I got into Pinterest in a big way last year, Gentle Reader, and yes I am aware of all the annoying things that keep people off Pinterest ~ the closed and proprietary nature of the venue, the lack of organization and ability to cross pollinate, to name only a few. You know why I’m aware? Because those […]
Feb222017
Visual Inspiration for Authors: Pinterest Character Boards & Connecting with Readers from Gail Carriger
Jan162017
It Means Something Different in Romance
Terminology for Romance Readers & Authors Delving into not just the writing but also the production end of the romance equation has been extremely enlightening, especially given my particular background (both personal and professional). Conversational lingo in the Bay Area on the subject of such things, let us just say, is a whole lot different from […]
Jan92017
On Plot Versus Pace: Or Figuring Out Why That Book Sucks
Pace is an interesting concept for readers to grasp but it’s something authors talk about all the time. It’s not the physical movement of characters through space and time within the story, nor is it the overarching journey those characters are on (be it emotional or physical or both). That’s plot. 1. So what do you […]
Dec92016
Using WordPress Plugin Redirection For Evergreen Universal Links
This is one of those I searched the web and couldn’t find the answer. Then figured out how to do it, and feel like I must pay it forward to save other authors the pain and agony of trying to figure it out. It may not apply to you, Gentle Reader, for which I appologize. This […]
Nov212016
NaNoWriMo Links & Quotes Tip Sheet
NaNoWriMo is upon us, Gentle Reader. And lest you think of giving up remember Oscar’s wise words: “Books are never finished, they are merely abandoned.” ~ Oscar Wilde Or if you want something a little more harsh: “Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.” ~ T. S. Eliot So for NaNo I thought […]
Nov162016
On Learning to Let Go of the 10% AKA They Hate My Book but They’re WRONG
So, fooling around on Pinterest recently I came across this image, Gentle Reader: It’s cute right? Except it’s also WRONG. Archaeology Kitten would say: straighten up that scarp. Walls, on a dig, are features of the site. (That is: they’re something immovable from the origin culture that archaeologists are excavating and will leave in situ. Artifacts […]
Nov112016
NaNoWriMo Q&A With Gail Carriger
This post spawned off of a forum discussion, Gentle Reader. During NaNoWriMo I usually get an influx of questions on places like Goodreads regarding the craft of writing. So I puttered about and pulled together some interview questions that I felt might help the baby-booking NaNoWriMo-er. How do you break down your book into chapters? My chapters are […]
Oct242016
Comedy Author Looks at Humor on the Internet
Analyzing humor on the Internet is one of my favorite pastimes. I know, the moment you start to look at why something is funny, it ceases to be funny. But that is my lot in life now. Every time I laugh, I then think: Ooo, why did I just laugh? Writing humor kinda ruins humor, but […]
Oct102016
What About You? Gail Carriger’s Fans: Fun With Survey Results
So about a month ago I ran a survey. I thought you might like to know some of the results. I didn’t mean to be trixy, though I was. I was trying to get at some specific information, and meanwhile learned some other good stuff too. So my survey included round-about questions, warm up questions, and […]
Sep192016
Author Writing Modes from Gail Carriger: Work, Fugue & Trance
So, Gentle Reader, I tend to think in terms of 3 different types of writing modes. I haven’t talked much with other authors and I’m sure everyone is different, but I thought perhaps you’d like a glimpse into my divisions of author ability, as it were. 1. Work Writing Both the hardest and most common, this is […]
Sep122016
10 Things About Publishing This Author Wishes Everyone Knew (Traditional, Hybrid, or Self Published)
90% of the questions I get asked stem from preconceived notions about the publishing industry. I had them too, before I became immersed. So without further ado, here are some things I really wish EVERYONE knew about publishing. 1. Most authors have day jobs. Even if the author is a full timer, most of their […]
Aug262016
Full Time Author Gail Carriger’s Morning Routine
Hello Gentle Reader, I often get questions about what my day is like as a full time author. So here, for your mild amusement, is my morning routine. Wake up, stumble out of bed, greet the cat, make tea. Put tea to cool, great AB, stumble to computer. Open my desktop, review or write the […]