I’m writing this from on a train. It was a gorgeous day to depart Seattle, the sun high in the sky above the bay. It will be dreary and drizzly when we get back to Portland, but I love that just as much, if not more. The country going by is still verdant green, even … Continue reading ‘All The Ugly and Wonderful Things’ While Traveling The Cascades by Train
*Note: there are spoilers for Silent Hill 2 in this post. The game came out more than ten years ago, but I figured I should still mention it. Today’s blog post comes from one of my favorite games, Silent Hill 2. Video games are a medium where writing is hugely important, and writers of fiction … Continue reading Writing lessons from Silent Hill 2
From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted my novel Dark City to have a very strong sense of place. I wanted the city to be alive, like Camorr or The Shire or Sin City in the graphic novel series. I wanted my book to have a noir aesthetic, a kind of Gotham vibe. … Continue reading How to make a setting come alive
Recently, I started studying Spanish again for the first time in six or so years. Maybe it's that I want to reclaim my Latina heritage, or maybe volunteering for a Latino serving non-profit organization has inspired me. Or likely, a little bit of both. Whatever it is, I've felt very drawn to studying the language. … Continue reading Why learning a second language is good for writers
My novel Dark City (which you can read about here) is reaching the final stages. That means that right now, I’m waiting for a few beta readers to get back to me before I jump into the last round of edits. While I’m waiting, I’d like to start a new project, but I’m struggling to … Continue reading Finding the inspiration to start your novel
Writing can be such an incredibly subjective endeavor that sometimes it makes me want to pull my hair out. Did I do this right? Did I do this wrong? Who knows?! The subjectivity also makes me a little insecure when I’m critiquing other writers’ work. Every story and every writer’s style is so different, so … Continue reading Some thoughts on critiquing other writers’ works
I’m rapidly approaching the editing stage for my own novel, and honestly, I’m dreading it. I love editing other people’s work, but self-editing is a different beast entirely. Usually by the time a novel is finished, I’ve become so familiar with every word they start to blur together, and it’s hard for me to see … Continue reading 4 Tips for Self Editing
I’ll admit it, I love a bad guy (or girl.) Supervillains, serial killers, assassins, mob bosses, you name it. Villains rock. Whether they’re gleefully, mustache-twirlingly evil or absolutely terrifying, I adore them in all their dastardly, plot-driving glory. A good villain, a villain that I will come to love, is always complicated. Just like you … Continue reading Badass villains and how to write them
Even outside of the time I spend with my fingers on the keyboard, I do a lot of thinking about my characters. I’ve become the stereotypical “head in the clouds” writer who might walk right into you at the grocery store because my mind is on my stories. And most of all, on the characters … Continue reading Fun ways to build characters
As I go about my usual business wasting time on social media, I often come across excellent articles on the craft of writing and the business of publishing. Because I'm distracted by cat pictures, I tuck them away in my pocket to read later. Every so often, I like to share some of the best information … Continue reading What’s in my pocket? Resources for writers
Sarah Kay Moll 