Helping you when depressed...

Really GOOD post about how to help yourself cope with depression:  21 Tips to Keep Your Shit Together When You’re Depressed.

And how to cope with people's attempts to help you.

I highly recommend it.  I found it a great post.

Freelance tips.

Not So Elementary.

Posting this useful link over here because a] it's quite clever and b] it's about freelancing. The blogger used Sherlock as an example of what not to do in business.

Very well done!

'We're All in This Together'

A while back, I was thinking about Diana Wynne Jones, one of my favorite fantasy writers... and this is my most favorite story shape that she uses. I got to read another and it made me very happy.

Archer's Goon is a great example, and the one I think of first. YA can start, of course, with the alienated kid, all alone, trying to get by. And that can work. Sometimes it's just the setup. Sometimes the story morphs as the kid [or kids] find that they aren't really alone.

I'm not averse to the plucky hero[ine] flying solo. Far from it.

But "we" is community. It is friends and family and allies -- sometimes all of those, sometimes not. This is not the same as a single comrade/ally story [which was Andre Norton's particular favorite], although Diana does those too. Not a sidekick but another companion in misfortune.

I could list the other "we" books, but why spoil them for you?

Do realize that sometimes Diana's work will stealthily become a "we" story. If you look carefully at the cover flap, it may warn you. :>

Archer's Goon says straight up that the family is oppressed. It is one of my very favorites. I read it every other year, I think.

I didn't grow up reading DWJ. I wanted to. I found a story called "The Sage of Theare" and it took me many years, probably fifteen or so, to discover that British authors often ended up in the kids' part of libraries... although by then I owned Power of Three and Charmed Life. I have probably read nearly every book she's written.

(If you HAVE read Archer's Goon, Howl's Moving Castle, and Witch Week, here's a fascinating thesis discussion. Except that Cat is named Eric.)

It all ties together...

Today I got a Publishers Weekly link from LinkedIn. Marc Gascoigne from Angry Robot tweeted said link.

The article covers new publishers Angry Robot and Tu Books, along with e-book-only Carina Press [part of Harlequin]. Sections from Tor Books and Naomi Novik are included at the end. If you've ever wondered about vowels, read Naomi's piece.

(I think Naomi's grandmother must have met my grandfather at Ellis Island, in passing...)

A nameless post...

I don't tend to get over to LJ as much anymore. Some years ago, I did. Once I came home to the Midwest, my life was very different, and so I just don't make it out of Blogger land as often.

But today I did.

Jim Hines talks about Why Advances Matter. Right now he's doing a First Novel Survey. Also note the comments in that -- authors add in things Jim hadn't, and as always, Jim discusses things further.

Something I love about the cool people I know is that they're smart and articulate. Not only do they teach me things, but they can teach you.


And because I adore her, and have come late to this discussion... Pamela Dean talks about her WIP. It grew. It must shrink. Drastically.

Installments: 2100 words; spoilers & of coral made; Chapter Three: catch a falling star; icicles, or 4-6; empty book... as a sparrow sees it; 75%, or twice mown?

I think I would give my firstborn child, had I one, for that two-volume book that will not be.


ETA: Sharyn November's news for teen writers. Guess what? Much of this applies to grownups too. I highly recommend her links to Justine and Scalzi in #5. Remember, just because you know an author/editor, ASK. Don't assume he or she is dying to read your stuff. 'Kay?