Christy English's Blog, page 48
September 30, 2011
Companion in the Cave: Daughters of Witching Hill
I have been writing a great deal about the first draft and living in the Cave. But like all writers, I do not go into the Cave alone. I have my characters with me of course, and we are always working on the novel of the moment. But I also bring other voices with me [...]
September 28, 2011
Building the Bridge
Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression. The chasm is never completely bridged. We all have the conviction, perhaps illusory, that we have much more to say than appears on the paper. ~ Isaac Bashevis Singer As a writer, I can definitely vouch for the second part of [...]
September 26, 2011
Helen Hollick's Sea Witch Give Away
I am excited to announce that I have a copy of Helen Hollick's Sea Witch to give away here on my site this week. Just make a comment below and you will be entered into a drawing that will take place one week from today. Open to the US, Canada, and the UK. Happy reading!
September 23, 2011
Our Characters: The Path into the Void
Where would we be without our characters? I for one would be nowhere. While I have a lively imagination, I tend to live a quiet life. I have fought in no wars. I have run from no crazed killers (thank goodness). I have never worked in law enforcement. If I were to turn to my [...]
September 21, 2011
The Leap into the Void
The blank page that lies before us every time we sit down to write is the void. Unformed and unknown, it is a brave new world where we hope to find our characters, our plots, and our ideas waiting for us. Of course, when we write historical fiction, we've got a map. The facts as [...]
September 19, 2011
Imagination, Trust and the Empty Page
As writers sit and contemplate the empty page, we rely on our imaginations to help us fill it. I know this is obvious, but it is so obvious that I rarely think about it anymore. When I was a child, my imagination was as strong as anything else in my life. Sometimes the friends who [...]
September 16, 2011
Discipline and the First Draft
It occurs to me that as I have mused over the pitfalls and joys of first drafts this week that I have not taken into account the thing that actually brings a first draft to completion: discipline. Discipline is not a sexy word. It is not an exciting concept. It isn't romantic or swashbuckling or [...]
September 14, 2011
Self Doubt and the First Draft
The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. ~Sylvia Plath I love this quote. I think it applies to every aspect of the work: the first time I get an idea, while I'm writing, while I'm trying to sell what I write. Self-doubt is one of the roads that can lead me away from the work [...]
September 12, 2011
The Temptation to Edit
As I sit alone in the Cave, banging away at my first draft, I find myself tempted to edit as I go. This temptation, I know from past novels, is a siren song. The urge to edit what I have already written calls to me, but that urge only leads to wreckage on a rocky [...]
September 9, 2011
Blackwater Falls
My week looking back on the beauty and serenity of West Virginia ends today with this one minute video of Blackwater Falls. This doesn't quite capture it but gives a jumping off point to help you imagine the peace and tranquility of this lovely place.
