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Holly Lisle

Author Archives: Holly Lisle

Novelist, writing-nerd, dissector of thought processes, writing course creator and site owner here, Holly Lisle has a cat that plays fetch and a whole lotta stuff on HollyLisle.com for both readers and writers.

Writing Equals Passion Plus Thought

Think. Don’t just emote. This advice runs counter to what you’ll get in many, many writers’ guides, courses, and classes, where you’ll find yourself encouraged to “feel the words” and to “feel what your character feels” and where you’ll hear the words “don’t over-analyze.” And frankly, this is good advice as far as it goes. […]

Writing Through A Stranger’s Eyes

I get variations on the following question frequently: How do I write in first-person and still sound like someone else? Here’s my answer. 1

Buying Pain Wholesale: Comparing Yourself to Other Writers

When a book you adore by a writer you admire hits bestseller lists, makes insane amounts of money, and skyrockets your favorite into writing’s “A” list of superstars, it’s pretty easy to be gracious. After all, you can understand how and why this amazing success happened. The book and the writer both deserved the acclaim. […]

But I WANT to be A New York Times Bestseller

The biggest cause of misery for writers who have not succeeded (and one of the biggest causes of writers giving up in despair and quitting altogether) is this: Most writers think they have set goals when in fact they have embraced expectations. 4

3-simple-steps-to-improving-fictional-conflict

Conflict In Fiction Isn’t Argument

I get some questions in my mailbox that just HAVE to go out to a wider audience than the person asking them, and this question from Shanice is a perfect example. She writes: Dear Holly, I am a beginning writer, who on the recommendation of a friend of mine, subscribed up to your “Holly’s Tip” […]

Why Storytelling Matters

Down in the dark, sitting against the damp, mossy stone with one of us tending to the tiny fire, we huddle close and whisper. Bigger and more dangerous things than us rule this world, and while we have mastered fire, we have not mastered them. 12

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