I just replaced my ancient laptop last week, so when this question from tom_gallier came in yesterday, it seemed too serendipitous not to use immediately.

I just bought a new laptop. Since it is now my best computer, I've decided to try writing on it instead of the desktop and just use the desktop for the internet (and thus protecting my writing computer ( Read more... )

It's almost spring, which means it's almost convention season (i.e., any time but winter in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere). Many of us, readers and writers alike, are deciding where to spend our time and money between now and the end of the year.

jeanne_stein gave me this week's Topic, from her previous post on NY Comic Con.

I am a book reader...I adore ( Read more... )

In January and February, stacia_kane had a wonderful series of posts here at FFF about the three-act structure. During the first post (concerning, not surprisingly, Act One), a related discussion broke out in the comments over our feelings/preferences regarding outlines. I made kind of a long-winded comment about something I'd noticed:

( Edited version of Jeri's ruminations. )

I said there'd probably be no Topic of the Week this week due to holiday laziness.  But I just posted a review of my 2008 goals to my personal LJ and thought it would make a fun topic for this last week of the year ( Read more... )

Happy Monday, folks! (Or is that an oxymoron?)

This week's Topic comes to us from satyrblade:

How about suggestions for when your Muse is being elusive, picky and obnoxious? (Mine is being all three of those right now, and my usual tricks aren't working...)

(This of course leads into a side discussion: do you believe in the concept of the Muse at ( Read more... )

I decided to post the Topic of the Week today instead of yesterday, so as to give yesterday's flood of news items some breathing room. There's still a lot of week left, after all. *gazes longingly at time horizon, searching for Friday*

dawn_metcalf sent us this Topic:

Since YA books focus on the lives of teenagers, how do we tackle the issue of "school life" ( Read more... )

This week's Topic is another interesting question fromjtucktattoo :

How about the "look" of your character? What do you think of to come up with your character's appearence, especially if they do not look like a normal human?

This is a great "process" question, and I would add: At what point in the conception of your characters do their appearances solidify in ( Read more... )

Ah, here's a fun, soul-searching Topic, courtesy of roxxxadelic :

I'm a beginning writer, and, well, I'd love to hear some thoughts about mistakes beginning writers make, and how the more experienced avoid them. I suspect even experienced writers make mistakes, so those would be good as well.

What do you know now that you wish you'd known then (whether "then ( Read more... )

Since tomorrow is Veterans/Remembrance/Armistice Day, this topic seemed appropriate (or maybe horribly inappropriate--you decide):

jtucktattoo asks:

How do you go about picking weaponry/fighting styles for your characters? Do you choose things simply for their inherent "cool" factor, or do other things weigh in?

Great question, and one that points to an aspect ( Read more... )

mikaela_l asked a question that hits home this week, as I'm in the final, niggling, examine-every-sentence-frontward-and-backward polish stage on my latest WIP.

How do you know when you are editing too harshly?

Um...when the deadline is in forty minutes, and you're agonizing over comma placement?

No, seriously. What do you all think?  Surely there is a ( Read more... )