Teaser Tuesday: Writing Wednesdays

That does sound a little recursive, doesn’t it? Not to mention alarmingly alliterative. (This is the last time I let Augustus Whittlesby write my blog headers!)

I’m launching a new feature on the website: Writing Wednesdays. Like everything else on the website, this is a figure-it-out-as-I-go sort of thing, but the idea behind it is to lightly touch upon some topics of interest to budding authors.

As to what those topics may be– well, that’s where I turn it over to you. Shannon (hi, Shannon!), who gave me the idea for this series, has already asked that I address issues of time management. I’m also going to look at character development, dialogue, and that dreaded beast, Writer’s Block. As to the rest… it’s entirely up to you.

None of these are intended to be exhaustive essays on the topic. They’re just going to be short little pieces to get the writing conversation started.

Since we have give-aways scheduled on the blog for the next few Wednesdays, I’ll be launching our Writing Series on May 16th. Rather like Masterpiece Mystery, it will run through the summer. If there’s sufficient interest– and more to address– I’ll keep it going through the fall.

So with all the housekeeping out of the way, here’s the real question: what writing-related issues would you like to talk about?

10 Comments

  1. Céline on April 24, 2012 at 9:19 am

    With Eloise and Colin, you were able to tell us their stories with only six chapters in each book. How do you describe characters AND story in such few pages? How is the secret of making lovable and interesting characters that evolve in six chapters? I find it amazing!

  2. Céline on April 24, 2012 at 9:20 am

    (btw, that’s really really really a great ideas!!! I totally love it!)

  3. Jessica S. on April 24, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    Fighting the demon Internet while trying to write. Unfortunately, for the writing I do (academic), I need access to our university library sites, online dictionaries, statistics help sites, our university remote software, etc. Even more unfortunately, that is not all there is on the Internet.

  4. Pam on April 24, 2012 at 2:41 pm

    Jessica, there’s a free piece of software you can download called Self Control. What it does is block your internet access while allowing you to create a “safe list” of approved sites (JStor, the library catalogue, etc.) You set the timer for however long you want to be internet free and then you’re set. There’s no easy way to turn it off, either, you have to restart the computer in order to do so. It’s not a perfect system but it helps!

    P.S. I love this idea, looking forward to tomorrow’s inaugural post!

  5. Ashley on April 24, 2012 at 4:11 pm

    I love this idea! I would love to read about:
    how you plot
    plan your books
    do you create backstories for all the characters first of does that develop over time

  6. jeffrey on April 25, 2012 at 8:17 am

    In a lengthy series such as the “Pink Carnation,” I am fascinated how anauthor keeps track of characters, incidents, in the context of the continuity and validity of time that flows through the entire series. From an outsider’s point of view this seems incredibly complicated!

  7. Shannon M. Howell on April 25, 2012 at 10:09 pm

    Aww! Thanks for the mention above. Obviously, I want to hear about the juggling of the various writing add-ons (events, blogging, contests) along with the writing itself.

    I am also quite interested in your method for determining how much “background” to give as you delve into a story (or how much recap), and how that is woven into the writing so it’s not just, “Last time, On Pink Carnation…”

  8. Pamela E. Harris on April 25, 2012 at 11:38 pm

    I love this idea. I am really looking forward to hearing what you have to say… having been tried by fire and all that. Your writing wisdom is much desired.

  9. 4amWriter on April 26, 2012 at 9:33 am

    Great idea! I have been hearing a lot of mixed opinions about plot (Stephen King, for instance, calls it ‘shifty’). But it’s one of the big topics when we talk structure, developing the story. Do you have any pearls of wisdom on this subject? Thanks for your help and advice! Kate

  10. Céline on May 6, 2012 at 5:59 am

    Another subject that I would love to read you about, is how the characters unfold to you. Do you write the stories after you have defined very precisely your characters? Or do you only have a general idea of their personality and let them reveal themselves as the story goes?

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