Recent content by Mara Edgerton

Half the names of places around me are Lenni Lenape in origin--Hoboken, Hackensack, Passaic, Matawan, Wanaque, Secaucus; the list goes on and on and on--and I rarely find myself looking up the meaning and never find myself trying to replace the names with something based in English. I think this...

Aw! Thanks. My pleasure. :)

Hmmm. If I wanted to write about some AU situation in my stories, or some pairing that will never happen in my canon, I think I'd write it as myself, declare it non-canonical, and offer it up as a free story on LJ or AO3 or just on my website. :)

Instead of focusing on the grand, overarching themes you want to build into your world, would it help to focus on the struggle of one particular character? I realize that a character is entwined with her setting--but, still, you know you'll have at least a Renaissance-style world. That might be...

Who is the POV character for this scene? While it's good for you to know, as the writer, what's happening everywhere, the reader will only see the battle from this character's viewpoint--and will only know what this one character is thinking and feeling. This character won't see the whole...

Is Líadan conflicted about going into exile? I would be--especially if I were dedicated to my career in healing and had damn well earned all the respect I was given. Is there any possibility that she decides not to go into exile with the MC? That she says, "I love you, I want the best for you...

I balance distractions and writing by partaking in word wars. Some writing buddies and I get together (online or, if we're having a weekend get-together, in person) throughout the day to write for half-hour spurts. We don't have to share or critique--for half an hour we just sit there and write...

Great article. The two points that helped me the most were the discussion on agency as opposed to strength--does the character make things happen?--and the rant against the lone female character in a sea of men who must then represent 'femaleness' (in a way that Richard II never has to represent...

Personally, I think it's easier to identify with Loki because he's a more interesting character than Thor--but I do enjoy Loki's gender-bending in both mythology and fan fiction :)

Does your MC have a goal he cares desperately about? Does he need to solve a mystery? Take revenge? Rescue his brother? Make amends to his sister? Win the heart of the guy he loves? Survive alone in the wilderness? Overthrow the queen? That's the first thing I look at when my writing seems...

This was an interesting read to me. I'm the opposite in world building: I start small--the history, politics and cultures of one city or one area--and then gradually work my way around to the larger world. Meanwhile, onto your questions: 1. If you focus on this setting from the dwarves'...

Huh. I've never encountered such a problem. My chapters stay in the right order inside their folder, so not sure what the issue is? *Mara double checks her folders.* Yup, all in the correct order. The Docs are named with the initials of the title and then a number, so Death of a Diviner...

Oooh, good question. For each story, I have one master folder of Word Docs with a number of sub folders: 1. My outline folder (character sheets, summary, chapter-by-chapter outline, notes on themes and plot points and such). 2. My chapter folder (each chapter of the book--this is my 'draft...

A friend and I were comparing and contrasting two very different shows last night: the horror film The Conjuring and the latest episode of the TV western Longmire. (Election Day, if you're a fan.) I've been looking forward to The Conjuring. I know it's based on a Christian world view--and a...

I think choice two would really punch me in the gut as a reader--even more than the friendly fire idea. (Not sure why--just going on instinct.)