I’m currently in “pre-production” on a new-ish project, by which I mean I am engaged in working the kinks out of an idea I’ve been kicking around for some time. In movies, pre-production is when art, financing, casting, etc. are done. The script is finished, then broken down into scenes, and storyboards. Location scouting, costuming,Continue reading “Pre-Production Report: The next WIP”
Tag Archives: Writing
The Importance of Silence and Downtime
I’m not silly enough to assume this is true of all writers, but it’s certainly true of me: I need silence. Not true silence, the absence of noise, though that is also beneficial. What I really need is a sort of mental silence–time in which I don’t have to be thinking too hard about other things,Continue reading “The Importance of Silence and Downtime”
Impostor Syndrome, My Old Friend
One hopes, when one is an “aspiring” writer, that once one gets within sight of being published, impostor syndrome will go away. No such luck. Here I am with a contract, and the stupid brain weasels are still very much wrapped around my brain. I just sent in my author homework. And now I’m utterlyContinue reading “Impostor Syndrome, My Old Friend”
Revision: How A Book Gets Better
So, I’m pretty sure this is a good book that I’m writing. I mean, I don’t know for sure that it’s publishable, especially in the current condition, but I know it’s at least almost there. And it’s getting better. I’m now in Chapter 3 of the revision pass. Last night, I saw that I ended one scene with theContinue reading “Revision: How A Book Gets Better”
VP Novel First Draft: DONE
Yep. I did it. Not the first novel-length thing I’ve done, but certainly the first that has ANY chance of being seen by other people. Lots of work remains before that point, however. I need a revision pass, then beta readers, and then another revision pass. Then I’ll consider submitting it to agents. This may notContinue reading “VP Novel First Draft: DONE”
The Power of Diverse Authors and Stories
When I first started reading Anne Leckie’s Ancillary Justice, I commented to a friend that I didn’t like the “linguistic trick” of using “she” for characters the narrator KNEW were male. The ambiguous gender of the narrator didn’t bother me. And the story was amazingly good, so I stuck with it. As I continued to read,Continue reading “The Power of Diverse Authors and Stories”
It’s been a while. Here’s what’s up with me and my writing.
So, I finally got that sleep I’ve been needing. And I’ve been writing. Around 40,000 words now. I realized yesterday, however, that I have a secondary character who needs to go. Poor Takeshi comes on the page for a few statements, then disappears for chapters even though he’s in the same fairly small starship.Continue reading “It’s been a while. Here’s what’s up with me and my writing.”
A conversation between brain, hands, and heart.
“Dudes, what’s going on down there?” “What do you mean, Brain?” “There’s no writing going on.” “Well, you see, the words go through us, but they come from you. So answer your own damned question. We’re busy steering a starship, here.” “But Tajen and his crew have arrived in the Sol system! They’re about to discover theContinue reading “A conversation between brain, hands, and heart.”
Nebula Awards Weekend
I’m planning to attend the Nebula Weekend (though probably not the awards banquet itself; haven’t decided, yet). I figure, I may still be only an aspiring author, but it’s an opportunity to learn more, and that can’t be a bad thing, right? And I just realized Ann Leckie will be there, so yes, I’m going,Continue reading “Nebula Awards Weekend”
Thanksgiving Week: Ups and Downs
As always, Thanksgiving week had ups and downs. Monday was great. My daughter still had school, but I was off, so I wrote about 2700 words. Then I went to her school and discovered that something was wrong with my foot; every step was painful. Tuesday I dealt with the pain by walking with aContinue reading “Thanksgiving Week: Ups and Downs”