Jennifer R. Hubbard's Blog, page 144

An unusual take on conflict

Some time ago, I read a book called Guru, by Jeff Griggs.  In the process of learning improv (that sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn't it?), Griggs encountered Del Close, an improv guru associated with Second City, and he ended up writing this book about the experience.  Close was nearing the end of his life, but despite severe health problems, he still had enough snap and crackle to make a deserving subject for Guru.  There are some hilarious scenes built around the Odd-Couple-like re

Characters who have lost

susanwrites was transferring a bunch of writing prompts to LiveJournal, where I read her blog.  One of the prompts caught my eye: "Write about something you've lost."

It's a great prompt.  Not that I need a writing prompt right now, given that I have projects underway and other project ideas knocking around in my head.  But it made me realize that the main character in The Secret Year has lost something, in a big way.  And the main character in my WIP #1 has lost something important too.  Also th

An interview, plus donuts!

First, I want to point you to this interview of Cynthea Liu by Tabitha Olson. One person whose work I admire interviewing another person whose work I admire; how can you go wrong? For example, this is what Cynthea says about marketing: " ... what I do is not about selling books. It's about celebrating my books. Getting them in the hands of the kids they were meant for. Now that's something everyone can be excited about!" There's a philosophy to embrace.

I've also been meaning to mention this bo

My New York Adventure

Yesterday, I went to New York City for a family event. Since we were going to have a few extra hours in the city, my husband asked me how I wanted to spend them. It will not surprise my fellow book geeks that I picked The Strand bookstore, whose tagline is "18 miles of books."

Yes, it is big.
Very big.
With lotsa selection.
And teeming with people.

When my head stopped spinning, I explored the shelves. [Came home with 2 books: VIOLET ON THE RUNWAY (which I'm hoping will be fun to compare and contra

Debs monthly giveaway

Have you seen this?

I'm still catching up after my vacation, so I decided to do a newsy post and share with you some brilliance from around the blogosphere (and an item or two about me, perhaps).

kellyrfineman is hosting "August at the Abbey," in which she discusses a chapter of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey each day. As usual, she mixes fascinating behind-the-scenes details (from her own research on Austen) with thoughtful book analysis. Join the discussion!

elissacruz posted a discussion of blogging, promotion,

Subplots

I spent the earlier part of my writing career producing short stories.  Consequently, I didn't have to deal with subplots.  A short story may have  (and should have, if you ask me) layers, backstory, rounded characters, and the potential for multiple interpretations.  A short story may be complex; it may contain plot twists.  But there usually just isn't room for entire subplots.  A novel, on the other hand, generally does need subplots, no matter how compelling the main storyline is.

Subplots re

Easy or difficult?

I've written stories that flowed from my fingertips and only needed minor tweaking.  (This happens rarely, btw.)
I've written stories that changed about 95% from first draft to last.
I've had endings change 180 degrees.
I've put aside stories in frustration, only to come back to them years later and find "the solution."
I've searched in vain for beginnings.
I've given up on some stories, decided they were hopeless, and later revised and sold them.

Which is a better story--the one that pours out in a f

E-books and Lipstick Apology

Today, I have blog posts up in two other places. It's the 10th of the month, so it's my regular slot over at AuthorsNow!, where I discuss e-books. At least, I raise a lot of questions about them! There's no doubt in my mind that they will loom ever larger in the future, but exactly how? To discuss these questions, see my e-book post.

I also interviewed Jennifer Jabaley, author of the 2009 debut novel LIPSTICK APOLOGY, at the 10_ers  blog. I'm linking to it here as part of my "Books of 2009"

Reentry

I have returned to the internet.

Although I haven't been using the computer, I have been writing.  I took along my trusty notebook and pen, and managed to get a bunch of new pages on my current WIP in longhand.  Most of the time, I was without TV as well.  My husband and I had nothing more to do than decide where we were hiking next and when we were eating next.  Living at that pace made writing longhand fit right in.

I came home to big piles of dirty laundry, a tall stack of mail, and a to-do lis