• Sh!t My Muse Says with Dawn McClure

    The Virile Men of Romance by Dawn McClure 

        Published: January 30th, 2012  Views: 1282 
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    Things you’ll never read in a romance novel:

    “Aiden is thinning on top. I told him he should go to Bosley.”

    Ranulf took one look at his opponent and screamed like a little girl.

    “How was Alec in bed? Hmm, I couldn’t tell, since he only lasted about two minutes.”

    “He’s sexy as all get-out, but his voice sure is shrill, isn’t it?”

    “That harelip of Carl's is so sexy.”

    We’re always told to give our characters flaws, but let’s face it, there are some flaws we must stay away from. I’ve read a few romances where the hero was missing certain appendages – no, not THAT one. NEVER that one – and the hero was no less of a man. But seriously, think about it: you could give your hero brown hair and brown eyes, and you’ve pretty much incapacitated him right there. Am I right?

    Categories:
    1. Craft
    2. Muse, Mind & Body
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    Raise Your Voice by Dawn McClure 

        Published: May 9th, 2011  Views: 837 
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    I can define my voice with two words: Ghetto Punk. I write like I speak, and trust me, if you’ve ever met me in person you know I’m some kind of crazy. But that’s okay, as long as I stay true to my voice my books shouldn’t sound like anyone else’s.

    Voice is hard to teach. The best way to explain voice is this: write like you talk. I don’t use flowery words to describe settings, and my characters rarely over-contemplate any given situation. My heroine’s are snarky and have a short fuse (just like their mama). This used to worry me. Are all my female characters the same? That’s bad, isn’t it? Well, think of Kresley Cole. When you read her books you want a kick-ass heroine, and damned if that isn’t what you get.

    So what exactly is voice?
    Categories:
    1. Craft
    2. Muse, Mind & Body
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    Keeping it Real by Dawn McClure 

        Published: April 25th, 2011  Views: 1381 
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    Have you ever read a great book, put it down, looked at your shit and thought…WTF. What’s the point? I’ll never be that good. Doesn’t matter that I get fan mail, doesn’t matter that my crit partner thinks my writing is the shit, I will never in a million years write a book as good as the one I just read.

    If you just said no, that’s never happened to you, I’ll call you out right now – liar liar, pants on fire! If you shouted out a Hells Yes! then this, my friend, is for you.
    Categories:
    1. Craft
    2. Muse, Mind & Body
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    Social Networking – Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don’t by Dawn McClure 

        Published: April 18th, 2011  Views: 2203 
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    Once upon a time, Dawn McClure loved to write. Right after making her coffee in the morning, she’d shuffle to her computer and open her WIP. After a few minutes of yawning and stretching, she’d put the cursor where it belonged and let the words come.

    Let’s drop third person and fast forward a few years.

    I still get my coffee first thing in the morning, but now when I plop down at my desk I open Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo Instant Messenger and check emails – in that order. I hit my favorite blogs and usually work on my own blog post. Oh, and sometimes I open my WIP.

    So how do you balance social networking and writing?

    Categories:
    1. Craft
    2. Industry
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    Character Baggage and Why You Need It by Dawn McClure 

        Published: April 4th, 2011  Views: 918 
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    Everyone has baggage. Wouldn’t we all love to go back in time and take back something we did. Me? I’d love to go back to RWA 2008 and stop myself from sauntering up to Kresley Cole at the hotel bar and gushing about how ‘real’ her sex scenes were. Jesus, I’d LOVE to take that back. Thanks a lot, vodka sours. I thought we were friends.

    Or worse, the time I yelled and hung up on a good friend because I couldn’t find the maturity (at age 33, mind you) to talk things out in a rational manner. We’ve spoken since then, but it’s never been the same, and it never will be. I’d trade my last contract to take that call back. Ain’t hindsight an unforgiving b!tch?


    Categories:
    1. Craft
    2. Muse, Mind & Body
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    Newsflash – Nobody is Perfect by Dawn McClure 

        Published: March 28th, 2011  Views: 2480 
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    This is The Free Dictionary’s definition of perfectionism: A propensity for being displeased with anything that is not perfect or does not meet extremely high standards.

    Dawn’s definition as it pertains to writing: Perfectionism in writing is an author who keeps going back through his/her finished manuscript to edit four, five, six, even seven times until their voice, rhythm and spark has been beaten out of the story.

    I’ll be the first to admit that my first drafts resemble a story written on a drunken dare by two college frat boys whose two favorite words are f*ck and sh!t. Oh yeah. I’m a very classy chick, didn't you know?


    Categories:
    1. Craft
    2. Marketing and Promo
    3. Muse, Mind & Body
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    I Wish I Knew How to Quit You by Dawn McClure 

        Published: March 14th, 2011  Views: 1067 
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    We’ve all been there. One minute we’re absolutely HIGH on a new WIP, and the next thing you know we hate it. Next day we love it. Next day we despise it. There’s vodka in my fridge for a reason. Every book is different.

    My first novella wrote itself. I couldn’t type fast enough. My first full-length book took some blood and sweat to complete, and the others were somewhere in between. Does each book you write get easier? Let me put it this way – HELL NO. Would I quit if I suddenly won the lottery? HELL NO.


    Categories:
    1. Craft
    2. Muse, Mind & Body
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