Will Remains

Writing Lessons I Learned Painting My Craft Room I’ve been posting a bit less than usual the past few weeks. August was intentionally a skimp period, given my brief mid-month vacation, but I full anticipated getting back into a steady writing and posting rhythm in September. That…didn’t happen. There are several factors, but importantly, I was visited by the brilliant idea of painting my craft room over Labor Day weekend, which in my youthful days would have been an achievable task.

Writing Lessons I Learned Painting My Craft Room #writing #mondayblogs

Discovering My Brain’s Native Language | Jane Friedman An AuDHD writer considers where her mind’s fragmentary and circular style of expression fits in a paradigm of linear storytelling.

What if your life experiences do not necessarily translate into “good” writing? Christina Larocco describes how her writing is circular, referential, fragmented—all qualities typically identified as weaknesses.

Take Five I’ve been beating myself up about the blog the last few weeks. I missed a deadline two weeks ago – my first this year – and have been dreading writing the next few posts. By coincidence, I came across a post I wrote in 2023, which contained a timely message: It’s ok to take a break. Take five. Take ten if you need it.

If you need to take a break, here's your sign.

Speaking Engagement: Talking Business at Manor Mill Writers Retreat On Saturday, November 15, I’ll be joining a dozen other expert authors at the Manor Mill Writers Retreat, where we’ll discuss questions about craft, publishing, and platform. Local writers can expect a welcoming, casual environment and lively discussion with peers. Where and When Manor Mill is a newly restored historic grist mill and miller’s house in Monkton, Maryland, located in northern Baltimore County.

Speaking Engagement: Talking Business at Manor Mill Writers Retreat #mondayblogs #writingcommunity #writing

Not Powerball! $1.5 Billion on the Line for Writers Pirated by AI Firm According to MSN, GenAI developer Anthropic has agreed to pay at least $1.5 billion to settle a class action lawsuit alleging the firm pirated thousands of copyrighted works to train its large language model Claude. In June, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled that Anthropic was within its "fair use" rights to use legally acquired works to train its LLM, because the platform transformed the material into "something new." However, Alsup also found Anthropic…

Not Powerball! $1.5 Billion on the Line for Writers Pirated by AI Firm

I call it the “barf draft” - I get all my ideas down about character, theme, setting, and direction, and organize it into something resembling a plot. That draft usually runs about 50% of my expected total word count, even if most of it doesn’t survive the actual writing draft.

I have several tricks. Daily word counts are motivating when I’m in the fast drafting stage, but when I’m doing the writing-writing, then I track my milestones (usually chapters).

The Un-Self Publisher I’ve always been a writer, but I didn’t get the DIY publisher itch until the mid-1990s, when anyone with a Sharpie and access to an office photocopier could produce their own magazine. In California, a few friends and I created four issues of a 5x8 fiction and poetry zine and after I moved to Portland, I put together two issues of a fiction/poetry zine called…

A look back at 8 years behind the publisher’s desk. #mondayblogs #writing

A fantastic resource. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to join one of Jane’s all-day workshops and it changed how I think about platform and networking. Well worth the time if you get the chance!

Near and Far “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”   ― Carl Gustav Jung As promised, after a couple of weeks of mental vacation, I’m back with some lengthy blather on a writing topic. I’m going to talk about character relationships, plot, and conflict, so you can bail out now if that’s not your thing.

You know it when you see it, but consciously recognizing and mastering the relationship plot can take your writing to the next level.
#mondayblogs #writingq

Writers: 1, AI: 4.981e+307 Writers recently won a partial victory in a class action lawsuit against generative AI firm Anthropic. The lawsuit alleged that Anthropic trained its language learning model, Claude (Claude?), using millions of copyrighted works scraped from pirate sites. In a recent ruling, US District Court Judge William Alsup ruled that Anthropic’s use of purchased or otherwise legally acquired material to train its AI was fair use, even though the authors were never contacted and never consented to Anthropic using their work in this way.

A ruling in an AI lawsuit had some good news for writers whose work may have been stolen #mondayblogs #writing

Worldshift: The Speculative Fiction Writers' Summit 2025 Speculative Fiction Writers' Summit

This free event for writers features some of my favorite craft advice bloggers. I signed up for a bunch of sessions on plot and character. Should be a good time!

#writingQ #writinglifemonthly
worldshift.manyworldswriting.com

Summer Recess I know what my problem is. After 16 years working for or adjacent the federal government, I’m accustomed to the dead zone of August. Congress is generally in recess, which means a lot of feds schedule their summer vacations during August, which means it’s also a good time for contractors and journalists to get in some much-needed time off before the September spending spree and rush to miss the Sept.

This is not a writing post. #mondayblogs

Me Me Me You may have noticed the new banner gracing the top of the page and the face in the corner. I’ve been slowly aligning my visuals on various social media platforms while working on this whole “being a brand” thing, and now here we are. I hate seeing myself in photographs, so I commissioned a few friends to take a shot at capturing me in art.

Take a good look. These are as close to photographs of me you'll ever get. #Mondayblogs

Amplify In a recent edition of his 3-2-1 newsletter, James Clear asks a question that speaks to much of what I write for this blog. What aspect of your work is hardest to copy? How can you amplify it? This is you. This is your voice. This is where you find your authentic self. What can you do – what and how do you write – that would be hard to copy?

What do you do that no one else can?
#mondayblogs #writing

Are Heroes Making a Comeback? I’ve been mulling this thought for awhile, beginning late last year when the teaser trailer for the new Superman received a rapturous response and then a bit more after the presidential inauguration, which absolutely feels way more than only six months ago. Now that the movie it out, it seemed a good time to say it out loud. Are we in - or about to enter - an era where our cultural heroes act heroically?

Are Heroes Making a Comeback?
#mondayblogs

Midyear Reflection I didn’t post my writing goals this past January, not because I didn’t have any, but because I wanted to focus on the journey of writing, rather than word counts and timekeeping and spreadsheets, though I did that too, behind the scenes. Also, my goals occasionally evolve during the year and - full disclosure - sometimes I simply blow them and start over.

How are your writing goals going? #writing

A Post-4th Thought About Freedom A bit late for Independence Day, but I came across this quote from James Clear (Atomic Habits) and thought it a concise summary of how easily writers can become trapped in uncreative thinking and how as easily we can free ourselves. “When I notice myself worrying about ‘what other people will think,’ I find I'm usually not worried about any single person's opinion.

Who cares what other people think?

Happy Summer! Wishing a happy 4th of July holiday to my US friends, however you plan to spend it. I'm a few days early, but it's too damn hot to think. I knew we weren't going to have a decent spring this year, but instead jump from rainy slog to baking heat. Welcome to the future, friends. I'm taking the rest of the week off. Back soon!

Happy Summer!

Angles for Creating a Strong Cause + Effect Chain You may be familiar with the But/Therefore technique popularized by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.  When the pair generate scripts for the show, they maintain an organic structure and ever-escalating nonsense by linking each scene the story with the phrase but/therefore. A character wants something but an obstacle appears, and therefore a new action must be taken. While simple, this technique ensures that their stories have constant forward movement that arises from character choices and actions (no matter how ridiculous).

But/Therefore isn't the only method for creating a strong cause and effect chain in your plot.

#writing

AI Will Rot Your Brain, Kid I love being right. Unfortunately, because I am a cynic, I am often right about things that are terrible. I would much rather be proven wrong, but people being what they are… Earlier this month, MIT released the results of a brain scan study of people who use ChatGPT. Hat tip to ABI Bouhmaida who discussed the study on his Instagram account…

I love being right. Unfortunately, because I am a cynic, I am often right about things that are terrible.

Talking With Ghosts Writers love lists and we really love making lists of other writers. I have plenty: My favorite writers Writers I’ve read the most works by Writers who've influenced me Writers who've influenced my writing While there is overlap, those lists are quite distinct. Very few appear on all four. Here's another: What writers would I like to meet? All of them!

Talking With Ghosts

Writers love lists and we really love making lists of other writers. I have plenty: My favorite writers Writers I’ve read the most works by Writers who've influenced me Writers who've influenced my writing While there is overlap, those lists are quite distinct. Very few appear…

There and Back Again My readers know I’m always on the hunt for alternative ways to structure stories. Over the past 12 – 20 months, I’ve gotten much better at plotting out a novel that doesn’t drop to sleep at the mid…

Chiastic storytelling sounds dirty, but it isn't. The Hobbit, Heart of Darkness, and the Bible use it.

#writing

Tools of the Trade Wanna swap tech stacks?

Writers have more options than ever for writing, editing, sharing, and promoting their work. What's in your stack?

What You Should and What You Can For writers embarking on a career, branding can feel overwhelming. Where do you start?

For writers embarking on a career, branding can feel overwhelming. Where do you start?

An Invitation to Dance Creating an author brand is as simple as being yourself.

Are you struggling to create an author brand? There are lots of ways to embrace the concept.

Can Using Generative AI Ever Be Ethical? How and where do you draw the line?

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The Business of Being a Writer If you're on Substack, you should read this book.

I took the week off to do some writing homework and got a year's worth of advice and next steps. If you need practical advice on creating an engaging creative career, look no further.

A Gathering of Writers I don’t attend too many writers get-togethers. While it’s good for me to get out of the house and my head for a day, the cost-benefit doesn’t always work out for me. As with most …

I can't say enough about Jane Friedman's workshop - if you have the opportunity to attend one of Jane's talks or workshops, I highly recommend it!

Fantastic day with the wonderful @janefriedman.com for a one-day intensive on creating and maintaining a platform. Can’t wait to put her expert advice into practice!