Authors, Kai Strand & LA Dragoni

Many beginner writers fall into the habit of what I like to refer to as “robot writing.” It’s when you basically write your scenes like a grocery list. Ex: Marcy stood and walked across the room. Then she picked up the candle stick to inspect it. She blinked when she noticed the spot of dried blood. Marcy dropped the candlestick and ran from the room. I call it robot writing because when I'm reading it I tend to fall into a robotic pattern and start to sound like the robot from the old Lost In Space series. "Danger. Danger. Will Robinson." You may as well put numbers in front of each sentence: First Marcy stood and walked across the room. Second she picked up the candlestick to inspect it. Third she blinked when she noticed the spot of dried blood. Fourth she dropped the candlestick and ran from the room. Don’t get me wrong, robot writing is absolutely acceptable in your first draft, no matter your writing experience. Your first p...

I haven’t made the time to write recently. I’ve been on two long car trips down to California in the past month and when I am home, my mind feels like mush. The urge prickles within me though. Not enough for me to be able to collect my thoughts and concentrate, but the mind itch is a good sign. My Trickster character, Luke, occupies a lot of my thoughts. The first book, which is in edit mode, and the second book, which is in first draft mode. There will be political stuff in the second book that I’m not good with, so I really need to brainstorm with my husband on what I imagine is happening in my Trickster’s life and how hubs thinks that would play out in the convoluted world of politics. Hubs seemed surprised when I asked him to help me, which cracked me up. “You think I know about politics?” asks the man who explains the evening news to me every night. I’m determined to figure out how to add writing and exercising into my days now that the sun is up past 8:30 ...

You must live life in order to write about it. You have to leave the house, interact with people, develop relationships, experience euphoria and sorrow. The best way for a writer to bring a character to life is to infuse aspects of reality; sights, sounds, smells—into the world the character lives in. But dang it, I don’t want to! I’m jonesing to write full time these days. At least full timer than I am now. Maybe it’s because the end of the school year is in sight and I have short timer’s disease, but not being able to just sit and write for hours on end physically hurts right now. I added 10k words to my WIP—working title, Fugue Identity—over spring break and it felt really good. It wasn’t as much as I’d hoped for, because I actually took some time to enjoy the break as well (plus I have another job, so…) but it really, really felt wonderful to be able to 1) write for long stretches 2) set my own schedule 3) write in public places. Oh well, it is life ...