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

The Sum Total of …

I’d planned to spend the entire day devoted to writing. After numerous interruptions, most of them more stressful than I’d… Read more The Sum Total of …

The November Project

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

When the Characters Whisper

What does one do when the characters no longer want to obey? Are we their gods, or merely their scribes,… Read more When the Characters Whisper

Overthinking and Underthinking in Plotting

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

One More Weird Idea

I’ve had people ask me from whence come my stories. … Okay, my dad asked me that once. Still, he… Read more One More Weird Idea

The Next Book, Day 1

They whisper to me, you know. Like auditory hallucinations, I can hear their breathing, inside my ear, their breathy words,… Read more The Next Book, Day 1

Seeing the Future via Event Wheels

I was watching a poorly done movie about a viral outbreak today – I don’t even remember the title, though… Read more Seeing the Future via Event Wheels

Getting Dark

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