writer at play
Posted in reading, writing process on Mar 9th, 2010
Here at the playground, I spent a couple of posts talking about that bane of my writing life–coming up with titles! Since I want that process to be less painful with more satisfying results, I went through my booklists to find templates or formulae for titles.
First off, we have the one-word titles. These include names [...]
Posted in writing process on Feb 22nd, 2010
It’s been a lot of fun to read how titles fit into everyone’s writing process. No matter where you are on the spectrum, it’s a great feeling to have picked out the right title for your story. Here are a few of my favorites, from my own stories:
1. Out of Shape, because it fits perfectly [...]
Posted in writing process on Feb 21st, 2010
I suck at titles. Once in a while, titles leap fully-formed from my head with accompanying stories (Out of Shape and Second Sight being two) but mostly, coming up with a title is a hard slog. You can see my lack in the entitling department in my lackluster novel names: The Changeling (boring), Season of [...]
Posted in writing process on Feb 8th, 2010
I’m convinced that what separates the professional-level writer (published or not) from the enthusiast is the thoughtful, deliberate act of revising. Often, the focus is on just getting the words out on the page. There are organizations, books, communities and other cheerleading squads dedicated to helping writers get their stories down on the page. What [...]
Posted in random, writing process on Jan 12th, 2010
If I am bored writing it, then most likely people will be bored reading it.
Don’t torture yourself.
Posted in season of rains, writing process on Dec 20th, 2009
One of my main goals for the current revision of SoR is to give my protagonist, Jhayni, more agency. In previous versions, bad things just happened to her. She tumbled willy-nilly from bad to worse. Her reactions were instinctive, not volitional. This time around, I want Jhayni to dig her heels in and make choices [...]
Posted in season of rains, writing process on Dec 5th, 2009
What are you doing, Mommy?
Writing my book.
What chapter are you on?
Mm, eight, I think.
*reading over my shoulder* Something brushed against…. a house!
No, not a house.
*rustles paper* What’s this?
It’s a map of my city. PLEASE don’t lose it.
What’s this? And that? And, oh, this says “shops!”
It’s a road called King’s Way. PLEASE be careful.
What’s your books [...]
Posted in guilt, writing process on Nov 29th, 2009
I’ve been thinking a lot about my novel-writing (and rewriting) process lately, and decided that it is too inefficient. It just takes me too darn long to get a novel into shape, and it is clearly my method at fault.
My current process looks something like this:
Get Idea. “Ooh, shiny!” *plays*
In the meantime, continue work on [...]
Posted in writing process on Nov 16th, 2009
While I’m trying to decide which writing project to tackle next (by playing Torchlight, reading blogposts and books, and generally taking it easy), my husband’s been NaNo-ing! And if that wasn’t intense enough, I persuaded him to do a write-up about his experience so far. And without further ado, I give you the first guest [...]
Posted in numbers, writing process on Nov 6th, 2009
Susan Wise Bauer on cooking, writing and glamor:
Cooking, I think, must be like writing. You do the same thing day, after day, after day, after day. You’d better enjoy it for itself, not for the rewards. There are certainly high points, and of course we all look forward to them… Occasionally I get to go [...]