Category: Craft of Writing
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SIDE QUEST: So you’re the chosen one. Here’s how to procrastinate responsibly.
Welcome to Side Quest, a new series of posts I’ll share on my blog from time to time that give you a peek into the weird ‘what if’ scenarios and playful thought experiments I use to keep my imagination fired up when I’m taking a break from my latest novel.This is the very first one,…
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How to support an indie author for free – a first experience with the Kindle Scout Program
Check out this wonderful post onKindle Scout by my fellow indie author, Allie Potts!
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Vote for Joan the Made on Kindle Scout
After much writing, editing and general agonizing, I have finished the first book in my new trilogy, Joan the Made. This young adult series is set in the near-future, and follows Joan Fasces after she discovers that she cloned from of one of history’s greatest heroines—Joan of Arc. (Check out the full description of my novel…
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How Much Violence Is Too Much in YA Literature?
As a writer of YA science fiction and fantasy, I’m no stranger to writing my heroines into some violent struggles. Whether it’s emotional abuse or outright warfare, somehow these themes are embedded in the hero(ine)’s journey. But I am also sensitive to the fact the readers of my stories are not adults, like me. When…
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A Mom’s Take on Maui’s “You’re Welcome” Song from Disney’s Moana
Maybe it was because my 5-year-old decided to write a letter to Santa about all the things mom had done wrong that day. Maybe it was because my 3-year-old refused to let me brush her teeth for the umpteenth time until I showed her pictures of rotten teeth on the Internet. Or maybe it’s just that…
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2017 YA Fantasy Trends
The crop of YA fantasy novels this year has been a true delight. It’s still February, and I’ve already ripped my way through hundreds of pages of adventure, anguish, and romance. As a reader, it’s been a blissful escape during a year that has been tumultuous for so many of us already. As a writer,…
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Looking for Villainspiration
It’s dark and dreary in my hometown of San Jose this week, and the ghost of something dark hovers at the edges of my thoughts whenever I watch the news. The combined effect might be disturbing if it were an ordinary week, but right now I’m obsessing over how to craft a worthy villain to…
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The New YA Prince Charming
Protective. Strong. Aggressive. These have been the most prized traits in many YA romantic heroes over the past decade or so. But why did protective feel like stalking? Why did strength trump kindness? Worst of all, aggressive translated to controlling. (I’m looking at you, Edward Cullen.) Fast forward to the present, and a new romantic leading man is…
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Write an Opening Chapter that Hooks Readers
This year, I have left behind the characters who populated the series that I’ve been writing for several years. I’m embarking on a voyage to a new world, with a crew who is brand new to me. It’s fun and thrilling to be writing something completely new, but starting from scratch is also much harder…
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How to Weave Believable Technology into Your YA Dystopian Novel (Part 2)
As I mentioned in my last post, Part 1 on this topic, it is with glee that I leave behind the world I’ve been writing about for years to enter a new one. It’s radically different than the one I left behind, not even set in the same time. I’m visiting the future, and am learning about…