Jade Varden Official Blog

I didn't know it, but authors have their own secret language. I've been exposed to this recently because I've been making a big effort to be more involved in writer forums . And I'm happy to report that I have cracked the code, and I'm going to share it. You'll look like a pro when you master author shorthand. Writer Abbreviations  Author shorthand doesn't just look impressive, it probably also saves a lot of time. Whether or not you plan to use it, I've found that it's good to know what all the different acronyms mean...because that saves a lot of time when it comes to reading the forums. LI - love interest MC - main character WIP - work in progress QL - query letter (the letter authors send to agents/publishers to pitch a book) POV - point of view MG - middle grade, young adult books for tweens FD - first draft NF - non fiction ARC - advanced reader copy MS - manuscript TBR - to be read/reviewed BS - it doesn't mean what...

I know all the things you do to distract yourself from writing, because I also do them. I know about all the questions that parade through the writer's mind, sewing seeds of doubt and fear. I know what it's like to re-read something I wrote just yesterday, and suddenly hate it. And the entire idea. And words in general. And I've got a piece of advice for all of us: get out of your head. Over-Thinking It Over-thinking it can kill a project more easily than all the grammatical errors in the world. You can always fight your way through editing, but if you're twirling too many questions around in your mind you'll end up talking yourself right out of writing your book. It's easy to question, to second-guess, particularly for me. I've practically turned it into an art form, I'm so good at it. It's nerve-wracking to release your first book, to put yourself out there for the world. But you know what's even harder? Putting the second book ou...

So, I haven't been around much in the last week. It's not because I'm working on the new novel (in fact, I'm still stuck on Chapter 4), it's because I've been moving.   Drawing the Line After three months, I made a big final push to put an end to my strange, two-home existence. The work on the house has been progressing slowly, or not at all, so two weeks ago I decided to do what I do best: I set a deadline. I'm good with deadlines. They conduct my every waking moment and hold me in an iron grip. They also keep me in line. If I had my druthers, I would spend my days watching the Game Show Network and live tweeting my very intense thoughts regarding Let's Make a Deal and Match Game, which I maintain are very important contributions to society.  So I need the deadlines. I perform under pressure; sometimes, it's the only way I can. However, I over-estimated something somewhere with the deadline I set for the move. A lot of work ended ...

Vanity Fair is considered a classic, but don't assume that means it's boring. It was originally written as a comedy, and it features one of the most famously conniving characters in literature. Many authors have been inspired by William Makepeace Thackeray's famous anti-heroine, Becky Sharp. The Book Written in 1848, Vanity Fair takes place in the first half of the 1800s. At the beginning, we find Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley, two friends who have attended Miss Pinkerton's Academy for Young Ladies together. They're leaving school to go to Amelia's house. It's a bit of a strange friendship. Becky Sharp matches her name: she thinks quickly, and she's ambitious. Amelia, by contrast, is simple and sweet. Upon arriving at the Sedley home, Becky meets Captain George Osborne. He and Amelia have been engaged since they were children. Joseph, Amelia's brother, is also here. Becky attempts to woo the brother, but it all falls apa...

I once forgot to eat for 12 hours. Sometimes, people will have entire conversations with me. After I give them a series of monosyllabic answers, I inevitably look up and ask "wait...what did you just say?" I'm not crazy, I'm spacing out. And if you're going to write successfully, you're going to need to learn how to do it, too. Alone in My Head The world is never going to shut up for you. It doesn't matter if you crawl into a bunker and lock the door, the world is still going to find you. It's going to intrude no matter how carefully you plan your day and no matter how many rules you make for your household. Closing the door may be symbolic to you, but life is always going to intervene.  You have to master the art of spacing out. You have to be capable of sitting in the middle of Grand Central Station with a smartphone and write your novel, if that's what it takes. Because sometimes, that is what it's going to take. Sometimes, you...

 If you're serious about being an author, you carefully comb your books for mistakes before you publish them. You agonize over word choices, think deeply about plots and get incredibly picky when it comes time to design and choose a cover design. You pay attention to all the little details when you're presenting your book. But don't think for even one moment that you can slack off in the way you present yourself. In fact, it's something you've got to think about constantly . Being a Brand Once you label yourself as an author and start presenting yourself on the Internet through a blog, social media profiles, forums or any other venue, you're no longer a person. Now, you're a brand. You've got to start acting like it.  Awhile back, I did a post reminding you that you're always an author , even when you're kicking back for some Twitter time. Whenever you're using your author name in any public way, whether on a forum post or eve...

Have you ever killed a character? Did you cry and sob at your keyboard while writing the scene? Have you ever written a break-up? Did you feel anger and pain and jealousy when the lost love interest turned up with a new love interest of their own? If you're not feeling all these things while you're writing, then I'm not feeling what you're writing. You feel me?  How Does That Make You Feel? The best books are the ones that make us laugh and cry. The books that make you feel something are the ones that stick with you. They become special memories, personal stories. I'll never forget the emotional wreck I became while reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (don't judge me). There's a line toward the end of the book, where Professor McGonagall takes control of Hogwarts and tells the students they can stay and fight if they want to.  I burst into tears. In the middle of a silent room, there's me sobbing. I started to cry so hard , I had ...

People have a pretty high tolerance for fiction. It's okay to write about a psychotic killer who carves people up. Many fine stories have been based on this gruesome plot device. But it's not okay to fail to provide a motive for those killings. And the thing is, psychotic killers aren't the only characters who need a motive. All of them do.  Why?  If you follow me on Twitter, you may know that I spend a good portion of my day watching Investigation Discovery. I can get away with it by telling people it's research -- I write mystery novels. But when I'm by myself and an interesting case is unfolding, I might find myself doing some good-natured (not crazy) yelling at the television screen. Usually, I'm shouting just one word: why? To me, that's the most important question in every story. Why is the main character in love with this guy? Why is that villain being so mean? Why is this all happening? It's easy to get caught up in writing vivid...