Advice for writers

[truepenny]

Do not drop paperclips into your keyboard.

Comments

[patchwork-prose.livejournal.com]

Eek! Been there, done that. Ooh!

[aeriedraconia.livejournal.com]

Was that paperclips in the plural sense?

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Well, this particular non-hypothetical instance was of a singular paperclip. Which has been extracted, so we're all good again.

[bride.livejournal.com]

*giggle* As an aspiring technical writer, I shall try to remember this sage advice. =)

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Oh good. In that case you don't need my advice, which was going to be "sellotape".

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Staples are not a good idea either. Though I did manage to use a straightened paperclip to eventually remove the staple -- after chasing it around the number pad several times. :]

[barriequark.livejournal.com]

I wil keep that in mind. LOL

[(Anonymous)]

Completely unrelated to paperclips, but I would love to know how you give your characters as much depth and realism as you have. Where do you get the inspiration from? How much backstory have you done for them? How did you get to know the characters so well that you could transcribe them the way you have done? I know you're busy and stuff, but, you know, I might as well ask! With any luck you'll have covered it in some essay I can't find or something.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Um.

I get to know them by writing about them. There's a post somewhere back in my archives (I can't find it right now, and it's late and I need to go to bed) where I put up the first, second, and third drafts of Mildmay's first meeting with Ginevra. And it's perfectly plain that I didn't know him at all the first time.

I revise a lot.

[(Anonymous)]

turn the keyboard upside down and wack it against the desk.
Gets rid of the paperclip and makes you feel better all at the same time.