Currently viewing the tag: "creative process"

reading my old stuff is like visiting my younger self, which is to say, too weird

On April 9, 2013 · Leave a Comment · In writing

In 2002 I wrote a novel called The Luminous Music of Trees, a YA fantasy in a rural, agricultural, low-tech society, that has this kind of fairies-or-maybe-elves?-type creatures in it—in other words, a book that is totally different from the stuff I write now which tends to be urban, contemporary, and for adults.  But I [...]

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do i dare to eat a peach?

On October 22, 2012 · 4 Comments · In writing

I am writing sex scenes for the new book.  I’m not a virgin at this (see Conjuring Raine), but this new book is asking for a heck of a lot more full frontal than I have previously gone in for.  I admit, it makes me nervous.  But I figure, if you’re going to do it, [...]

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writing is music is art

On October 17, 2012 · 1 Comment · In writing

I usually write in silence, but sometimes I get a certain song looping in my head, connected, often, to a certain character or scene I’m working on, and I play it over and over and over.  I am always intrigued by this, by the interaction between different kinds of art, music to writing, movies to [...]

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writer’s report

On October 9, 2012 · 4 Comments · In writing

The Lucidity Effect—that’s the working title for my novel-in-progress—is just shy of 70,000 words (my other novels are all about 100,000 words) and is ticking along, slowly but steadily.   (Thus the more infrequent blogging.)  And I’m so relieved because, at this point, it seems fairly certain that I’ll finish it.  That is, I’m pretty sure, [...]

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can a pantser become a plotter?

On June 9, 2012 · 2 Comments · In writing

If you’re a writer, you probably know what I’m talking about.  It is the age-old writing-process dichotomy.  Does one write by the seat of one’s pants?  Or does one plot and outline things ahead of time, i.e. before writing that first draft? I know there are those writers that claim the pants/outline dichotomy is a [...]

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the dark side of a lounge pants obsession

On May 11, 2012 · Leave a Comment · In making things, mayalife, writing

It’s probably the Katwise thing (see yesterday’s post), plus Sophie doing a bunch of sewing with her great aunt (who is a master seamstress) (I covet Sophie’s adorable new bag made from too-small favorite jeans with rhinestones and rainbow lining, by the way), plus Luc just got this rocking pair of pirate pajama pants at [...]

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my fallacy is bigger than your fallacy

On April 12, 2012 · 2 Comments · In mayalife, writing

I’m trying to learn formal logic.  Don’t laugh!  Stop laughing!  I am.  I’m reading a stack of books now on logic, fallacies, syllogism (which I can barely spell), and, you know, stuff.  Why am I torturing myself like this?  Every writer’s ice burg: research.  Ice burg because research is the ginormous amount of time and [...]

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insomnia and wishes

On March 8, 2012 · 2 Comments · In mayalife, writing

I am reading tons of books about insomnia. This is not because I have insomnia, but, rather, because I am writing a book about two characters who are insomniacs. I’ve got a stack of them here on my desk (books, not insomniacs), cure-yourself self-help books, popular science books about sleep research, memoirs by writerly insomniacs…you [...]

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hi my name is maya and i am a drama queen

On June 26, 2011 · 3 Comments · In writing

Some of y’all may have noticed that I am slogging along in this current novel-in-progress with all the enthusiasm of a root canal.  It’s been HARD, people.  I’ve got 50,000 words or so and most of them are CRAP.

Now, I’m used to this.  There are always times when a novel feel like crap as [...]

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lawrence, the cookie ninja writing coach

On June 18, 2011 · Leave a Comment · In kiddo life, mayalife, writing

We go to the toy store pretty regularly on Luc-Choose days. He loves that toy store.  So last week, wandering around the toys, waiting for the kids to uncover today’s treasures, I found myself carrying around a little stuffed, um, bat?, creature, thingy.  He was cute and I was bored and I ended up talking [...]

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