Today, as those of you who follow me on Twitter may have seen, I wrote my way into a massive conflict between Story & Outline. Decided to give them pistols at 10 paragraphs, and let them sort it out. Much to my surprise, that worked. Or rather, what worked was, I looked at History and […]
some people don’t understand me when I talk to my screen…. Read More »
For newcomers: the wordwar room is an online co-writing session, wherein convivial peer pressure (in 30 and 60 minute ‘wars’) makes the words happen.  Also the griping, whinging, and idea-testing.  The room runs 24/7, with members across the globe. Any serious-about-it writer is welcome to join us. ——————- Ideas are easy. Execution is where you
Weekend Wisdom (?) from the Wordwar Room…. Read More »
Two weeks ago, sitting in Mary Robinette Kowal’s “how to give a reading” seminar at Illogicon*, we discovered that I don’t hum. No, really. She asked us to do a voice exercise that involving humming up and down your range, to expand it, and I… couldn’t. It was such a strange, unfamiliar request, that the
Finding Your Voice (no, not that voice, the other voice) Read More »
Every story opens in its own way, with the slow lead-in or the sudden drop into action, the burst of dialogue or a detailed description of the setting.  But when I write that first line, the very first time I open a file, and type “chapter one?† I always (okay, 98% of the time) start
In The Beginning: Begin, and then Begin Again. Read More »
1. I am interviewed over at Book View Cafe 2. The truth is, sometimes you think you know your theme, you think you know the driving motif, the point you’re trying to make, and then you get to the end and it’s all “holy shit I made that. What the hell is that?â€Â Because the best
Three Things (and two on credit) make a Monday Post Read More »
We’re working on getting the first two Sylvan Investigation stories ready for their general release (October, for those of you waiting), and part of that is proofing the digital formats (ALL the digital formats. Â Dear Universe, all we want for our birthdays is One Universal e-Format, please?). Â Which means I’m skimming for obvious typos and
The semi-illicit thrill of discovery…. Read More »
When I first started out in this biz, I heard a lot of writers talking about “casting” their books, and researching for visuals (typically actors, but not always) as part of their research prep. And this struck me as strange (then again, I don’t create playlists for projects, either. Â So I may be an outlier.)
On “casting” while you write. Or not. Read More »
So, this is very cool, simply for what it is. Â But it’s also neat to look at the difference in stance-choices, and what they say about each interpretation of the same character, both from a timeframe perspective, and the actor himself. Personally, the only one I ‘believe’ is shooting, rather than posing, is Craig. Â His
Bond, James Bond. All the Bond. (no, really, this is work-related!) Read More »
And lo, the copyedit of SOUL OF FIRE is done, and all the flags have been deflagged, the queries answered, and the irritations bit down and buried – because the CE will not see your responses, so although snarking in return may feel good, it’s also pointless. Â Bite ’em down and move on. Or, y’know,
If you cut me, do I not bleed (red ink)? Read More »
Yesterday, someone asked me what the on-spec manuscript I’ve been working on, was. My answer: a story. No, they said, what kind of story? With words, and characters, and Stuff Happening and their world changing, even if The World doesn’t change for them. But what genre? they insisted. Is it fantasy? SF? YA? Mainstream? Is
Don’t Know, Can’t Care Read More »