Category Archives: writing process

When I draft a story, I am almost always an underwriter. I write less than I could; I write less than a reader might need to fully comprehend a character or setting. Then, when I go back and read over … Continue reading →

It’s amazing how many words one can put down when one is trying not to care about them. It’s impossible for me not to care at all–on a computer, I am constantly making small changes in word choice or in … Continue reading →

Do you have to care about your characters and their story to write it? Do you have to invent characters you like before writing? Some people say yes. I say no, at least not at the beginning of the process. … Continue reading →

I am not one of those writers whose characters talk to them, not in the literal hearing-voices-in-your-head way, nor do I like using that as a metaphor for character creation. Probably because I like to be in control. I also … Continue reading →

I have rediscovered something, while working on revisions for The Moonlight Mistress: available time to write does not directly translate into wordcount. If I’m writing dialogue or description, but most especially dialogue, the words pile up faster. Word acquisition slows … Continue reading →