R.L. LaFevers's Blog, page 27

Some Thoughts on the Future of Publishing and Books

We talked about this at an event I attended last weekend, and I thought I would share my thoughts on it here...

There has been a lot of chatter lately about the changing face of books as well as how books in general will fare against the new media. And while I'm all for better living through technology (Roomba, anyone?) I can't help but be somewhat cautious. Not because I am a Luddite or a technophobe or even just set in my ways. No, what concerns me is the issue of access.

Books are, and have ...

Pick A Color, Any Color

A couple of months ago someone had asked in the comments to explain how I use color pens. Since I was taking a bunch of pictures for my upcoming school visit presentations, I snapped a few of my color pen graphs.

My primary use of colored pens is to help keep clear different characters or plot line.

This picture is a chart I made for Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus. I divided it up into days, then made a tiny list of what was happening with each character or plot thread on each of those days.


Al...

Monday Randomness

I so appreciated Dave's reminder in the comments that I really don't have to blog every day. The thing is, I really enjoy blogging and miss it when I can't fit it in. Plus, I have an over-developed sense of guilt and responsibility which kicks in when I miss a day.

However, in the interest of maintaining some semblance of sanity, I am going to cut back on blogging for the rest of the month. I leave Saturday for my big Texas school visit, and between getting ready for that, then of course actua...

Scooting In Under The Wire

Sorry I didn't get anything posted today. I'm working like a madwoman trying to get ready for my two week long visit to Katy, Texas, where I will be visiting twenty schools in ten days. :-) Yeah. Making packing lists, fine tuning the presentation, practicing, and trying to tie up any household loose ends that might crop up while I'm gone.

I suppose this is a good time to remind anyone in the Houston area that I will be at Barnes and Noble in The Woodlands on October 18 at 2:00.

Also, for those ...

Story Eggs

Someone asked me to explain what cracking the story egg means.

For me, each story feels as if it already exists and my job is to discover it and then unearth it, not unlike an archaeologist. But I have also found that each story has its own key for being discovered. For some it might be an particular insight to the main character that cracks the whole thing wide open so that you suddenly see the story. Sometimes it's tied to the antagonist—that is who is key to understanding the story and "cra...

Great Book Alert: Monster Blood Tatto by D. M. Cornish

I'm reading D. M. Cornish's FOUNDLING: Monster Blood Tattoo 2. If you haven't read the first book, I highly recommend it as terrific, original fantasy akin to another one of my favorites, SABRIEL, in terms of uniqueness and just how much I loved it. (Hm. Both are Australian authors . . .)

The second book is equally good. One of the things this book did for me as a writer is remind me how much I adore detailed world building, how passionately I respond to that as a reader, which in turn reminde...

A Couple More Thoughts On Setting

I often think of working on a book's setting as being similar to an artist prepping a canvas; laying down the foundation that will support and enhance all the future layers to come. Some canvases are prepped with layers and layers of white, trying to create as clean and blemish free foundation as possible. Other canvases are prepped with layers of gesso, building upon each other to create texture and depth that will in turn contribute significantly to the finished texture of the painting.

Sett...

Painting Oneself Into a Corner

Sometimes, as writers, we paint ourselves into a bit of a corner. I found myself in that position while jotting down notes for Theo Four. As I began my research for the setting—Old Cairo and Luxor—I felt a lot like a bored tourist as I tried to wrap my mind around the layout of the cities (in 1907, no less) and the various societal elements at play. I was uninspired. Nothing was getting my blood running, and I really need that to happen. If it feels boring and flat for me, it most certainly w...

When The Muse Won't Come Out To Play

One of the things I miss most about being an unpublished writer is that I could pretty much dance when my muse said to, and sit on the sidelines when she remained silent. I know there are many, many people out there who disdain that, but my muse is pretty active so it was rare for me to not write for more than a couple of days, and I always found that this little mini-break from the story served me well by giving my subconscious time to figure stuff out. In fact, this works so well for me tha...

Some Thoughts On Writing - From a Picture Book Editor

I was going through some old notebooks yesterday (whenever I finish up a project I go on a massive de-cluttering frenzy) and I stumbled across these notes from an SCBWI Writer's Day I attended a couple of years ago. And while I don't write picture books, I was struck by the wonderful advice this picture book editor, Mary Lee Donovan of Candlewick, had to give. Not to menion that Candlewick is a publisher I've always admired.

Ms. Donovan gave the attendees a checklist of things they should look...