Elaine M DeGroot

Learning never ends! It doesn't matter what you do, training keeps you at the top of your chosen profession.

Previously, I'd written about the writing training I've purchased to help me improve my writing skills. See blog posts: New Year Resolutions on January 8, 2023 and Editing: Like a Search and Destroy Mission on August 27, 2022. I also participate in weekly AutoCrit YouTube sessions which are informative and fun. There are other training sources, such as The Authors Guild, Reedsy, and Authors Publish.

Recently, I bought a short training course, Penning Passion, from AutoCrit that is specifically focused on my genre of choice: ROMANCE! Yes, I'm planning to learn more about writing romance. The training is in the form of four one hour Zoom sessions. I am so looking forward to this training! The modules are as follows: The Science and Psychology of Romance, Crafting Connection: The Heart of Writing Romance, The Characters of Romance, and Putting your Best Foot Forward. This ought to be interesting. The sessions begin on March 20th and end on April 10th. Please wish me well.

Other training has focused on the business of writing. You read that right—business. Fun topics like taxes, marketing, key words related to internet searches, and so on.

Will all this training change how I write? Only for the better. I still plan on more steamy romances. Trust me on that.

Happy training to me and happy reading to you all!!

Valentine's Day has come and gone, with no chocolates consumed. Say What??!! But I did get a story idea, while ruminating on the holiday. Yeah, no telling where or when a story idea comes to light!

Here's my idea: a series based on holiday related romances might be my next author adventure. Stay with me on this…I wouldn't write about the usual holiday included in romances like Valentines Day or Christmas. Nah, I'll latch onto some of the forgotten holidays. Those that come and go without much notice or hoopla. Here are a few of my ideas. Let me know what you think by commenting on this post.

1.      President's Day: Costumed re-enactors bump into each other as fate intervenes into their lives. Consider a President Teddy Roosevelt (Bully!) and a Dolly Madison. She's running around with a large portrait of George Washington. Hopefully he's not carrying a big stick—that collision could cause some damage.

2.      St. Patrick's Day: A drunken brawl at an Irish pub results in the owner falling for the responding cop.

3.      May Day: As young children, she left a May basket on his step. He caught her—their first kiss. Years later, she returns to town to care for her parents. He never left and still has bits of the May basket in a wooden box.

4.      4th of July: Errant fireworks set her backyard she-shed on fire. He's the firefight responding…KISMET!!

5.      Labor Day: a play on words, her sister goes into labor early and he's the doctor on duty for the holiday weekend.

What do ya think? Granted, a few of those holidays aren't truly forgotten, but this idea is in its infancy! Am I onto something here?

Story ideas can happen from a picture, an experience, a song, a writing prompt, or something overheard.

May the ideas never dry up!

Happy reading to you and happy writing to me.

Do I have writing related resolutions? Kind of/sort of. Write more. Continue to participate in challenges. Read my writing magazines instead of hoarding them. Start and finish the courses I have to expand my writing knowledge: English Grammar Boot Camp; Effective Editing: How to Take Your Writing to the Next Level; How to Write Best Selling Fiction; Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writer's Craft; and Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling Tips and Techniques. (Sounds like fun, huh?)

My goals are to publish additional books. My plan is Accidental Attraction first. Why? After the Consequential Love Series, a shorter fun romance seemed like a good choice. A longer romance, Restoration, is next in my game plan. This uses up all my currently finished books. So, I need to finish Sparks Fly by springtime. Playground Antics is in the wings, but I seriously want to write a Christmas or New Year's story.

Additional Garrett and Leigh stories would be fun. I love those two, so need additional ideas for stories and a catchy series title. Yeah, I would love to write another series for them.

Sound doable? I think so.