Inspiration Situation
Here are some things that alternately INSPIRE me to write and distract me from writing: How about you? What inspires you to write? What is your biggest challenge, when it comes to splitting your focus? Do share.
Category: The Writing Process
NaNoWriMo 2012: Day 1, and Counting
As the first day of National Novel Writing Month 2012 draws to a close, I find myself embroiled in the first 3,000 words (ish) of a bloody, nostalgic romp through my hometown. I’m not sure if it’s homesickness during the holidays, or some deeply seated need to murder the insecurities of my youth in grand, dramatic fashion. […]
A Glimpse of Life in the Fat Lane
This is an excerpt from my short story, “Memoirs of a Fat Ballerina,” which I’ve entered in a few competitions (don’t worry, I checked the rules and I’m allowed to post on here) and which I’m currently thinking of turning into a full-length YA. Let me know what you think! – Love, V “Memoirs of a […]
A Writer Thinks Wishfully
I know I’ve focused a lot on the “intangibles” of publishing lately. On the disappointments, the mood swings and the sometimes inconceivable personal reasons behind manuscripts becoming books (or not). And I know that I promised to cover all the Querying Process; the good, the bad, the ugly. Unfortunately, so far, there hasn’t really been […]
The 30 Second Pitch: Yipee-kai-ai-ay…
It’s the bottom of the ninth. The bases are loaded. Babe steps up to the plate… Here comes the pitch. It’s time to shine, writer friends. Maybe you’re stuck in an elevator with your dream agent in this totally metaphorical situation. Or maybe you’re huddled in the back of a walk-in freezer in a Marriott […]
V Interviews Suzanne Brockmann, Literary Hero
First of all, I CANNOT believe I haven’t posted this on my site before now. (Actually, part of me thinks maybe I did, but the Interwebs swallowed it.) This is an interview I did with Suzanne Brockmann–my favorite author and bosom Facebook-friend–back in July, 2009. I hope it’s as inspiring for you as it was back […]
Location, Location, Location.
Here’s a picture that I absolutely DID take myself. This is where I write every day. (God Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise, as Janet Reid would say)
The Shawshank Revision
There’s an aspiring writer like me behind every book in America, I guess. I’m the girl who can find the words. Nouns, adverbs, even adjectives if you’re partial, an adverb to sell your point with gusto in a dramatic situation. I can find you damn near any words, within reason. But are they the right words? Ah, and […]
QUERYING for REALsies.
That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. It’s that time. The time has come. Starting today, I will be live-blogging the exciting and much puked-about thing known as the Querying Process. You’re welcome. Today, I started reading a great book called Query: Everything you need to get started, get noticed and get signed, by C.J. Redwine. So […]
Writing Confession of the Day
When I finally finish this book, I am going to be on SOOOO many government watch lists. (Based on my google search history alone.) Examples: “How do you make improvised blasting caps?” “Can a mag be turned into a repeating explosive?” “How long does it take a person to die from [insert wound type here]?” […]
Choose Your Own Adventure
This post is about endings. At some point, every writer faces the moment where they have to choose the way their story will end. One of the first and greatest quandaries they face is that of the academic ending vs. the realistic. Whether they know it or not, most people will fight an internal battle […]
A Frank Discussion on “Steamy” Literature
Author’s Forward: Mom, don’t read this. Also, if you’re a fan of Stephanie Meyer, 50 Shades of Grey, or any other 50 Shades of Bullsh** spinoff thereof, don’t read this. (And while you’re at it, please leave the site immediately and never come back. J/k all readophiles are welcome. Just don’t say I didn’t warn […]
Q & A Thursday: Literary Edition
Someone asked me the other day what kind of books I liked to write. I told them I like to write all kinds of books, but I firmly believe that it’s not the type of book you write that defines you as a writer. It’s all about the style, the voice. So I’m making up a […]
Film Novelization: An Example
A friend of mine recently asked for an example of what a novelization looks like. Here’s one of mine that I did for one of my favorite movies. Joon was a mess. The romantic escape effort had gone horribly awry, and the voices had come back just when Sam was about to take her away forever, […]
To the Pain.
I’m not going to make it. It’s been hours, possibly days, and the pain is only getting more insistent. Harder to ignore. Even I have to admit that I held out admirably for the first session. I barely flinched. In my mind, I was constantly reminding myself of how strong I was. How the pain […]
A little taste of SEE NO EVIL
Because I care…a random excerpt from one of my many random writing projects. (Don’t worry, this scene has now been cut from the current draft do it won’t spoil anything for those of you who will eventually read it. Spoiler alert: in this story, the protagonist is blind.) “Hey, Silas?” Michael’s voice drifted toward him […]
Being a Hero is Fricking TIRING, Man.
There comes a time in every great adventure when the hero stops being caught up in the thrill of the chase. The newness has worn thin, the path has grown troublesome, and shit happens. In Lord of the Rings, it’s that part where Frodo starts sleeping a lot and Sam keeps talking about potatoes. In […]
Inappropriate Haiku
Muffin toppings, Pudgy floppings, See-through. Wanna date? It’s too late. Cougar. Where’d it go? Your mojo? Missing. Take a bow, Take it now. Nip-slip. (Not directed at Nancy Grace, but hey if the shoe fits…)
Won’t You Be My Accessory?
I think we all saw this coming one day, but perhaps not so soon. The time has come for me to ask you a gigantic favor. I need you to help me kill someone. What? Oh… Oh, no, I don’t mean a REAL person. I mean an imaginary person. One of my characters, actually. (Ha, […]
Ex-Seusses, Ex-Seusses…
Oh, the excuses we’ll make When the time comes to ‘fess To all of our crimes. Whether under duress, Or guilt-ridden and glib, Tongues loosened from stewing That’s when we’ll explain, Just what we’ve been doing. While creatively creating All sorts of fat fibbies, We’ll stand at attention And sweat through our skivvies. Never forgetting […]
On Writing what You “Know”
Lately, I’ve been focusing and/or blogging more about the dramatic ups and downs of my actual life, as opposed to working primarily on fiction. Which is fine, to a certain extent. But when does it become too much reality? One of the problems I’ve run into is that I live in a near-constant state of fear that […]
The Problem with Balls…
I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to diversify their investments. Not just with finances, but in other aspects of life, as well. For example, when I was in high school, I never hung out with just one group of friends. For some reason–which I like to credit to an overdevelopment of emotional […]
The Roads-Pages-Wings Not Taken
Looking back, it seems like some of the best times in life are the ones when you were faced with a whole multitude of different possibilities. The first day of school, graduation, your wedding day, moving to a new city, taking a new job…. These were the points you made a change or a decision […]
Later than Not
Lately, I’ve been beginning a lot of my posts with the word “lately.” Not sure what that says about my mental health, but whatever. So anyway, I’ve been wrestling (lately) with the idea that maybe one idea is not enough. I’ve got one manuscript that’s nearly finished–let’s not get too nitpicky with the definition of […]
The Tantalizing Illusion of Unspoiled Ideas
Someone (I think it was Charles Dickens or maybe Earnest Hemingway) once said that new ideas are like bastard children. They take our time and attention away from what we should be focusing on–our current project, whatever that may be–and should be mercilessly killed if we ever hope to realize our true purpose. Now, I’m […]
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