Category Archives: For Writers

As both a scientist and a toolmaker for creative media people, I spend a lot of time thinking about how fiction works, how we writers do what we do, and how I might be able to help myself (and others) get better at it. This is the section of my web site where I post articles about the business, craft, and tools of writing. I don’t promise that what I have to say will work for everybody else—or even anybody else—but it should always be interesting.

One important lesson that shooting pool teaches us about writing novels.

June 13, 2014 - For Writers, Structure, Technique - Tagged: , , , , , , - 5 comments

After writing several books now, and being deep into the snake pit with the next one, I’m coming to see that (for me, anyway) writing a novel is a lot…

Read Post →

Book Cover As Writing Tool

January 13, 2014 - For Writers, Technique - Tagged: , , , - 3 comments

I talk to many authors – both online and IRL – and I am always surprised by the number of them who tell me they don’t come up with a…

Read Post →

Character Cards in Scrivener

January 1, 2014 - For Writers, Graphic Design, Technique, Tools - Tagged: , , - 13 comments

Not a Scrivener user? No problem. Check out the last paragraph of this article for an easy way to use these cards in your favorite editing system. Like most Scrivener users,…

Read Post →

Titles in Fantasy: Weighing What Works and What Doesn’t

November 25, 2013 - For Writers, Metrics, Theory - Tagged: , - 4 comments

It really is the seed of your entire marketing plan, arguably, even more important than the cover art, but many of the authors I talk to cower in fear before…

Read Post →

The Arcane Art of Notes To Self

October 29, 2013 - For Writers, Technique, Theory, Tools - Tagged: , , - 1 comment

We all do it, no matter what tool we use. At some point, every writer I’ve ever talked to has developed a technique for embedding editorial notes to self into the…

Read Post →