Pantsing, Plantsing, Planning & Proficiency

After having finished nineteen books over a period of thirteen years, with questionable success in marketing them, I am taking… Read more Pantsing, Plantsing, Planning & Proficiency

Creating a World in 6 Short Weeks

I wrote five new novel manuscripts in the twelve months between November 2018 and November 2019. That’s probably not as… Read more Creating a World in 6 Short Weeks

As a novelist, I’m firmly in the plotter camp. For some of my shorter stories, and, oddly, most of my… Read more Plot Outline Template

I am seldom subject to self-delusion. It has been the bane of my existence, this longing for rationality. No, it… Read more Le Journal de Das Book, Day 0

I’m torn. Some of you may have heard of NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month. It runs for 30 days… Read more The November Project

So, I’m at the point in my web serial where I can either continue to post, or wrap up the… Read more The Rest of the Story

I often see writers debate about which is preferable, “plotting” or “pantsing.” Plotting refers to diligently lay out your story’s… Read more Overthinking and Underthinking in Plotting

I decided that the main character of the new book, Jeanne “Dark” D’Arc, owns a 1972 Renault Alpine. She is proudly,… Read more Background Work

My next book, which I will start plotting this month, stars a female Security Analyst – a female Sherlock Holmes… Read more Getting Dark

Getting organized can really blow. Typically, I don’t outline short stories. That isn’t because I don’t think I need… Read more Outlining Short (or longer) Works