1 Reply by Ava Bond

(59 replies, posted in Romance Inc.)

Janet (AJ) Reid wrote:

Welcome to TNBW Ava! We've been quiet around here lately, but don't let that stop you from starting a thread if you have any questions. Someone will step forward from lurking and leave a reply/suggestion/answer! We have a really good bunch of people all over the site - everyone has their own strengths and all put together will give you great feedback to improve your writing. It can be daunting when you see those first reviews, but keep it mind it's coming from a good place and everyone here just wants to help and be helped! Hardest bit sometimes is to know which suggestions to embrace, which ones to adopt and which ones to let go, but you'll get the hang of it, just give it time!

The single best piece of advice I have for you is to start reviewing (you also learn from doing them and need it to get points to post your own writing). And the site works on a reciprocating basis - it's expected to return review for review unless you agree with someone else that it's not expected (that also happens, but not that much in my experience).

I also think it would be good to let people know if English is your second language and if you're after specific help. It's not a requirement, but it's good to know this when you're doing reviews.

I'll leave you to find your feet and yeah, if you have any questions, just let us know - here, messaging or whatever works for you!

Glad to have another Romance writer around!!!


Thank you for the warm welcome!

Yes! It was scary, but amazing! Now I only worry what will happen as I turn up the steam, I'm challenging myself to write more explicit (in a way that I like to read sex scenes) because I'm usually so shy.

I'm not sure I'm ready to show it to the world, I'd feel so much safer showing it more private to a smaller group of romance readers and writers who knows what they are in for... makes sense?

How did you go about it?
How explicit do you write?

If it wasn't for those scenes I'd feel less concerns regarding posting my second chapter (but I'd still worry people would think I didn't learn anything from my first reviews haha, this is very scary no matter how you look at it). I'm afraid I'll offend someone, or that they will find my writing cheap because I'm a beginner and still finding my voice, especially in scenes like that.

With all this said, I feel like I'm growing so much as a writer already. This place is amazing.

Go to forum: Romance Inc.

2 Reply by Ava Bond

(8 replies, posted in Romance Inc.)

MrsPiddles wrote:

A woman in a small town in East Texas found out that her husband was having an affair - while working out of town. Feeling betrayed and humiliated, she decided to leave him, but unsure of her future, she confided in a few of her friends. One day the constable knocked on her door. She invited him in for a glass of iced tea, but he said it was an official visit. He said "I've heard talk that you were thinking of leaving Billy. You know, stupid people can come up missing around here." Then he rocked back on his heels and stroked the .44 strapped to his side - and gazed across the highway at the Davy Crockett National Forest.

How do you make a novel out of what really did happen? To me?


Oh god. But did he mean the husband could go missing, or you? Husband surely? What a scary offer but I have a similar story.

For me, there wasn't a constable nor a knight in shining armour, it was a thug on a shiny motorcycle, the member of an infamous gang. A bearded scary creature twice my age. O_o No story there! But it was nice he was offering his service regarding a man that had hurt me. Thanks but no thanks.

It was however strangely comforting having someone big scary and strong telling me he got my back but... Well... No.

Go to forum: Romance Inc.

3 Reply by Ava Bond

(25 replies, posted in Romance Inc.)

Hi! So nice to see other romance writers here!

I have the first chapter of my paranormal romance book "Blush" up atm. I'm freaking out about my second chapter a little because I feel shy, there is a bit of sex in it (so early I know). I'm not even sure I'll be able to post it, I got so much great feedback on my first chapter and I bet I made so many similar errors to the second, so might edit some more...

But over all I worry about showing it to the sharp eyes of great writers and editors. Ugh not sure I'm ready to do this. Yet I should, right? So that I can grow as a writer.

Am I in the wrong place looking for feedback, because of my sex scenes, or am I just being a big coward about it all? Do you guys ever get shy too?

Go to forum: Romance Inc.

4 Reply by Ava Bond

(33 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

Would be nice to have a contest where you write something contradicting. Like putting two people that are like oil and water and write a big action scene where their differences really show. Then make them the closest thing on the planet in the end. How to go from one extreme to the other. Don't have to be romantic, we'll get to see everything from buddies, family to lovers here. Also rewarding for writers to read how other writers use their action writing and then tweak things until it becomes something completely different. It would be something we all could learn from in our own writing in the end?

Go to forum: TheNextBigWriter Premium

5 Reply by Ava Bond

(3 replies, posted in Queries, Blurbs, and Synopsis)

I did a query and my top tip was to try to use my writer's voice in the query letter as well. I was also reading a lot of successful query letters and surprise- they all differ A LOT.

I guess in the end - use the writer's voice that you've got, tell them something interesting about you, and tell them a little about your story and why you chose to write it.

In the end I didn't make it that time, but it was because the anthology I was submitting my manuscript to was thrown in the garbage bin. Apparently the publisher didn't get what they had expected from any of the writers who posted their work. It happens I guess.

I think that sometimes our fear of "doing it wrong" is the main thing that hold us back.

Just go for it. GO! smile

Go to forum: Queries, Blurbs, and Synopsis

6 Reply by Ava Bond

(59 replies, posted in Romance Inc.)

Hi, I'm a new member from Stockholm, Sweden. I've been an artist for a decade working with ink, but at the same time my pile of manuscripts were mysteriously growing under my drawing table. This year I finally acknowledged that I don't want to paint for a living anymore, I want to write. I'm also a mother of two, so these two jobs I'm juggling is bringing me very little food on the table, which is why I'm using these few months I've got now (before I possibly need to get a second, I mean third job) to write like the wind.

I write romance, and because I love to read quite explicit romance (you know the kind that doesn't do the fade out and dot.dot.dot thing but actually sweep the reader deeper into the scene until it's over) I've decided to push myself to write pretty explicit myself. I don't know why my writing is so brave when I'm such a shy person at heart, also I know that because I struggle balancing this newly found challenge/passion in writing I'm pretty sure I need to write a lot before I find my "voice", especially in scenes like that.

So that's why I'm here.... to practice my writing in English, and find a safe place to bounce my ideas and my writing.

My latest finished manuscript is about 33 000 words. That's considered a novel isn't it? Most "proper" books start at minimum of 50 K words? I've seen 70K too. Seem to vary? Anyway, it's a sci-fi romance set in a pretty dystopian future, but I try to keep it in a world we can still relate to, funny and not too scary. I'd love to share it with you guys as it's the shaky beginning of a series. This is actually based on blurbs I wrote many years ago while I was working two illustration jobs (it's nice to go back and see if I have any gems I can polish in my drawer as I learn to write, at least I don't have to re-invent the wheel every time).

I've started on book two, (blurbs, scribbles) and I think what could happen is that I merge the books eventually but that would mean I have to re-write the entire first book since mixing heroine voices using "I laughed" is so much harder than when you write from a third person perspective (she laughed). How to separate the characters if they all are inside their heads sort of? haha

I'll upload my first novel (ugh so scary) and I call it Blush. I might call the series Angel Falls. If you have time to lend me your eyes and your thoughts I'd be forever greatful. Thank you for reading <3

Go to forum: Romance Inc.