Category for all my writer-related stuff
“The Trunk” is a jargon term in the writing world for, basically, stuff you have already written, waiting to find a home. It can be pejorative – the “Trunk story” sold by a big name writer which is actually quite flawed and should have been revised, the “We don’t want Read more
My first novel, Galactic Hellcats, features a matriarchy. My third novel, The Gods Awoke, takes place entirely within a matriarchy. I’m revising a novel right now that has, well, a matriarchy. Why do I keep returning to this theme? When I was in sixth grade, I had to come up Read more
A common critique I got on my stories when I was starting out was, “You bring up this issue, but you don’t say anything about it.” Unlike “too slow” or “too fast” this critique didn’t present an obvious answer. I stared blankly at my manuscript. I wanted an issue, say Read more
Greetings, Earthlings! It is December, which means we are entering a time of year with traditions and fellowship — yes, Science Fiction Award Season! So if you’ve been naughty or nice and can vote for the Hugos, Nebulas, Locus Awards, Otherwise Award, what have you — here is what I Read more
In Aristotle’s Poetics, he breaks structure into two parts – the Complicating and the Unravelling, and laments that “Many poets tie the knot well, but unravel it ill.” Ancient Greek writers, I sympathize! As a newbie writer, the biggest frustration I faced was that while it was interesting and fun Read more
I primarily write science fiction, but I have long read fantasy and enjoyed it. You would think I’d be able to write fantasy as easily as science fiction – just turn the spaceship into a unicorn, right? The robot into a dwarf? Turns out, it’s not so easy. I started Read more
This year, I submitted poems 27 times for 18 form rejections and 1 personalized rejection. (That represents 17 unique poems) I submitted a poetry chapbook 5 times for 2 form rejections. I submitted short stories 83 times for 54 form rejections, 9 personalized rejections. (That represents 28 unique stories, of Read more