More Feels!
He was as happy as stone. (Or, how emotional writing doesn’t always work.)
When my brilliant sister Nancy O’Brien Wagner gave me feedback on a recent draft of The Rule of Mirrors, she keyed in on certain moments and wrote “More emotion!” in the margins. This is hugely helpful to me, but it does not involve an easy fix, like adding more tears or labeling that my characters are passionate, angry or relieved. Saying “She felt so happy!” only goes so far.
The challenge with writing emotional scenes is… Continue reading
Birthmarked Turns Five
Birthmarked was released five years ago this week, on March 30th, 2010, when I was on a leave from teaching and trying to decide whether I should resign for good. My agent, Kirby Kim, told me to have faith in myself and my writing, but I was concerned that my novel wouldn’t sell and my writing career would be over with my first YA novel. “Don’t worry,” he said. “Birthmarked will have a long tail.”
He meant that Gaia’s story might not start with a flash, but it would keep… Continue reading
One Small Tip
If you’d like to make one small change to strengthen your writing, become aware of how often you begin a sentence with “There is…” or “There are…” Almost always, you can revise the sentence to eliminate that opener, and by being more concise, convey information more efficiently. It makes for smoother, brighter reading.
Example #1: There are too many bugs in this pie.
More direct: Too many bugs swim in this pie.
Example #2: There is a small, ugly boy living on my block.
More direct: A small, ugly boy… Continue reading
Turning Corners
We head toward summer.
Our day and night times are both 12 hours today, and spring starts at 6:45, though try telling the weather that. We’re expecting snow, as usual.
Still, I’m thinking warm, summery thoughts, and my novel has turned a corner, too. I can feel how the developing and exploring have brought me to this place, and taking the novel deeper is a new kind of right. Like, yes. At last. Now I can really get to work.
Happy spring.
Into the Roots
Roots. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
I’ve had emails lately from some of my writer friends where we’ve been discussing how important it is to be guided by character when writing a novel. Character, absolutely, is what draws me into projects I’m writing and books I enjoy reading, but characters aren’t going anywhere without a good plot, too.
I’d like to throw it out there that developing character can be a trap, much like the intricacies of small scale editing can be a trap to those of us who love tinkering… Continue reading
A Word on Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Trilogy
Ussie of Marie and Caragh.
When I try to pick one favorite thing about Marie Rutkoski’s Winner’s trilogy, it’s impossible for me to separate the novels from my friendship with the author. I feel like the world she has created comes to me in her thoughtful, precise voice, which I hear clearly from beside me, as if we were sharing another panel. She’s the only one I’ve ever known who says “Pyrrhic victory” in conversation, and though this may say something about the company I keep, I think it says… Continue reading
Ari & Milo, my serial novel, is now up on Wattpad! I drew illustrations to go with each chapter, and best of all, it’s free! Because of problematic themes, this novel is for mature readers age 17+.
Book Trailer for Promised