Solving Problems
My entire life I have had a problem solving method that still, to this day, serves me well in everything I do. Work, writing or non, life, it’s just a good problem solving technique. For me. I can’t...
An Announcement on a Specific Day
Here it is, my 50th birthday. I normally ignore my birthdays, but I figure 50 is a big round number so I’ll pay attention to it for once. But how to celebrate? I considered a lot of options for that and...
The Easiest Thing
I’m going to tell you, right here and now, the easiest thing about writing. It also applies to all other forms of creativity, and a lot of other things to boot, but I am going to speak of it in terms of...
Writing Exercises
I do a bunch of writing exercises. Even if I am in the deadline mines, I try to do at least one a week. So I thought I should write a bunch of them out in case anyone else wanted to try them on for size. These work...
Mr. Binkles and the Curious Case of Changed Perspective
(Way back in 2003, when I was still writing horror, I wrote a short story about a teddy bear. It eventually inspired a sequel and almost a trilogy (long story). But it has been ages and been reprinted a few times...
The Handbasket
The sounds and smells of the city washed over her like a rain of emotional baggage. Large, heavy baggage, the type you buy for a field trip to another continent. They pelted her until she had to close her eyes and...
The Lack of Fiction/Entertainment in Science Fiction Worlds
Ever notice that, when you watch a bunch of Sci-Fi almost no one ever references music, or literature that is recent to the story? It’s as if all great art stopped right around when the story was written....
Voice Doesn’t Matter
In writing, voice is one of the most important things there is. Voice is what makes a piece of writing you, inescapably you, above all other things. And I am right here telling you it doesn’t matter. I should...
Genre Math
This is going to be an unashamed process junkie aimed post. I love digging into process, and I bet some of you do, too. What I specifically want to talk about here is how I, personally, build prose per project....
The Four Stages of Writing Almost Everyone Hits
Just about everyone who decides to write on a regular basis hits four stages along the way. I will not claim that every single person hits them, or hits all four in the same order. You may hit only three, or...
Hate Watching and Guilty Pleasures Are Bad For You
I am here to tell you that hate watching things, and having guilty pleasures, is doing you harm. But before I explain I need to define some terms so we’re on the same page. Hate watching is when you watch...
Engaging Senses When Writing
When you’re writing prose you, generally, are always acting as the reader’s eyes. You’re describing the setting, and showing them the world. But we have five senses. Engaging them each is a great...
1000% True Things About Writing
Writing advice is a slippery topic full of pitfalls – the biggest, of course, is simply that no advice works for every person. Creativity is inherently personal, and your path to get good things will differ from my...
Once written, thrice lost
I have often been told I am not precious with my writing. There are reasons for that. Now, do understand, when I say “not precious with my writing” I don’t mean I’m careless with craft. I...