Writing Martial Arts, Part 2: Philosophies
One of the things that I have learned about being pregnant is that nothing happens quite as you expect. For instance, this post, which...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Feb 25, 20144 min
Writing Martial Arts, Part 1: MA Basics
One of the topics that we have thoroughly enjoyed speaking on, at LTUE and elsewhere, is how to create and write martial arts in fiction....
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Sep 3, 20122 min
Labor Day weekend: a new story
Buk Tu edits have been going well, though slowed by Labor Day weekend. We’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback from our editor,...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Aug 5, 20122 min
Draft: Complete
A few minutes ago, I completed the final draft of Buk Tu (ie “Book Two” or the sequel to The Tale of Telsharu). Sam and I will submit the...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Jul 26, 20121 min
This is why I write
Yesterday evening I received a text message from a dear friend of mine. She and her husband have been apart for some time, and it’s going...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
May 28, 20121 min
Occasionally there is Kismet
kismet. noun. fate; destiny. Normally I’m of the school of perseverance. “Just keep writing” is my motto. I do not believe in writing...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
May 25, 20125 min
Writing & Revising: A Step by Step Process
There are a number of stages that we go through as writers to prepare a manuscript for publication. This differs slightly from writer to...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
May 6, 20122 min
The Avengers & Hanu Zan the Hero
I went to the midnight showing of The Avengers. I will admit to you, dear reader, that I am a total nerd for superhero movies. I love...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Apr 16, 20123 min
Research for your novel
A number of years ago I was taking a creative writing course and we had a section on research. I dragged my feet through the entire unit....
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Apr 11, 20122 min
All night revisions
Today is the day. We are presenting the manuscript of Buk Tu to our editor for his first review. This is both a major event, and a minor...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Apr 7, 20123 min
Epigraphs, poetry, and rhyming in fictional languages
I have a great love of epigraphs. With my own work, I am particularly fond of fictional quotations or works from in-world sources. For...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Apr 4, 20122 min
I #amrevising and I may be #goingcrazy
Revisions have been a roller coaster ride this week. Six days ago, Sam and I discussed a new scene that we felt needed to be added to...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Mar 28, 20123 min
Writing fight scenes
I recently had dinner with a family whose children I teach. Several of them have read Telsharu and were eagerly asking for an update on...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Mar 21, 20123 min
Rambling thoughts on revisions
If you’re following my Twitter feed at all, you’ll know that I’ve been working voraciously on revisions of “Buk Tu” the sequel to The...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Mar 13, 20122 min
A strange sort of vanity?
I love reading The Tale of Telsharu. Is this weird? I’ve heard of fellow authors who cannot look at their works, once they are published....
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Feb 25, 20121 min
#1 writing advice
If I had one piece of advice to give to writers–aspiring or established–it is this. Write every day. Let nothing interfere with this...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Feb 8, 20122 min
Writing, solitary? Hardly.
I always have to laugh a little when I hear people discuss the solitary art of writing. Talking about writers who holed up in an...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Feb 3, 20121 min
Moment of inspiration
I had a vision. This morning, as I was lying in bed trying to avoid the necessity of getting up and starting my day, I was thinking about...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Jan 27, 20122 min
The Episodic Novel
I have never been a big TV watcher. I still never watch TV shows on TV, but rather I watch shows on DVD, a season at a time (when I watch...
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Valerie Mechling Holley
Jan 19, 20121 min
My writing soundtrack
I believe that most writers use music (or sound) which to some extent influences the writing process. Some experience this more strongly...
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