Archives
Due to
boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much for awhile. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
I just want to make it clear that I'm only letting Diana be a guest here because she has threatened me with a fate worse than death. Mind you, she's already mentioned uni**rns like ten times. Surely that's a fate worse than death? My blog has been ...
Posted by Justine at 17:39, March 8th, 2010 under Guest post, Ideas, Writing process |
Due to boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much in February. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
Today's guest blogger, Doselle Young, is not only one of my favourite people on the planet, he's also every bit as opinionated as me. (Though frequently wrong, like his love of Madmen and Henry Miller. Ewww.) I enjoy Do holding forth on any subject at all. He's also ...
Posted by Justine at 19:36, February 10th, 2010 under Bloggery, Cons & Other Gatherings, Frippery, Guest post, Ideas, Liar, Reading, Sport, State of the World, Words & Language, Writing life, Zombies v Unicorns |
Due to boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much in February. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
Today's guest, Robin Wasserman, is one of my fave YA writers. She mentions her brilliant recent trilogy below, but she's written many other novels besides. If you have not read any of them, I insist you go forth and do so now. Well, not, now now, after you've ...
Posted by Justine at 19:25, February 9th, 2010 under Guest post, Ideas, Writing life, Writing process |
I'm always very flattered when someone wants to do an interview with me. I jump with joy. People are interested in what I think! They want me to blather on! I am a woman of many opinions so being offered the chance to opinionate in multiple places is most pleasing. Thank you everyone who's ever asked. I truly appreciate it.
However, many of the questions I get could be asked of any writer. Sometimes they could be asked of any person. It's a bit lowering to suspect that the interviewer doesn't really care about my particular pearls of wisdom---they want any old writer's wisdom.
Let me make it clear that I don't mind being asked generic, could-be-answered-by-anyone-with-a-pulse questions if the interviewer ...
Posted by Justine at 3:05, January 11th, 2010 under Bloggery, Ideas, Writing life |
Today (yesterday) I had my last school events of the Liar tour at Joliet West High School and Glenbard South High School in the outer suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. The students at both schools were amazing and asked many smart, engaged, funny questions. It was a total pleasure to meet you all. Thank you.
In other news
Cristina Hernadez posted her midterm project for her painting class on her blog and I was so impressed I asked if I could share it with you here. Remember, Cristina? She's the one who photoshopped a very
disturbing version of Maureen Johnson's Suite Scarlett.
Here's her midterm painting:
Wow, huh? Cristina also had to write an essay about the painting and I ...
Posted by Justine at 3:10, November 5th, 2009 under Book tour, Ideas, Liar, Love is Hell, Praising, Writing process |
When I first got the idea for Liar I thought it would be a comedy. I thought it would be a goofy, screwball comedy with a protag who was lying about herself out of boredom and insecurity and that as the layers of her lies were peeled away chapter by chapter---"Actually, I'm fourteen, not seventeen, but that's only three years diff. Not that big of a lie, right?"---through a series of misunderstandings and misadventures she would learn to like herself and lose the need to lie so much. It would be heartwarming, they'd all hug it out, and everyone would learn and grow. You know only funny. Really funny.
The finished Liar turned out somewhat differently. Less with the funny.
This happens ...
Posted by Justine at 12:01, October 30th, 2009 under Ideas, Liar, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 14:45, June 14th, 2009 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, Ideas, Liar, Vainglory, Writing life, Writing process |
There are a number of requests that touch on the same theme of getting stuck:
Jonathan says:
I’d be very interested in the pushing a dead plot post, since that’s where my novel is at.
On the other hand, I sort of know the answer already---stop reading blogs, sit down, and write.
Sylvia_rachel says:
I second the request for a pushing-through-a-dead-plot post (or perhaps a figuring-out-who-the-villain-is post). My writing projects tend to start with a strongly felt character/voice or scene, and then I have to go looking for a plot — sometimes easily found, sometimes … not.
Quiz question: Lois McMaster Bujold has said that the way she finds plots for character-driven novels is (I’m paraphrasing) to figure out what’s the worst thing she ...
Posted by Justine at 19:57, January 5th, 2009 under Ideas, Magic or Madness trilogy, Scott's books, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 1:01, January 3rd, 2009 under Ideas, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 13th, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Ideas, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 8:13, May 8th, 2008 under Ideas, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 12:56, May 6th, 2008 under Bloggery, Ideas, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 13:19, January 28th, 2008 under Ideas, Praising, Publishing business, Ranting, Zombies |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, January 15th, 2008 under Frippery, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Ideas, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 21:31, October 23rd, 2007 under Ideas, Science |
Posted by Justine at 10:49, May 9th, 2007 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, Ideas |
Posted by Justine at 10:26, February 1st, 2007 under Bloggery, Ideas, Magic or Madness trilogy |
Posted by Justine at 11:02, February 20th, 2006 under Bloggery, Ideas, Magic or Madness trilogy, New York City/USA, Praising, Publishing business, Ranting, Reading, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
