I'm Holly Lisle, full-time writer, with 32 published novels so far, and in the midst of writing the 33rd. If you want to learn how to create characters, plot a novel, write a book, or start or maintain your writing career. I can help.
 

Writing Diary

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Pocket Full of Words
Writing Diary of Novelist Holly Lisle

If you?re reading TalysMana, please read this
What Is A First Draft? I?ve added it to pages for new folks to find. It?s important. Please take a few minutes to read it.
?Write A Book With Me? Is Moving
First, a note. The Write A Book With Me entries are going to be going to the TalysMana weblog after this entry. If you’re playing or following Write A Book With Me, be sure to bookmark the TalysMana weblog now. Pocket Full Of Words will be going back to the essays, commentary on writing, and other [...]
The NEW TalysMana Artifact (and Upcoming Contest)
Yesterday Becky posted her first rough concept sketch for what the Fendle Warrior’s Heart would look like. I meant to come in here last night and post the link, but after writing 4000+ words of lesson, I was just too fried. Today, though, I wanted to let you know her sketch is up. [...]
4000 words
I wrote 4000 words on Lesson 13 tonight, and finished it, but I’m done. Back tomorrow.
A nice little cliffhanger
Since ecto ate my post TWICE now, I’m going to keep this short. Got a spiffy cliffhanger for TalysMana tonight, wrapped the scene, posted it, and some folks may even receive it yet tonight. Most of you who are up to date will get the latest installment on Friday. For everyone else, it’ll be [...]
Making More Sense of the Story
I focused on character development in TalysMana tonight, since I was actually giving Will Grey his first real time onstage. Kettan ended up with a few good moments, too. I’m still not to the big bang for the scene, when Will finds out what Kettan’s been up to. But he’s going to be smart getting there…and that [...]
Pitch-And-Toss Writing
I threw out 364 words I wrote last week, and wrote 738 new words on TalysMana tonight. The clue I got while posting my last TalysMana post last week, where I suddenly realized that the story would be more interesting if Bill were present when the next big thing happened, led me to toss everything I’d [...]
Lightcross, Shadowcross
Got 364 words on TalysMana tonight. I’m back in Kettan’s point of view, and she’s with Bill (the detective from the Broward County Sheriff’s Department), and in a couple of minutes she’s going to have to figure out a way to politely shoo him out of her apartment, because…well, that’s tomorrow night. Tonight, though, she was [...]
Character Surgery
Well, on the bright side, I got 3700 hard-fought words on Lesson 12 of HTRYN. On the dark side, I’m too freakin’ fried to do any fiction. So. How are your words coming along?
Water Magic
This isn’t writing, it isn’t ranting, it isn’t publishing or any of the rest of what I usually have on my weblog. This is simply one of the coolest things I’ve ever scene. It is, essentially, the anatomy and physiology of a water droplet hitting a puddle. Thanks to Jeff Reese, who sent me [...]

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The Ruby Key (Book I of Moon & Sun)

On the most dangerous night of the year, fourteen-year-old Genna and her twelve-year-old brother Danrith go into the forest to find a healing tree sap that could save their mother's life. But they don't come back. Instead, they are drawn into the world of the dangerous nightlings, and into a bargain with the immortal nightling kai-lord--find a missing child, or they and their mother will die. (Scholastic, May 1, 2008)

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Hawkspar

A young Tonk woman stolen from her family as a child and raised as a slave in the far-away Ossalene Citadel is given the choice--be free and be nothing, or give up every hope and dream you had, give up everything you cherished, give up your own life, and fight to save what remains of the people who were once yours--people you don't know and may never live to meet. More than anyone imagines rests on her choice. (Tor, June 24, 2008)

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