Monday 15 April 2013

Perseverance and Productivity

First the exciting news I promised on Friday, although a few may have seen it on Facebook yesterday (but I'm giving fuller details here)! In another new departure, I submitted a short contemporary/fantasy novella set on Cyprus to great little Irish company, Tirgearr Publishing. Not only have I now signed a contract for the The Aphrodite Touch but they asked me to write further novellas to make it a series.

These are slightly sexier stories than I've written before and I had to make one important scene a little more so! Each story will involve a different couple on the island, trying to move their relationshiop on in some way. But the main recurring theme, and fantasy element, is that Aphrodite and Adonis play with people's lives each summer, 'helping' where possible, and they will be in each book. Since I've always loved mythology, this is fun to write. So I'd better knuckle down and start the next story soon.

I was thinking about perseverance recently, and not only because of getting some more work out and accepted. Some of you may know that I write for an online US company, Demand Studios (for the eHow UK section). We choose up to three titles at a time and we have to submit each article within a week of claiming them. On about three different occasions now, I started the reseach but was struggling to complete the article in time without becoming more stressed. Each time, I almost gave up and was going to release the title back into the system. And yet... the thought of earning a fairly good amount within a few days of submission made me pause and I persevered knowing I could do this.

The point is that it reminded me of the way I often work (and husband will confirm) - leaving things until the last minute, not persevering when it gets tougher if I have the option to move on to something else. Well, it's been a good lesson and seems to have come at the right time if I'm now expected to produce more novellas in a series. In the past, I've spent so many years procrastinating that I'm now determined to be more consistently productive. Wonder how long that will last! Does anyone else struggle to persevere with their writing projects?

Meanwhile, if you have time to take a look, fellow tween author, Tammy Lowe, is on my Flights of Imagination blog today with her great time-slip book, The Acadian Secret. And watch out for an invitation to my blog party launch for The Jigsaw Puzzle later this week.

Rosemary

18 comments:

Patsy said...

Brilliant News about The Aphrodite Touch!

Frances Garrood said...

Oh, wel done, Rosemary! And yes. I am hopeless at getting down to writing. I would love the gift of self-discipline!

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks, Patsy!

Many thanks, Frances! - I suspect we all suffer from that a little.

joanne fox said...

Great news, Rosemary. Well done. I can work endlessly hard on a story if the idea grabs me, but I struggle with things that I'm just writing for the sake of having something to send out. Moral: write what you love!

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks, Joanne - I completely agree about writing what you love!

TracyFells said...

Terrific news Rosemary of the series. It is encouraging to hear there are publishers taking and contracting novellas, as these can be perfect shorter reads.

Joanna said...

Oh, this is such exciting news! Well done, Rosemary! I'm absolutely delighted for you and for The Aphrodite Touch. What a fabulous idea for a novella and a series is even more fabulous.

Like you, I leave things to the last minute. I even let my fuel-gauge point to almost zero before I finally get round to filling up with petrol. Having any kind of deadline is a huge help. And I really like Joanne's advice about writing what you love.

I'm so happy for you, Rosemary, and thank you for sharing your brilliant news. It's a lovely way to start the week. xxx

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thank you, Tracy!

Dear Joanna - thank you for such a lovely comment! And I'm the same with petrol - even worse, I wait until my husband fills it up for me.

Teresa Ashby said...

That is wonderful news, Rosemary :-) x

Joan Fleming said...

Well done, Rosemary. You're having such an exciting year!

myraduffy said...

We're all intrigued by what you mean about 'slightly sexier' scenes, Rosemary!

Wendy's Writing said...

That is brilliant news, Rosemary. I always try to get one story written and sent a week. If I don't - like it looks like I won't this week as I've been away with my daughter - I stress about it!

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thank you, Teresa!

Thanks, Joan - exciting indeed!

Ah, you'll have to wait and see, Myra!

Thanks, Wendy - I'm sure you'll soon catch up with your submissions!

Jean Bull said...

That's great news about The Aphrodite Touch. You are an example to us all in finding new opportunities for your writing! Good Luck with the hotter content!

Edith said...

Congratulations! I never knew we had a publisher like that herein Ireland! Enjoy writing your series! Edith xxx

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Many thanks, Jean!

Thanks a lot, Edith!

Vikki said...

Well done again! Really looking forward to reading your new series (though may skip over the 'sexier' scenes haha!) So true that perseverance is important when it comes to writing x

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks, Vikki - it's not too bad!