Category Archives: Thoughts about Writing

The Conference, Day Two; Open Mike

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Marion

This will be a strange post in many ways, because I didn’t ask people about using their photos or their names. This means that most photos won’t be identified and several of my friends are not included here because I … Continue reading →

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The Conference, Day Two: The Art of Making it Worse

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Marion

The photos I’ve used have nothing to do with the text. I just like them. One of our workshop members had a point in her story where the main character sees a person on a bridge, getting ready to jump. … Continue reading →

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The Conference, Day One; Mapping the Interior

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Marion

I attended  Lisa Locascio’s afternoon presentation, “Mapping the Interior; Portraying the Internal Landscape in Prose,” on Thursday. First, a confession: while I often stay for the faculty readings, I rarely attend the afternoon sessions. I always have good intentions about … Continue reading →

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The Conference, Day One: What Does the Character Want?

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Marion

The best writing workshops give me a model against which I can compare my work. David Corbett’s master class, Character is the Engine of Story, gave me that model and took me back to those basics I tend to forget. … Continue reading →

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The Hugos, Chapter Seven: Let’s Put on a Show!

Posted on August 2, 2015 by Marion

In the old days there used to be this convention for movie musicals. A group of plucky, talented kids would be down in the dumps after they were rejected or something. They would discover that among their group they had … Continue reading →

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And Now For Something Completely Different; the 2015 Nebulas

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Marion

The Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) awarded the Nebulas Saturday night, in Chicago.  Here are the writing winners: Best Novel: Annihilation, Book One of Jeff VanderMeer’s creepy, deliciously paranoiac Southern Reach trilogy. Here is a review. Best Novella: “Yesterday’s … Continue reading →

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$3.4 Million Deal for Science Fiction Writer

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Marion

Here’s the link to the article about John Scalzi’s deal with Tor. Yaay, him. Scalzi linked to it on his blog and followed up with a “Q&A” style column about the details. (13 books, 3 of which will be YA). … Continue reading →

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The Hugos, 2015: Chapter Four, What Were They Thinking?

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Marion

To my mind, nowhere is the problem of the bloc-voting and the slate concept better demonstrated than in the Novella Category. Here is the short-list: Flow by Arlen Andrews Sr. (Analog) Big Boys Don’t Cry by Tom Kratman (Castalia House … Continue reading →

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The Hugos, 2015, Chapter Three: Lost Treasures of the Battle

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Marion

Annie Bellet is one of the writers nominated for a Hugo in 2015. Her story “Goodnight Stars” was nominated on the group slate. Ms Bellet managed to be on the Sad Puppies Slate and also on the Rapid Puppies (the … Continue reading →

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The Hugos, 2015, Chapter Two: The Slate Mailer Saga

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Marion

I live in California, where individuals and interest groups can create laws through a “direct democracy” process. They can get an initiative on the ballot and it’s voted on by the people. This means that, come election time, I am … Continue reading →

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