Moons ago, someone carved me a nickname into the sand. The tide came and swept my name away. That name was "Sputnitsa," which means "fellow traveler" in Russian.
Tag Archives: writing
Early Mornings
I enjoy writing while the world’s asleep all around me. And since I’ve always been a morning person, that tends to be when I write. The early mornings. My internal clock’s gotten very happy about this, and I suppose it’s … Continue reading
New Worlds = New Bookshelf
My poor students are in the throes of midterm exams. I try not to tell them how wonderful it is when they’re done–that you can keep on learning without any threats hanging over you. You can learn solely because you … Continue reading
Finding characters
The path to finding one’s characters is not as clear-cut as I once thought. It turns out characters not only change utterly during the writing of a tale, but also (thank the heavens) once you’ve discovered them, they still grow … Continue reading
Posted in character development, plot development, rewrites, secret ingredient, voice, writing
Tagged character development, plot development, unplanned, writing
4 Comments
In the Spirit of Our Economy (she said without jinxing anyone)
I’m planning MAJOR cuts. MAJOR downsizing. I speak of my manuscript, of course. 🙂 Notice the behemoth’s at over 500 pages today? Gonna bring that monster count down, friends, Romans and neighbors! Lend me your delete buttons! Well, never mind … Continue reading
Formless but not Inchoate: Building Character
Nothing bores me more in life than filling out long forms about myself–nothing but golf, of course. So it should come as no surprise that I have approximately zero desire (give or take a head-in-wall-thumping) to do the same for … Continue reading
Posted in character development, characters, writing
Tagged character development, writing
13 Comments
Notes of Some Dweeb Off the Street
I recently moved one of my key settings to a specific place in New York. The result was more positive than I’d expected. The characters were working better, the plot was knitting itself together well. Only a few more mere … Continue reading
Chasing Down My Setting
I have reached that point where I accept that I have somehow taken the exit ramp from the highway of hip, from the tracks of technological savviness. Nowadays if I can’t do something, I no longer assume that it can’t … Continue reading
Posted in ancient Greeks, architecture, computer problems, fiction, history, setting, sightseeing, writing
Tagged history, research, setting, writing
6 Comments
Today I was mildly irritated by a fly
Now, I have no problem in general with flies. How could one. But this fly is being ridiculous. For he is flying in an erratic circle in the middle of my living room, with no evident purpose whatsoever. Don’t get … Continue reading
Know Thine Enemy (On Writing)
Every morning, bleary or bright, I gaze down on my beloved streets of New York and assess the people below me. How huddled are they against the weather, how languidly do they swing their arms—in other words, what shall I … Continue reading
Shhhh! A secret…
So this is how my dear friend J began our conversation the other day. “Okay, now my mom told me not to tell you, but–” Egad! That is a scary start. I sat ramrod stiff and waiting for the scoop. … Continue reading
Posted in challenges, discipline, endless first drafts, fiction, finding your own way, first drafts, interminable first drafts, Kazbegi, Mount Kazbegi, Mount Kazbek, never ending story, plan b, work, writing, writing update
Tagged challenges, deadline!, fiction, first drafts, goals, work, writing
12 Comments
Notes of a Scribbler 