Nathan Bransford - The Forums

I'm writing romantic mystery, I think. Not a cozy.
Some people have said they could pass as romantic suspense, just not dark and angsty RS. My heart still says mystery because there are clues to be discovered, but the hero and heroine do end up working together and falling in love. Ahhhh! Who knows what my stories are? That's my problem I write them as they come to me without consideration of marketing, and then they gather dust under the bed.

I'm working on mainstream literary at the moment. And yes, it has a plot :)

Mine is a YA (or should I say cross-over?) paranormal romance with very stong elements of mystery and suspense, and lots of unbelievable twists and sub-plots. Hollywood here I come. Ok, I guess I really should pull my head out of the clouds now. Have fun all.

Very fun post!

My current project is named Bob (at least until I come up with a real title for him), and he's YA science fiction. Or maybe YA dystopian. Actually, I'm not really sure what dystopian means. (I've assumed "negative utopia," but who knows? :) ) So maybe I'll just stick with YA science fiction. Yeah, that sounds good.

I recently decided to write a story about the events in my villain's sophomore year of high school, the turning point in his life where he started down the road to becoming the Seth of Valley proper. And yes, that's him in my avatar. :)

And it's full text, no pics. I think I've learned all I can about writing from Sims stories and I'm ready to take the training wheels off. :)

Posted the first few paragraphs on my blog yesterday and got this comment.

This was, in a word, incredible. No pictures needed. And this is just an excerpt…fantastic writing, powerful, descriptive, and evocative.

So I am writing a dark psychological drama with characters in their mid teens. And I've been looking around short story markets and I may decide to try out this traditional publishing thing - I've just dipped my foot into the water and haven't really immersed myself yet but so far it does seem that a dark YA story might be a bit of a hard sell.

I don't know where to start, I have written and erased this post a couple of times. Okay this is it:

I have 1 MS done (1st revision). I have 2 almost complete MS, 2 halfway finished MS and 2 MS that are in the beginning stages. These are all contemporary romance. Now before everyone thinks I'm crazy let me explain. The reason there are so many MS at the same time is that when a story comes to my mind I have to write it or at least start it otherwise I'm not going to be able to concentrate on whatever I'm working on. I have made a commitment though, the ones that are almost complete will be finished next, I'm making a priority list for these MS.

My current project is a weekly cyberpunk action-adventure serial. I like to think of it as Xena meets Blade Runner.

Grrls with guns. Butt-kicking. Explosions. Harsh language.

I'm working on the final edits of my YA novel for my agent. We're hoping to start subbing next week!

I've been writing on a woman's fiction - or maybe its lit fiction. I'm disgusted with it. So, I decided to write a Fantasy novel. I read more fantasy than women's, mainstream, lit. Fantasy ranks up there with thriller for reading favorites. I'm about 500 words into it and let me tell you, it's a lot more work than mainstream! All that plotting, and world building, and character research. I suspect it'll take me about 7 years to complete 50k words.

......dhole

YA fantasy, lots of magic, no vampires, werewolves, or zombies. Couldn't work the last one in, sadly. There is an imp though

I'm having a difficult time deciding if my ms is Middle Grade or YA. The main character is twelve. The tone is probably more YA, but, again, the main character is twelve and I know kids like to read up. Sooooooo--it's a coming of age story. Yuck, I hate that I had to write "coming of age", but I don't know how else to put it. A tale of puberty?

My girl is struggling with the whole leaving childhood behind thing, a best friend who pretty much dumps her for someone cooler and more "grown-up", an idolized older sister who seemingly suddenly suffers from debilitating depression, and then there is a death. Also, first kisses and unrequited crushes. All the stuff Junior High is made of. And it desperately needs more plot, I'm afraid.

I oughta make a topic about deciding if one's ms is YA or Middle Grade, I suppose. Does anyone else struggle with this?

Hey, thanks for asking.

I write all, I mean, all the time. I got a very short little paragraph in this lovely photomag in the series called, Coming Home: http://www.pictorymag.com As for the novel that is sitting on my computer-- ignored for the last few months, it is a girly kinda thing. Great personal growth from tragedy kind of thing. There is some interesting stuff on medical marijuana in there, set in a tiny town that few ever do more than drive through.

Here are the loglines of what I'm currently focusing on.

An SF novel:
The future ruler of an advanced world power exacts revenge on her enemy using skills she learns from a non-combatant society.

An SF short:
When his "freezer" is sabotaged beyond Earth's orbit, the volunteer "ice cube" discovers how to further man's efforts toward deep-space travel simply by trying to get back home.

Right this very second?!? Three things really - revising two completed ms's for mass appeal.

Ahh...but the current wip....yes - that wonderful work of art on my computer, that's it. Kidding.

My current women's fiction (or as my critique partners like to call it - romantic chic-lit) Is a road to redemption story with a super fiesty heroine who pretty much hates everything about life and the people in it. The story is both exhausting and exciting to write because this chic is on a serious emotional roller coaster in order to get her life straightened out. I find myself switching stories so I can give my brain a break!

It will be my third completed full-length novel once done and I must say that I'm pretty proud of it thus far. Let's just hope that I can mantain my momentum through the rest of the story!!

~JD

Just finished: for fun, a script for a webcomic artist set in his universe (with no Mary Sues!) The artist/creator has already accepted it. We're going to discuss revisions, but essentially, it's a go.

Currently: Revising and completing a romance manuscript. Also, letting my subconscious mull over my YA fantasy epic, so that I'll be at least slightly prepared when I sit down to edit it.

Very Soon: Splitting said YA fantasy epic into three digestible pieces and editing the heck out of it.