This is a cover to a romance novel that I’ve been working on for a few years now. Hopefully I’ll get it all completed one day soon and into the hands of readers. I often post poetry on this blog but I also write fiction novels. What other projects are you working on poets? Feel free to leave any links below.
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Benjamin Grossman 
That’s a great title! 🙂
Thanks. I like it, too. But I’m partial.
The cover and title are amazing Benjamin. I can’t wait to read it when it’s done. I’m currently writing a play and its been up and down trying to get it done but I hope to finish it soon.
Thanks, Hasan. Glad you thought so. That’s cool you’re writing a play. Hopefully you’ll have more ups for the rest of the way. It’s a five act play you’re working on? Or something shorter or longer?
Thanks and yeah its a five act play based around a single dad raising his two kids when their mother suddenly returns back to their lives.
Awesome. Keep working with it. Hopefully you’ll get it where you want it.
Haha, fish happens, I love this!! But as a Pisces I’m partial. ;)) Very captivating cover! Inspiring that you write novels. I really, really want to put together a novel. Love that you share your process.
Thanks. Glad it struck you in some way. (And I’m a Pisces, also.) I think everyone has a novel in them, if not more than one. You should try your hand at it. Even if you just write a page a day or something like that you’ll have a novel at the end of a year. Persistence is everything when writing one, I think. Hope you’ll put it together.
Thanks for this! How did you choose which theme to pick, if I may ask? I have novel idea/theme overwhelm. Could use any tips. :)) Thanks again
Well, that is hard to give a direct answer because it always changes. But is good to write about something that really moves you, or a character that you connect with, or some say hear talking to you. You could try and come up with a once sentence “hook” so you know what direction you want to go with; something to the effect of this character and what they face. Perhaps I would start with a character and some challenge or obstacle they are dealing with. But you could also think of a what-if situation and go from there. What if this happened? Or this happened? And even more you could try to create a deeper meaning through levels; try and inner and outer struggle through your novel. Most of all try to write something that connects with you because it might then connect with other readers. Some ideas take years to fully get and some come faster. It’s like writing poems but with an expanded form. Hope some of that made sense or helped.
Wow! I have heard or read some of this before, and it’s very helpful to hear it again from you, especially considering you’ve successfully completed some books – but that last thing you said – “It’s like writing poems but with an expanded form” – I think those are the magic words for me, in this moment! I love that way of thinking about it! Thank you so very much. Very helpful indeed. 🙏😊
You’re welcome. Yes, if you can maintain the feelings from poetry and expand them into plot, dialogue, and action, you’ll go far. In the end for novels you really get three options for each sentence: 1) action 2) dialogue 3) inner thoughts. Focus on that too and might help you keep going. Poetry is a great way to create good word choices and accessibility to your deepest feelings. I hope you can work through your novel. Good luck 🙂
This is awesome!! Thank you, action, dialogue, inner thoughts. Putting it in my pocket. Okay… one last question, if you don’t mind. Just a small one. :)) What app or non-app do you use, to write your novels? (I know it doesn’t matter; I’m still always curious about other writers’ processes, anyway. :))
I just use word document and computer now. But I also write down any ideas that I get no matter how small. Because one sentence or word could allow you to write thousands. Write down your ideas on phone or ipod, and then write them in word document. But you could handwrite too if it’s easier for you or record them talking and write them later. And when you get stuck, which happens to everyone, don’t forget to do something else and come back to it. I always forget to do this, and sometimes just getting away from it will be enough to get you back to it. Questions are great. We can all learn from discussing each other’s processes, and it helps us all get better. Your questions are helping me remember certain things about how I write and what I’ve learned through others. It’s always good to try and take things from other writer’s that you like and try to bring them into your writing, or see things you might not like and avoid them.
You are an absolute gem Benjamin!!! I participated NaNoWriMo one year (or two actually) and did not manage to complete a coherent novel, though I did crank out another 50K words a bit faster than usual. My tendency is to write creative nonfiction, so I need to choose a story arc to work across memoir-style writing. Or switch finally to fiction. :)) But I did buy Scrivener at half price, as part of my prize from “winning” NaNo, which as you may know is novel-writing software… and while there are some interesting aspects to it such as document snapshots (I now use it as a journal, though that’s not the best use for it), honestly it’s not helping me write a novel. You’re the third person I’ve chatted with who *actually* writes novels that says they just use a word document! I think this was the answer I was kind of expecting to hear. Maybe it’s the continuity of writing in one long document (as it sounds like you do), rather than separate pages (like I do for my journal entries).
I have absolutely loved chatting with you today. So grateful for your time and thoughtfulness, thank you!! And happy continued poeting and writing. Looking foward to future posts. :)))
Thanks a lot again and you’re welcome. And creative nonfiction is great although not my best writing form. But I think all fiction contains elements of nonfiction. So a switch to fiction might not be far from creative nonfiction. Have a great night!
Likewise, and very very true, about the nonfiction in the fiction – as well as the other way around, no matter how much we try to recreate the past or express the present, it’s always through a subjective lens! Have a great night too, same to you. :)))
Amazing to see this suggested by WP under your last post… I will love to read anything you write. I’m a huge fan. (In case you couldn’t tell by now). 😩😆🤩💘💖💛🌷🔆🙏🐠🌊
That is interesting. I like the cover. Maybe It’ll come out one day with any luck.
Hope you are working on it. The cover page is fantabulous. Vibrant and romantic.
Yeah, I am kinda finished this. But I also keep thinking to revise it or rewrite it in another way. Not sure what will come of it yet. But I love the cover so much! Glad you thought it worked!
Keep revising until your heart is satisfied.
The cover page is stunning. Adore it. All the best!
Thanks again. I’ll have to take your advice on this. Revision is a big part of the process! This was actually hand-drawn by a great tatoo artist and she made my vision for the cover come true, so I was always happy about it. The first attempt by me was terrible, though, haha.
Tattoo artist. This is amazing. Looks cool.
Its okay. First is always terrible and one only improves with consistent efforts.
Welcome always 🙂 Cheers!