It’s already been done by other writers Thousands of others. Thousands of times. And some of those times were classic. It doesn’t care if you know In fact, it wants you to know. “The truth will set us free.” It plans to keep being done by others Even after everything… Read more“9 Secrets Your Story Is Keeping from You”
Category: A Number of Things You Should Know
9 Secrets You’re Keeping from Your Story
You have no idea what you’re doing Even if you did know. . . . . .you wouldn’t be able to articulate it. You read all the advice on writing out there How to do it, how not to do it, when and where and why to do it, and… Read more“9 Secrets You’re Keeping from Your Story”
3 Vital Steps to Creating Your Protagonist for NaNoWriMo
We’re talking about how to approach the first draft of your novel this month, in honor of NaNoWriMo, Last week we talked about the 3 Essential Guidelines for your overall novel, and the week before that we talked about Running into the Jaws of NaNoWriMo. And today we’re going to… Read more“3 Vital Steps to Creating Your Protagonist for NaNoWriMo”
3 Essential Guidelines for NaNoWriMo
Every year I write a series of NaNoWriMo posts like the bizarre and inexplicable 5 Ways to Make Your Novel Unforgettable, 5 Ways to Make Your Novel Helplessly Addictive, and 5 Ways to Make Your Novel Inescapable. Last week we looked at Running into the Jaws of NaNoWriMo. And for… Read more“3 Essential Guidelines for NaNoWriMo”
20 Brilliant Vintage Authors
A couple of weeks ago Sabine asked a fabulous question in the comments on Being Interviewed by Rachel X Russell: Thanks for that great interview. Your obvious love of literature is refreshing in an environment where there is too much talk about sales and marketing. Speaking of vintage mysteries, I… Read more“20 Brilliant Vintage Authors”
The Strangest-Ever Metaphor for Inevitability in Fiction
Today’s story is even stranger than the one about how gardening is like writing or how dancing makes the Internet humane or even me spattering glue all over myself. But it is utterly brilliant, and I never get over watching this woman doodle: DOODLING IN MATH This is someone named… Read more“The Strangest-Ever Metaphor for Inevitability in Fiction”
5 Reasons My Cat Should Be the Writer Instead of Me
Cats don’t act as though you’re the one bright ray of sunlight in an otherwise clouded existence.—Raymond Chandler You all know my cat. He sits on my blog banner staring into space with the studied expression of someone who is being prevented from walking on a desk he knows perfectly… Read more“5 Reasons My Cat Should Be the Writer Instead of Me”
7 Reasons to Be Grateful You’re a Writer
I wrote this one day a long time ago out of sheer, overwhelming gratitude for my craft. And you know what? I’m still grateful. You have all the tools you need They’re right there at your disposal: the world, your five senses, literacy, a brain. You will never need anything… Read more“7 Reasons to Be Grateful You’re a Writer”
3 Things to Know About Exposition & Telling
A bizarre thing happened to a client of mine the other day. This writer that it happened to is one of my best clients. She’s been writing all her life. She has a fabulous imagination and sees her characters moving and acting and speaking with wonderful vividness. She’s written lots… Read more“3 Things to Know About Exposition & Telling”
2 Things to Consider about Blogging & Books
There’s been a lot of talk in recent months about the demise of blogging (and, oddly, the demise of commenting, although they couldn’t prove that by you guys), which was brought home to me recently by a friend who said, “Just when I decided to start a blog I was… Read more“2 Things to Consider about Blogging & Books”