Lilith Saintcrow's Blog, page 237

Soothing The Savage Writer

Cross-posted from The Deadline Dames, where you can go and find tons of other writing advice. And fun. And cake. Well, maybe not cake.

No, I’m not having a Cassie Edwards fest over here. I actually had two big blog posts in mind for this week–one about epublishing and another about music. The epub post is going to have to simmer a bit more before it’s ready, so you get the music post. I know, que lastima, right?

What makes this vaguely funny and synchronous is that I just clicked through to Wil Wh

Telling The Truth Is Dangerous

But it’s worth telling. And what makes it worth it, sometimes, is when someone else contacts you out of the blue–about something you’d kind of forgotten you’d written–and tells you that they had the same experience and they understand, and that your words have helped them in some way.

This is why it’s so important not to bullshit on the page. You never know where your words are going to land.

It took a long time before I was willing to simply state things I’d kept secret for years. When one grows

Heel Slices And Smart Bitches

I have always liked the heel slices of loaves. They are sturdier, and when you toast them, they hold more cream cheese, peanut butter, or butter and strawberry jam, and are much more satisfying.

But enough of that. Smart Bitches’ Sarah is guest blogging at Deadline Dames today. What can I say? We Dames rock. Sarah and Candy’s Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches Guide To Romance Novels is coming out in April, and I want a copy like whoa. I will probably even whine until Candy consents to sign it, an

Staring Blankly

I am staring blankly at the walls this morning, so we have a Post Made Of Random. Five things about this morning, etc. You get the picture. I have a Big Music Post and a Big Post About EPublishing simmering in my head. But not today.

* I love Archie McPhee. I used to work in Ballard near the store, and ZOMG it was fun to go down there and play. If I could, I would furnish my whole house with Ikea for the big stuff and Archie McPhee for everything else. I mean, they even have squirrel underpants.

Galley PWNED

Galley pwned. 219 pages checked. Kids fed and house still standing.

I think I deserve more chocolate.

In Love With Logos

Happy President’s Day, and good morning. The kids get a day off school, which means we’re going to be busy. I have a galley to proof-sixty out of over 200 pages, more to be done.

I just hope the Midol kicks in soon. I hurt all over. There’s also another metric tonne of laundry to be folded and put away, which I don’t want to do until I get the galley done. (When even laundry is becoming a procrastination tool, you can tell I’m feeling overwhelmed and need to set nice small landmark goals.)

So, thi

Wordcount, Or, Exactly How Arbitrary IS That Goal?

Cross-posted to Deadline Dames. Go on over and read more writing advice there!

A writer’s life is made up of largely arbitrary goals. As in, I will submit ___ stories, to ___ presses, and I will give myself ___ months to finish that novel. The goals that come from outside–the publisher’s deadline, or the revisions deadline, and so on so forth, might as well be arbitrary, but you the writer ARE consulted about them and expected to speak up about your needs so you can turn in a quality product.

Sett

Luck Be A Lady

So the very minute I start worrying about getting close (like, six to eight months away from) to finishing contracted work, the sky opens up and bombards me with new opportunities. Chance favors the prepared, of course, but I can’t help but feel gratified. That’s a few new short stories and more, longer stuff coming down the pike. Nice to keep my hand in with shorts.

Heh.

Actually, short stories are far more difficult for me than novels. Novel-length stuff takes longer concentration and daily slog