Ah, research. I know it doesn’t necessarily sound fun (unless you’re one of those people, like me, who goes, “Oh, I don’t really know anything about evil spirits. Time to go to the library! Glee!”) but a little realism can
Pen Names
Pen names. Nom de plumes. In simple terms, when you put out work under another name that is not your own, but is still meant to be you (i.e., not ghost-writing for someone else). Some people do, some people don’t.
How to Finish a Novel
As you may or may not know, March is traditionally National Novel Editing Month (NaNoEdMo). If you participate officially, you need 50 hours of editing throughout the month to win. I find it’s easier for me to participate unofficially (and
An Addendum About Beta-Readers
You know, I’ve been around the block a few times, but I still occasionally make silly mistakes. And then I come and post about them here, hopefully to save you from making the same mistakes. Last week (or was it
What is a Frame Story?
This seems to be the question of the week. At my writing group last Thursday we had a discussion of them, and just last night my husband asked me about them as well, though I’m not sure why. So here
Writing About a Place You’ve Never Been
I’m working on getting a novel ready for publication later this year, and part of it takes place in Greece. I have never been to Greece. I am extremely unlikely to get to Greece between now and when the book
Choosing Beta Readers
(Psst. If you haven’t voted in Tuesday’s poll, please do!) One of the greatest tools in a writer’s toolbox is the beta reader. I can’t be sure, but I imagine that they’re called beta readers much for the same reason
2013 Blog Direction
First, a little horn-tooting: I’ve got a new story up over at Turtleduck Press, a haunting tale of family secrets. You don’t have to take my word for it, though–here are a couple things readers have said to me about
The Rhythm of Words
A lot of writers, when they write, just write. That’s all that’s truly important at the beginning, getting the words out onto paper. But the flow of your words and sentences is actually a tool that can be used to
Magic Doesn’t Solve Everything
Despite being one of my very favorite sayings (“Why does blah blah blah?” “Magic.”), magic must, unfortunately, make sense. This means if you are creating a world where magic exists, there has to be rules, and the rules must be
