The Truth About Writing and Downtime

By Colby Marshall - September 3, 2012

The first round of CHAIN OF COMMAND's edits are finished! It's exciting, but after several weeks of nonstop work, I suddenly have a lot of time on my hands and am not sure what to do with it. So, here's a little blog for you guys about "downtime". I can't speak for all writers, but I can give you an inside look into what this author does during her off days. Read more »

What's in a Name: Character Monikers and Where They Come From

By Colby Marshall - August 12, 2012

I recently received my revisions from my editor on Chain of Command, and one thing I would have to do was change a couple of character names. Now, the names I have to change aren't those of significant characters, but rather, a couple of minor ones that were a little too similar. This got me to thinking, though, what goes into naming a character. For some authors, character names are extremely personal, sentimental even. We've all heard the famous joke, "Don't mess with a writer. She will put you into a book and kill you." Read more »

Where Did I Put Those Oxygen Tanks Again?

By Colby Marshall - October 17, 2011

So, the first draft is finished. What now? *cue the theme from Jaws* Just when you thought it was safe to go back to your laptop...it's time for...revision. It's a word that strikes fear into the hearts of writers everywhere. It can make even the most confident, veteran author break out into a cold sweat. But revise we must, because as every writer has learned the truth somewhere along the way: you can't write solid gold the first time. Read more »