercises, so instead I steal the ideas … Continue reading →

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Research – When to Stop

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

I actually stole this topic from a discussion I read…somewhere, a while back. The question was, “when do you stop researching?” I have two answers.My first answer is never. You never stop researching because everything you read or look at … Continue reading →

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Writing for Women, Writing for Men

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Victoria Janssen

I read about a workshop at the RWA Conference whose topic, I think, was writing for women versus writing for men. I didn’t attend, so the actual title didn’t stick in my mind. However, it sparked thoughts, and I of … Continue reading →

Posted in business of writing, erotica, writing, writing craft | 4 Comments