Before I get to work on cleaning up the novel I just finished, I think I'd do good to 'cleanse my palate' so to speak. So I'm aiming to write a couple short stories to take my mind off it. I am already halfway through one (I hope). There's nothing quite like the freedom of …
The power of good description
I'm still being awed by The Crimson Petal and the White. Even though there is not much going on as far as plot or intrigue goes, the characters are more than enough to keep me interested. It's not in the way they look, or the things they say or do--they are just so well described, …
Fifth time’s a charm
As I near the end of a first draft on my first novel, I can't help but look back over all my other failed attempts. There was the vampire novel, which I started writing 12 or 13 years ago, in my early 20's. I got to about 30k words before Twilight gained popularity, and I …
Find a writing enemy
Competition always makes me more productive. I've written my best stories when they were for contests among friends. I knew if I didn't turn in something good, I wouldn't live it down, so I'd meet the deadline no matter what. By writing enemy I mean someone you want to be better than, someone you want …
Character questions
What would your character do if approached by a drunk in a bar? Lost in the woods with no food or flashlight? Locked unjustly (or justly) in solitary confinement? If they were told they just swallowed poison? This is an exercise I was just doing recently with my sister, and it's fun and also informative. …
Jonas David 