On Writing

A directory of blog posts I've written on various writerly things, or interviews I've done with smart people on writerly things :)

Author Etiquette

♥ On the Dangers of Complacency
♥ On Etiquette and Honesty
♥ Other Stuff You Shouldn't Do (As a Writer) part 2

World Building

♥ On World Building

Creating Characters

♥ Character Sheets
♥ The Mighty Archetype: Broody Jerks with Hearts of Gold
♥ The Mighty Archetype: The Hero Who Hides Behind a Smile
♥ The Mighty Archetype: The Goofy Guy Who Secretly Kicks Ass
♥ The Mighty Archetype: The Designated Psychopath
♥ The Mighty Archetype: The Mad Scientist
♥ The Mighty Archetype: The Child Prodigy
♥ The Mighty Archetype: Good Guys Gone Bad
♥ What a Mary Sue is and is NOT
♥ Personality by Blood Type

Antagonists

♥ Complicated and Sympathetic Villains
♥ Villains We Love to Hate
♥ Villains Who Switch Sides
♥ The Handy Book of Villainous Dialogue
♥ Interview with YA Misfit Chessie Zappia

Craft

Outlining

♥ Why I'm a Plotter
♥ Outlining: Start Big and Work Down to the Details
♥ Q+A: Reworking a Manuscript

Editing

♥ What Editing and the Man in the Iron Mask Have in Common
♥ Editing - Easy Ways to Cut Word Count and Tighten Writing
♥ On Description and Senses and Distancing Point of View
♥ Drafting and Editing from Artwork to Writing

Point of View

♥ A Matter of Point of View
♥ When POV Characters Withhold Information
♥ Point of View: Take Two

Misc

♥ On Dialogue (or another 'He said - She said post')
♥ Other Stuff You Shouldn't Do (As a Writer) part 1
♥ Novel Beginnings

Thinky Thoughts

♥ On Cultural Sensitivity
♥ On the Inequality of Switching Gender Roles
♥ Questioning Trends in YA Fiction

Misc Topics

♥ Rivalships straddle the line
♥ What's in a name?
♥ Signed With a Kiss (or On Pennames)
♥ On Subtlety and Romance
♥ Seven Things I Did to Prepare my WIP
♥ When Music and Writing Collide - by Anna
♥ Interview with a Teen Reader #1
♥ Interview with a Teen Reader #2
♥ Interview with S.R. Johannes - On Successful Book Signings
♥ Why Contests Help Everyone
♥ Fanfiction was my best teacher
♥ Q+A: If they ask for money, it's a scam
♥ Taking Time on Things That Matter (To You)

NaNoWriMo

♥ On the Value of NaNoWriMo
♥ Nanowrimo: Plan Ahead - by Patricia

Queries

♥ Writing and Querying Resources
♥ Q+A: When to Start Querying
♥ On Queries and Putting Your Best Foot Forward

CPs and beta readers

♥ Q+A: Manuscripts and Beta Readers