Writing is nothing more than a guided dream.
-- Jorge Luis Borges

If you want some good advice about how to keep track of your writing expenses, check out this new entry on PBW's blog. This is something I'm going to try.

One of my readers, Wanda, sent me some great questions:

I would like to ask you how you get the idea's for your characters and story lines?

That's always hard to explain, though I suppose the easiest way to say it is that the characters and story lines just sort of come to me -- sometimes inspired by the news, by articles in magazines, or even by observing folks at the grocery store. Dreams can become the root of a tale, or a painting or piece of music. Inspiration is everywhere -- you just have to open yourself up to it, and really look at the world instead of simply passing through. Everyone is different, though; inspiration is colored by experience.

How did the idea for this new series differ from Dirk & Steele? How do you come up with the names for your characters?

The Hunter Kiss series differs in the sense that it's told from the point of view of only one character, and as such, will be a continuing series. Actually, the best way to describe it is to probably show you an excerpt (a very short one) from Wild Thing, right here:

( Read more... )

As for naming my characters, sometimes it's really easy -- the names just pop into my head, and it's totally perfect. More often than not, though, I go to naming websites for inspiration. PBW has some great links that I use.

Finally, thank you so much for all your well-wishes about yesterday's news! I really appreciate it.

The cats pulled up a loose floorboard this morning. I should have seen it coming. Little stinkers!

In other news, is anyone else having trouble accessing MySpace? Every time I sign in, I'm receiving an error sign of massive proportions.

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One of my lovely readers emailed me some good questions, which I'll go ahead and answer here:

You said when you begin a novel you become a frantic writer after an incredible first paragraph without usually having an outline…is it easier for you that way do you find….sometimes after entering the story do you wonder if perhaps it would have been better if you had made an initial outline?

Not really. I mean, I generally know what big things are going to happen in the story before I start writing it, but sometimes those change or evolve as I put the words down, and I just go with the flow. I like being surprised. That's part of the joy and fun, and it does make it easier for me to discover the story, to play by ear, than go by a strict format that I've already laid out.

When you have writers block, how do you mange around it?...do you feel very self conscious of your writing?

When I have writer's block, it's usually because something isn't working in the story. So, I go back and fiddle around with things. It can be frustrating, but I also know it's something I need to do, because once I figure out the problem, it inevitably makes the whole story better. Of course, there are also those days when I'm just too wiggly to write, so then I sit down with a good book or watch a movie, and that also gets me back on track.

Do I feel self-conscious of my writing? Not in the sense that I'm afraid to let people see it. But I think that every writer is, to some degree, self-conscious of the words they set to page. You have to be, if only because that's where your inner editor comes in, your sense of what is wrong and right within a story. Every word -- or most of them, anyway -- should count. You should be aware of what you're doing when you write.

When you received those rejection letters did you feel at times discouraged from your dream? If so how did you cope?

I never felt discouraged. Quitting never crossed my mind. I loved what I was doing too much to ever accept failure.

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Here's an interesting interview with Ru Emerson, who has written a lot of sci-fi/fantasy, as well as media tie-in novels for Xena and Beauty and the Beast (specifically Masques, which, I have to say, is a really excellent book).

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Via http://www.fundsforwriters.com

NEBRASKA RESIDENCIES
http://www.nebraskaartscouncil.org
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The AiS/C program introduces people to the arts through residencies lasting anywhere from 5 to 240 days. The artist will share his/her artistic expertise and engage students, teachers, administrators, and the community in arts activities. The artist is not considered a member of the sponsoring organization’s staff, but a professional who serves as a resource to provide enrichment to the existing curriculum or arts program. The artist will be paid directly by the residency sponsor on or before the last day of the residency. Payment is calculated on a per day fee with the addition of travel per diem, if applicable, as follows:

For all residencies: Artist Fee: $160/day
Travel/per diem: $60/day (Calculated from the artist’s home to the residency site. Out of state travel is not subsidized, nor is travel under 30 miles to the residency site.)

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ALABAMA CULTURAL ALLIANCE GRANTS
http://www.cultural-alliance.com
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Grants available to artists in Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chilton, Cullman, Etowah, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Telladega, Tuscaloosa and Walker Counties in Alabama. Deadline May 15, 2007.These grants support committed, accomplished artists by financially supporting the advancement of their careers as aprofessional artist. Typical funding is $2,500 to $5,000. 2007 arts include dance, theater, music and literary arts.

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you
have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise.
The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. ~ Sylvia Plath

Here are two of the questions answered. I'll get to the rest soon. Anymore, feel free to ask!

Has your Dirk & Steele series gotten bigger than you intended or originally thought?

Yes. Very much so. But only because I've had so much fun writing each book. That, and I feel total freedom to express any random crazy idea that crosses my mind. Edited, of course.

Bret asks: Marjorie, what comic books do you pick up on a monthly basis? My guess is anything by Whedon, but what else are you liking?

Whedon, for sure. Just because. And these others:

Y: The Last Man (plague wipes out every man on earth except for one guy and his pet monkey)
Punisher (vigilante justice at its best)
Powers (superheroes and the police who hate them, love them, and are one of them)
Superman (dude!)
Batman (triple dude!)
Superman and Batman (swoons)
Justice League of America (superman+batman+wonder woman = triple threat)

There are other titles I collect, but those have been my favorites lately. I'm sure there other equally wonderful comics that I haven't discovered yet. Suggestions?