Jul
24

Blank Canvas Syndrome

Posted in blog, nothing to fear but fear itself, writing | 2 Comments
The thing about world-building from scratch is that there’s just so much of it to do. Every time I write a detail down, it just leads to a whole bunch of other questions about other things that I really ought to know or think about. It’s a windy path, and it can be fun, but it’s also a little easy to play the “what if” game – and as amusing as that is, I’d rather just start writing and worry about some of the details later. Plus there’s that whole question of whether or not there’s really anything original anymore – or am I just rehashing what’s already out there. I’d like to think I’ve got it in me to come up with *something* new, but who knows? I’m messing around with more science than fantasy at the moment, and physics just isn’t my thing. I’m a tad edgy about… Read more
Jul
22

Wherever I Wander

Posted in blog | Tagged , , | 3 Comments
I told myself I wasn’t going to look at anything writing-wise for at least a week or so. But I’m a big liar, apparently. (I write fiction, so I guess that goes with saying.) Still. I cracked open the 20k I’ve written for BoD3 this morning – partially just to see if I was completely off base with it, and partially to check out that first chapter since I’m going to need it as teaser material for the end of A Sliver of Shadow. (Guess I’m going to need a new title here too, soon. And I still have to title for the series as a whole. Bad, bad author.) I was actually pleasantly surprised. It’s always a good sign when you run out of pages and you’re like “Why did I stop here?? Where’s the rest?” Not that it doesn’t need tweaking, but if the first chapter stays where… Read more
Jul
21

Word Whore Thursday: Writing What You Love

Posted in blog | Tagged | 2 Comments
I’m over at Word Whores today, talking about writing what you love. Sort of a twitchy time-frame to write something like that because after finishing up my last batch of edits for A Sliver of Shadow I sorta hate everything I’ve written. Pretty typical, I think. I’m happy with the core of the story, but after actively searching for flaws over and over and over, it’s hard not to think that everything I write is crap and how the hell did I get published and OMG everyone’s gonna think this next book sucks and I suck and on and on and on… (Yeah, I’m neurotic. Think you’ve all figured that out by now.) But. It is done and there’s pride in that too. So, I’m taking a week off from everything creative. (And hey, new DLC coming out on Tuesday for DA2, yo!) and then I’ll head back into book… Read more
Jul
20

A Picture is Worth How Many Words?

Posted in blog | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments
While kicking around the interwebs yesterday, I ran across a post on Tumblr lamenting the fact that writing wasn’t worth as much as art. Keeping in mind that the blogger was a fanfic writer, she made some good points – namely that it’s much easier for an artist to make money with fanart vs writing fanfic. Her specific examples were at conventions or online, where artsy types could easily command $20 or more for quick commissions, dozens of people standing in line to put in an order to get their character rendered in that artist’s style. Her main argument centered around the idea that as visual creatures, people could determine instantly whether or not they liked a piece of artwork and therefore the value of a piece could also be determined instantly. (Which may or may not be true.)  This, as opposed to a piece of writing (in her case, a piece… Read more
Jul
19

Finally

Posted in blog, edits, no sleep 'til brooklyn | 2 Comments
A Sliver of Shadow edits are done. (Until copy-edits, anyway) *faceplants*… Read more