The character of Stephen gave me significant trouble throughout the various iterations of The Wanderer. He is of course a key character because without him there’s no story, but I had a great deal of difficulty getting to know him. In early drafts I gave him his own viewpoint scenes. This process usually helps me…

Me, on LinkedIn: Geez, you people are wound so tight. It’s just hustle hustle hustle, be A-MAH-ZING 24/7, be so good no one can ignore you . . . y’all make me need a nap. I mean, even mediocre people deserve to make a living. Gen Y person: I was a member of the Mediocre…

I was five years old when I decided I wanted to make my living writing novels. It’s the only thing that has never changed about me. As I grew older, friends and family let me know how difficult it was to make a living as a writer. Becoming a writer, it seemed, was not a…

I’m spending the summer in Spain, which is the upside of being a freelancer, although I also have to work while I’m here, which is the downside of not being independently wealthy. I was on a bus to Seville when I had an idea for a new fantasy novel, which I probably didn’t need, given…

One of the things I have always enjoyed about reading romance is the happily-ever-after. I’m perfectly fine with terrible pain and trauma happening to all of the characters so long as they kiss and hold hands at the end. And as a romance writer I often enjoy figuring out how I’m going to get these…

Welcome to the Dojo Wisdom for Writers Book Club! Every Wednesday, we meet to discuss one of the lessons in Dojo Wisdom for Writers. We’ll go in order, so it’s easy enough to follow along. Read the lesson, then read the blog post, then comment in the comments! Do feel free to comment on each…