Running solves most of my problems. Bad day at work? Fight with the family? Mad at the world in general? After half a dozen sweaty miles, I reach a place where I’m better equipped to deal. It’s especially helpful for working through story issues. My feet go on autopilot, carrying me not through neighborhoods and … More The Accidental Mirror: What Flawed Characters Reveal About Ourselves
Even when writers describe and develop female characters well, they still must navigate a minefield of stale and unhealthy cliches. Tumbling into one of these pernicious pits can ruin a great heroine, and sometimes the entire story along with her. In this final post of my series on writing female characters, I’ll identify three common … More The Beautiful Scientist Problem, Pt III: Three Traps to Avoid When Writing Female Characters
In the first post in this series, we discussed subjectivity and objectification when describing female characters. But “beautiful” isn’t the only contentious adjective frequently applied to them. Lots of readers claim to love “strong” heroines; what does this actually mean? As a kid in the 90s, I caught the leading edge of the “more strong heroines!” … More The Beautiful Scientist Problem, Pt II: Three Tips for Writing “Strong” Female Characters
Indie authorship seems to have exacerbated my penchant for masochism: I can’t help looking at the bestseller lists, even though it only leaves me sad that my books aren’t on them! Browsing the top titles a few weeks ago, the blurb for Dan Brown’s latest novel Origin caught my eye. After reconnecting with one of … More The Beautiful Scientist Problem, Pt I: Three Tips for Describing Female Characters
“What are you doing?” my Laddie pants, pulling up beside me as I pause my Garmin. “Book shopping.” Drawing the cold March morning into my aerobically scorched lungs, I approach the glass-fronted hutch beside the trail. A Little Free Library appeared in our neighborhood last year, and I’ve been a devoted trader. “Ooh, look! You … More Racing Andy Weir: On Running, Writing, and Being Realistic
“When people say, Did you always want to be a writer?, I have to say no! I always was a writer.” That quip from the legendary Ursula K. Le Guin headlines my “About Me” page on this site. And perhaps it’s even true—I’ve certainly put my share of words on paper. But without Le Guin, … More The Journey: A Tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin
Wild Type 