I was asked what my “typical writing day” is like. Every day is writing day! So this is: a day of me. On a typical weekday, I wake up between 8:27 and 8:34. Ish. I don’t use an alarm, so it’s all on my cycadian rhythm and looking at the Read more
Another “Total Request Marie” topic! How is it different revising a poem verses a novel verses a short story. The short answer is, a poem is like a painting, a short story is like an invisible vase, and a novel is like a topiary. The long answer beings, “Let me Read more
Nyla requested this one, a post on mistakes middle class writers make when writing about working class people. And oh wow. If you’ll listen to me I will talk your ear off. Though first, obviously: I can only write from my own perspective. I know what it’s like to be Read more
Blog post idea suggested by Karrin. I’ve gotten rejection letters that said “It’s a good story, but it just isn’t science fiction enough.” I think that might be where this question is coming from? How much is enough, then? Let me take the science out of the equation; how much Read more
This blog post topic was suggested by Svetlana del Rey Now, I’m no physicist, but I am a time travel nut. The very first stories I wrote as a kid all had time travel in them. Blame Dr. Who. My friend Darrin Bright had written a hilarious story called “Roadside Read more
Once again, I blog your requests! I was asked how I do my wee illustrations, which is a very flattering thing to be asked when you are Not Very Good at Art. (TM) So I decided the best way to answer that question was to turn on screen capture and Read more
I just signed my first ever novel contract, and many people are asking me how I went from manuscript to actual advance money! The bad news is we have to go waaaay back on this one: High School. I was sending my first novel to publishers, “A” (It would be Read more