I’ve been on dozens of convention panels discussing the differences between “Plotters” and “Pantsers”. It’s a perennial topic of discussion – what’s the best thing to do when you’re writing…Continue readingAre you a Plotter? Or a Pantser?
We’ve all read those books. The ones where everything is going swimmingly and then somebody that you’re supposed to care about does something so eye-wateringly dumb that your eyes hurt…Continue readingOMG, Why did she…?
Commencement Address Dear graduating class, I am so very happy to see you. To know that you are out there. That you exist. Because – make no mistake – in…Continue readingBehind the Superstars
ALL fiction is fantasy by definition – but for the purposes of this listicle let me just make it clear that I am using “fantasy” in its more commonly applied…Continue readingOn writing tales of pure wonder
Someone in my hometown is putting together a reading series and sent me an email asking whether I wanted to participate. I said sure, and asked if they had any…Continue readingWhy is ‘genre’ a dirty word?
The Science Fiction Worldcon was in Yokohama, Japan, about a decade ago. I attended, as a panelist and a pro, partly because it was a chance to experience Japan, something…Continue readingA city named Hiroshima
Hatred is one of the purer emotions and it can distill into a poison. Yet the words “I hate” are oddly bereft of a stinger. It is almost a childish…Continue readingWhat do they hate?
The uniqueness of story You hear all kinds of numbers for the plot lines available to authors — 27, 10, 7, 3, 2, 1. Those who favor two – “Someone…Continue readingSomething is wrong