It’s the Writing Excuses Fantasy Setting Yard Sale! In this experimental (at least for us) ‘cast, Brandon, Dan, Mary, and Howard build a couple of fantasy settings for you, and they’re free. Seriously. TAKE THEM. We start our world-building with an unusual way for someone to obtain magical powers. We ended up with space-dust. We then […]
Writing Excuses 6.27: Fantasy Setting Yard Sale » Writing Excuses Read More »
The Regency retreat this weekend was glorious fun. I’ve just spent much of the day transcribing the, approximately, 5500 words I wrote while there. I was determined not to bring my computer this weekend, since it was supposed to be full immersion — plus indoor plumbing and central heating — but I was two chapters
I have returned to the 21st century Read More »
I’m heading off for the weekend to the Oregon Regency Society’s retreat. From now until Sunday it will be like time travel back to the early 1800s. Well… with indoor plumbing and central heat. We are going sans electric light though. Anyway, this red linen day dress is one of the dresses that I made
Time-travelling to the Regency for the weekend. Read More »
At the Surrey International Writers Conference, I taught a workshop called “Writing on the Fast Track” and one of the attendees, L.S. Taylor has typed up her very comprehensive notes on the class. The subject on writing fast has come up a few times this year, especially if you’ve been following Magical Words, but I
L.S. Taylor offers her notes on my “Writing on the Fast Track” workshop at SIWC2011 Read More »
Y’all know I’m a HUGE fan of Cherie and have just loved her Clockwork Century books. I’m deeply excited to see that the first in her series, Boneshaker, is going to be a film. As reported by Variety… Cherie Priest’s steampunk sci-fi novel “Boneshaker” is coming to the bigscreen with Cross Creek Pictures, Exclusive Media
GO! Congratulation Cherie Priest! ‘Boneshaker’ to bigscreen Read More »
So today is the last day of NaNoWriMo. Some of you have already crossed the 50k line, some of you are close, and some of you are writing madly while knowing you won’t make that goal. The thing that all of these have in common is that you are writing and that is fantastic. Today,
NaNoWriMo pep talk Read More »
To repeat what the subject line says, Chapters 20 and 21 of the Without a Summer draft are up for those of you reading along. Whee! 71k and closing.
Chapters 20 and 21 are up. Read More »
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Protected: Without a Summer draft: Chapter 21 Read More »
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Protected: Without a Summer draft: Chapter 20 Read More »
Hey, if you are in or near Carlsbad, CA, allow me to recommend an amazing exhibit. The World on a String: Puppets from the Alan Cook Collection of The International Puppetry Museum. The exhibit runs till December 30, 2011 and is one of the best collections of puppetry you’ll likely get a chance to see. See the world
City of Carlsbad – William D. Cannon Art Gallery Read More »
La! For those of you reading along, Chapter 19 of the Without a Summer draft is available now.
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Protected: Without a Summer draft: Chapter 19 Read More »
Let’s talk mystery! Specifically, how do you plot a good mystery? We’re not focusing on the mystery genre but many of these principles will apply there. For fantasy and science-fiction work this usually means creating plots or sub-plots in which the main experience for the reader is one of discovery or revelation, rather than anticipation. Tools
Writing Excuses 6.26: Mystery Plotting » Writing Excuses Read More »
As I write, I often will put in a bracket when I need to look something up. For instance, ” Watching riders do horse tricks had as much appeal as listening to a recitation of [something really dull]” Kurt Pankau is one of my readers for Without A Summer and commented: And totally off topic, I
Mad libbing through my fiction Read More »
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Protected: Without a Summer draft: Chapter 18 Read More »