Category Archives: Writing

About the act of writing and associated techniques

Battling Perfectionism: The Aftermath

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Marie Loughin

Is Perfectionism the Black Knight? Or am I? Who is King Arthur? On Friday, Jonathan D. Allen, Aniko Carmean, Hannah Loughin, and I embarked on a four-day writing marathon. We each set a goal for the weekend, which I discussed … Continue reading →

Posted in Marie's Fiction, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Battling Perfectionism with #laboringaway

Posted on August 29, 2013 by Marie Loughin

There’s a Harry Potter marathon on the Space channel this weekend. I’m not watching it. Instead, I’m doing my own marathon. I will be writing from the moment I get up on Friday until as late as I can manage … Continue reading →

Posted in Marie's Fiction, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

The page is blank

Posted on July 30, 2013 by Marie Loughin

It’s been a long time. I have no excuses, except that my brain seems to be as blank as this page, these days. I sit down with an idea and stare at the screen, but everything that seemed so clever … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Writing | Tagged | 5 Comments

A blog hangs in the balance

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Marie Loughin

Hello? Hello? Anybody still out here? If so, you may have noticed that my blog has been experiencing a deathlike silence since late October. Indeed, there is a bluish tinge to its lips, and its eyes stare glassily at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged | 8 Comments

…and the story ends (Coffin Hop 2012)

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Marie Loughin

Today I unveil the shared story begun on the first day of Coffin Hop 2012. I have to hand it to you people. You rock. The fun part of this exercise is seeing the different writing styles. I see hints … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Hops, Coffin Hop 2012, Writing | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Melancholy Elephants and Copyright

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Marie Loughin

Twenty-five years ago, I read a science fiction short story called Melancholy Elephants by Spider Robinson. And for twenty-five years, this story has popped into my head whenever I hear news of lawsuits for copyright infringement. Melancholy Elephants is a good … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Horror – the Ultimate Definition (Yeah, right.)

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Marie Loughin

Over the past week, the members of TESSpecFic* have posted their various opinions on the question: “What is horror.” And the opinions have been various, indeed! After six thoughtful, intelligent discussions, I’m still no closer to being able to make … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Genre Confusion: Just what the heck is “Horror,” anyway, and how is it different from Dark Fantasy?

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Marie Loughin

There is a ridiculous array of subgenre choices and mash-ups to choose from when trying to describe a work of fantasy fiction. Those of you who follow my blog know that I have done some heavy thinking about genres, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Urban Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 32 Comments

A #luckyseven peek at my fiction

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Marie Loughin

Here’s a new thing for me: Jonathan Allen, friend and fellow member of The Emissaries of Strange, recently tagged* me to participate in #luckyseven. Since this is a nice opportunity for readers to sample my novel and stories, I thought … Continue reading →

Posted in Marie's Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

And that is why every writer should have a book launch party

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Marie Loughin

Writers work mostly in solitude. When you pick away at a novel for years, those who initially supported your endeavor tend to lose interest. They may even forget you’re writing a novel or start believing you’ll never finish. You might … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Books, Life, Marie's Fiction, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 20 Comments