So you filled your hands

wireless did this, and given this subject line, it seemed like a capital idea.

As of Sept. 5, 2009:

apologia To be ridiculously pretentious, in the original Greek this means "explanation" or "defense." These entries explain thought processes or choices, mostly, I think, for my own benefit.

be a magpie This is where I make note of shiny things I want in my stories. It comes from something Neil Gaiman once wrote in a blank notebook for me after I saw him speak. (The other was "Keep writing, and finish it!")

character:name I'm trying to be organized with my tagging. If it's relevant to a particular person, it will be so tagged. That may be the most logical I get with these.

creativity is collage Also advice from a writer, this time Dale Pesmen. I love the notion that creativity isn't some petulant muse that damages you from the inside, but rather your engagement with the world around you. This is for talking about the things collected in be a magpie once they're assembled.

first sentences The opener is terrifically difficult sometimes, but when someone lands it, oh man. (Also, must peruse! Also, there's a great community for the opposite: endings.)

homeless bits and bobs Ideas in search of a good home.

italo calvino sends his regards One of my desert island books is Invisible Cities; this tag is for talking about settings.

name's been typeset Hopefully there will come a time when I can crow about publishing credits. For now there's only the one, but I'd very much like to expand on that. Ah, but first comes the writing... shoot.

nft guide to hecatia The Not for Tourists series of guidebooks prides itself on helping people navigate new cities like a local. This is for the imaginary country where The Falling Woman takes place.

note to self Usually this is something I find while I'm at work... doing work... and that I should investigate later... when I'm not doing work.

post-apocalyptic americana I will be attempting to explain this genre for a very long time. It is my genre, though, and I love it deeply.

singer can be among songs Thank you, Sage Francis, for the fantastic lyric. This is for "meta" explorations, or posing questions about genre and composition and other things that are more about writing than content.

the ear the eye The tag so obscure I couldn't remember what it was for at first! But it's about the music that inspires me -- sounds that trigger imagination.

the falling woman A novel I've been trying to write for several years, and think I may have finally figured out how to start.

the not-writing part Mostly notes to self with links to gritty publishing realities and advice for swimming that particular sea when you get to it.

visual language Given the magpie tag, it may come as no surprise that I frequently collect pictures I find online that I can use in stories. I've got this idea of posting some every few days -- no context, just showcasing neat things I find.

world-building Having chanced on the world-building exercises going on at nano_writers, I think I'd like to do my own at my own pace on this tag. Originally, though, it's more of a "note to self" organizational tag than anything deeply significant.