So much of the time, we wring our hands that we don’t know what to do about our problems, writing problems included. But fascinatingly, we do know what to do in many cases. We just don’t like the answers! I’m sometimes guilty of this. Maybe my options are not tidy or clear-cut, which makes me […]
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I began writing fiction as an interior decorator of rooms that were ill-designed. “Prose is architecture, not interior decoration.” – Ernest Hemingway Specifically, my early stories feature quirks and atmosphere but lack something in orchestration and plot. In other words, I began this adventure as a die-hard pantser who resisted outlining and structuring. Over the past […]
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This year’s Comic Con FanX was of course fabulous so I wanted to give a quick recap of my panels, which included a Writing and Your Health panel, followed by a dozen of my favorite costume pics. I love panels as an opportunity to talk about my fiction and non-fiction work, and a way to meet […]
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This week was a tough one. No other way to slice it. Lawless internal bedlam. Can a writer be expected to create under such conditions? Here’s why my vote is yes and no. No, as in, on some level you can’t show up like you usually do. You’re taken, by your other problems. But yes! As in, […]
Read More…I’m often surprised by which books are frequently challenged or banned in our society. For example, take these 19 books the American Library Association reports are frequently challenged: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle Julie of the […]
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My iPod includes several songs which are either directly or indirectly about writing. For whatever reason, they inspire me to keep going with my writing projects. Here’s my list, in hopes that you’ll add yours in the comments. I need some new tunes! 1. Open Book by Cake – While I realize this is a song […]
Read More…One of my favorite quotes from an awesome author: “You must write every single day of your life…You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads…may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out […]
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We can’t be too tied to desired outcomes. As writers, we of all people should understand the need for plot twists. Here’s an awesome reminder that the adventure’s probably the better thing to savor! Even though we would not turn down the whole getting what want thing… “I saw the world. I learnt of new cultures. […]
Read More…Standing up against what you believe to be an incorrect idea can be tricky. I know I’ve royally botched up important conversations in myriad ways. That’s why I love the awesome example Emma Stone set recently while being interviewed with her boyfriend and fellow The Amazing Spider-Man 2 actor Andrew Garfield. She showed incredible grace […]
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As a panelist for this past weekend’s Comic Con FanX 2014, I had a bird’s-eye view of some amazing trends in speculative fiction. Perched up there among other fabulous authors, filmmakers, and comic artists, I tried to add a relevant chirp or two, which I will be blogging about topically in case you missed attending […]
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