On Writing – Liana Brooks

Archive by category "On Writing"

AI and Publishing – A Sci-Fi Author’s Perspective

Into every life a little rain must fall, and, friends, it’s monsoon season! In an ever-changing publishing world the newest challenge is AI. You’d think I’d be thrilled. I *want* to be thrilled. I grew up on Asimov and Star Trek. I love The Murderbot Diaries and stories about Stabby…

“Why do you____?” …. Because It Matters

One of those questions that always throws me is, “Why do you care about THAT? You don’t need to know that for your job.” As if curiosity and learning aren’t their own reward. Usually I let it slide with an eye roll. I don’t have time to lecture every random…

Editing Class: Visual Themes And Imagery Sample 1- The Romance Of Tiger And Rose

Several years ago, when GAME OF THRONES was still a popular TV show, I saw an article about an interview with the costume designer Michele Clapton that really changed the way I looked at fashion in storytelling. I was already familiar with the concept of fashion as a form of…

WRITER CRAFT WEDNESDAY: Fandom And Writing

I never took a formal, in-school creative writing course. In fact, my only brush with creative writing was my freshman year of high school where the student teacher who had already realized she hated teaching tried desperately to figure out how to fill the last quarter of the year. I…

FOR EVERY ACTION (Fleet of Malik 3) FAQ- When’s that getting published?

It has been almost a year since CHANGE OF MOMENTUM debuted and I’m getting a lot of questions about when Fleet of Malik #3 will be available. Here is what I know right now… Is FOR EVERY ACTION written yet? As of March 2021 FOR EVERY ACTION is 1/5th written…

The Stages Of A Book’s Life:

Sparkly New Idea: It’s shiny, it’s distracting, it might be the best thing you’ve ever thought of! Baby Panda Idea: A little awkward, very fragile, it might die if someone says a harsh word. “I’m not writing this, just thinking about it.”: You’re doing a little research, flirting with…

WRITER CRAFT WEDNESDAY – Rough Draft Checklist

1 – SCENE CHECK – Make sure every chapter or new scene is adequately described. This includes rich description for the first introduction (300-500 words for novels) and a reminder description for subsequent visits. 2 – CHARACTER CHECK – When each character was introduced for the first time from another…

MONDAYS IN PUBLISHING: Responding To Reviews

Reviews are the magical tool by which the Amazon algorithm recognizes your books and the secret formula for attracting new readers… at least that’s the contemporary theory from the marketing masters. The honest truth is that reviews are not meant to be part of the publishing business at all. They…

WRITER CRAFT WEDNESDAY: How To Write Yourself An Editing Letter

Editing Letters… they are often the most beautiful and intimidating part of working with an editor. An editing letter exposes the soul of your book. It looks at all the weak points, highlights the flaws, and flails your ego with all the things that went terribly wrong. A good editing…

WRITER CRAFT WEDNESDAY: The Essential Editing Checklist

Congratulations on having a finished draft of your manuscript. The next step is editing the manuscript to the best of your abilities before you hand it off to a crit partner or editor. This is the essential checklist to get you started. Search for an unpack the following words: Thinks, Knows,…