Story Process

A humorous genie grants your wish for the 'perfect' first and middle baby names for your baby boy or baby girl. Its a baby name generator with a personality.

A humorous genie grants your wish for the 'perfect' first and middle baby names for your baby boy or baby girl. Its a baby name generator with a personality.

A humorous genie grants your wish for the 'perfect' first and middle baby names for your baby boy or baby girl. Its a baby name generator with a personality.

Plot your novel in five easy steps. E-book course plus follow-up.

Plot your novel in five easy steps. E-book course plus follow-up.

Plot your novel in five easy steps. E-book course plus follow-up.

Plot your novel in five easy steps. E-book course plus follow-up.

Plot your novel in five easy steps. E-book course plus follow-up.

Plot your novel in five easy steps. E-book course plus follow-up.

A lot of fiction by beginning writers, and unfortunately a significant amount of fiction by published writers, is plagued by paper people – characters who never really come to life on the page. The published writers who still get away with this do so because they’ve learned to tell a story so compelling that editors will buy from them anyway. Beginners really don’t have that luxury, and paper people will kill a sale as fast as anything. Paper people fall into categories – and that is much of their problem. You have Evil Villains, Oppressed Virginal Heroines, Naïve-But-Stalwart Heroes, and Smart-Ass Sidekicks, among other common types. (Depending on genre, you’ll meet Hookers-With-Hearts-of-Gold, Strong-But-Silent Sheriffs, Nubile-Young-Secretaries-Who-Always-Think-They’re-Too-Thin, Brilliant-But-Distracted Scientists, Ever-Dedicated Cops, and the inescapable Fearless Soldiers.) You recognize them as I list them, and can probably name as many novels where they feature prominently as I can.

A lot of fiction by beginning writers, and unfortunately a significant amount of fiction by published writers, is plagued by paper people – characters who never really come to life on the page. The published writers who still get away with this do so because they’ve learned to tell a story so compelling that editors will buy from them anyway. Beginners really don’t have that luxury, and paper people will kill a sale as fast as anything. Paper people fall into categories – and that is much of their problem. You have Evil Villains, Oppressed Virginal Heroines, Naïve-But-Stalwart Heroes, and Smart-Ass Sidekicks, among other common types. (Depending on genre, you’ll meet Hookers-With-Hearts-of-Gold, Strong-But-Silent Sheriffs, Nubile-Young-Secretaries-Who-Always-Think-They’re-Too-Thin, Brilliant-But-Distracted Scientists, Ever-Dedicated Cops, and the inescapable Fearless Soldiers.) You recognize them as I list them, and can probably name as many novels where they feature prominently as I can.

A lot of fiction by beginning writers, and unfortunately a significant amount of fiction by published writers, is plagued by paper people – characters who never really come to life on the page. The published writers who still get away with this do so because they’ve learned to tell a story so compelling that editors will buy from them anyway. Beginners really don’t have that luxury, and paper people will kill a sale as fast as anything. Paper people fall into categories – and that is much of their problem. You have Evil Villains, Oppressed Virginal Heroines, Naïve-But-Stalwart Heroes, and Smart-Ass Sidekicks, among other common types. (Depending on genre, you’ll meet Hookers-With-Hearts-of-Gold, Strong-But-Silent Sheriffs, Nubile-Young-Secretaries-Who-Always-Think-They’re-Too-Thin, Brilliant-But-Distracted Scientists, Ever-Dedicated Cops, and the inescapable Fearless Soldiers.) You recognize them as I list them, and can probably name as many novels where they feature prominently as I can.

I got a question in my e-mail not too long ago on how to do dialogue. As far as I've ever been able to tell, writing good dialogue comes from being able to hear voices in your head that aren't there---which in times past has been enough to get you burned at the stake or drowned at a dunking post, and which currently, if you admit to it in the wrong company, can get you a quiet room with rubber walls and all the free Thorazine you can swallow. Never let it be said that writing well is not without its risks. That said, I need to tell you that dialogue in a story is NOT about two people talking to each other. That's what it is, but it isn't what it's about.

I got a question in my e-mail not too long ago on how to do dialogue. As far as I've ever been able to tell, writing good dialogue comes from being able to hear voices in your head that aren't there---which in times past has been enough to get you burned at the stake or drowned at a dunking post, and which currently, if you admit to it in the wrong company, can get you a quiet room with rubber walls and all the free Thorazine you can swallow. Never let it be said that writing well is not without its risks. That said, I need to tell you that dialogue in a story is NOT about two people talking to each other. That's what it is, but it isn't what it's about.

I got a question in my e-mail not too long ago on how to do dialogue. As far as I've ever been able to tell, writing good dialogue comes from being able to hear voices in your head that aren't there---which in times past has been enough to get you burned at the stake or drowned at a dunking post, and which currently, if you admit to it in the wrong company, can get you a quiet room with rubber walls and all the free Thorazine you can swallow. Never let it be said that writing well is not without its risks. That said, I need to tell you that dialogue in a story is NOT about two people talking to each other. That's what it is, but it isn't what it's about.

Holly Lisle's Updates

Holly Lisle's Updates

Holly Lisle's Updates

When I read something wonderful, I have varying reactions. Sometimes, I just get huge envious green goose bumps, because I know there's no way in hell I could have ever written that book or story, nor could I have written anything like it, nor am I worthy to walk on the same ground as the Master who created that tale. (Ted Sturgeon did that to me a lot. He also made me cry more than any other writer I've ever read, and I will never forgive him for dying before I had the chance to meet him.) Sometimes, I am moved to unenvious rapture -- I love what I've read, but I have no desire to emulate it. Brilliant books outside of my genre frequently have that effect on me. Robert B. Parker, for example, and Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder books both delight me, and I seek them out and read them as soon as they are available, even paying hardcover prices to acquire them -- but I have no interest in doing anything like them. But sometimes I am filled with passion and wicked larceny -- what I read thrills me and catches at my gut and at my imagination and I just have to steal some part of it for myself.

When I read something wonderful, I have varying reactions. Sometimes, I just get huge envious green goose bumps, because I know there's no way in hell I could have ever written that book or story, nor could I have written anything like it, nor am I worthy to walk on the same ground as the Master who created that tale. (Ted Sturgeon did that to me a lot. He also made me cry more than any other writer I've ever read, and I will never forgive him for dying before I had the chance to meet him.) Sometimes, I am moved to unenvious rapture -- I love what I've read, but I have no desire to emulate it. Brilliant books outside of my genre frequently have that effect on me. Robert B. Parker, for example, and Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder books both delight me, and I seek them out and read them as soon as they are available, even paying hardcover prices to acquire them -- but I have no interest in doing anything like them. But sometimes I am filled with passion and wicked larceny -- what I read thrills me and catches at my gut and at my imagination and I just have to steal some part of it for myself.