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Then 03.18.2008 G to the M to the freaking C I bought GMC by Debra Dixon. It’s genius, I’d heard, and it’s true. It’s like having someone explain brain surgery in a book you can read in a day or two, and you finish and say, “Duh.” Before I go on, I’d like to point out that used copies can go for more then $40 on Amazon. I love Amazon, nothing against Amazon, but you can purchase the book from the publisher for $19.95. Worth every dime, btw. If you really want to know how useful it is, just google GMC and Dixon. You’ll findRead More →

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A lot of good links this week from writing sex and dialogue to eReaders–good or bad? to sexism in reviews. Don’t Skip the Sex by Raelyn Barclay: Some links to awesome writing-about-sex info and how learning about writing a sex scene and the need for true characterization has ruined sex-scene reading for this writer. Kathryn Stockett’s ‘The Help’ Turned Down 60 Times Before Becoming a Best Seller from More Magazine (via James Scott Bell): The title says it all; but if you’re feeling discouraged, read this story before you ever think of quitting. These next two are related: Time for book publishers to fight dirty by AaronRead More →

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Then: 01.22.2008 Finis. Sort of. I have finished the first rewrite on the first act of my fist novel. All those firsts, they just kind of sing disaster, don’t they? And yet, oh my god. I felt the same rush I did finishing the thing. The first act, about 140 pages, needed a lot of work. It was mainly written back when I had little to no clue. At all. There was infodump! There were scenes with NO conflict! None. Just… here’s an event. And another. And another. They serve no purpose, but… there they are! Most importantly, though, I was extremely intimidated by doingRead More →

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Twice a week, I’m going to post the very best content I’ve found online. On Monday, you’ll get my best writing finds for the last week.  On Friday, the stuff that amuses, confuses, or maddens me. Windows Open or Closed by Kimberly Krey: The value of having an open mind while doing writerly things. Twitter Tuesday #27–Team-Building by Kristen Lamb: One in a (very amusing and informative) series about what-not-to-do if you want anyone at all to like you online.  In this article, how to self-promote without being annoying or spammy. 10 Tips to Banish the Unpublished Writer Blues by Kathy Carmichael: Really smart adviceRead More →

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Then: 10.25/2007 10 Ways to Unblock Writer’s Block I know, in a logical manner, that writer’s block isn’t a real, insurmountable thing. It’s a lot of possible twists, in your work and in your life, that manifests as, “I don’t want to.” Or sometimes, “I can’t. I really, really think maybe… I can’t!” But what it comes down to is your imagination, or maybe your muse, telling you, “This isn’t working for me.” Here’s what I do when uninspiration strikes: 1. Read through it. Read what you’ve already written. Read your notes. Make more notes. It won’t be long before your heroine will say, “YouRead More →

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So, I’ve had my cards a week now.  First impressions: the cards I chose (the Vanessa Tarot) are small.  I was expecting big and… important.  But they’re small, like regular playing cards.  But once I had them out, handling them, shuffling them–I didn’t mind the size so much. Using the tarot was both harder and easier than I expected.  At once, cards that called to me, that spoke to who my characters were and what I knew of them, made their way into the spread.  I’ll just give you some samples, since I wrote all of my cards (and impressions) down. Character: The three ofRead More →

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So, I needed some creative inspiration. I keep coming back to these characters. Their story stalled on me. It lacked direction, I think. But the characters. I love these characters. Then, a series of blog posts came across my computer, on Tarot cards and writing from Raelyn Barclay (@raelynbarclay on Twitter). I remembered a Material Girl post I did, years ago, about using Tarot cards to help write. I’d even picked out the deck I wanted (which is good, I’d never have remembered after this long). I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. I checked out the cards again and they’re just beautiful.Read More →

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This post is the first in a series I’m beginning on The Hero’s Journey story structure.  It’s important to note, you can use any structure you like.  In fact, go crazy, have fun.  But, some of the most popular (I won’t say best) films use this structure.  Notable examples include the Star Wars flicks and pretty much anything Disney makes. I’m not saying it’s the best structure you can use.  What I am saying is that if you’re writing popular fiction (as opposed to literary) you could do worse than to at least try to understand how this structure works.  The best way I knowRead More →

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CJ Redwine, whose query workshop I’ve mentioned before, got a great new book deal. Unfortunately for the rest of us, she’s only going to be doing one more query workshop and then she’s calling it quits.  She says she still has room and the last one starts Monday! You missed your chance. I hear she’s creating an eBook with this info. I’ll update you.Read More →

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We suck. Seriously. I mean, there’s lots of reasons we’re awesome. I wouldn’t not be a writer for anything, but still. We always know what’s going to happen next. Well, in fiction. Not like we can predict the future or anything. We yell at the television for bad writing. E.g. “You can’t just ignore the rules in the world you created, writers! Why? Why are you doing that? You’re lazy. That’s why.” We throw books. We even have a name for books that deserve to be thrown. “Wallbangers.” I know this makes sense to us, but how weird is this? We roll our eyes, grumble,Read More →