Bio

I'm a published writer who may post up some non-publishable stuff here on occasin.

My favourite genres are young adult and suspense.

Chris Baty, author of No Plot? No Problem!, outlined in his book two lists that every writer should have - their Magna Cartas. The MCs are lists of the things you most like to read about and the things you most hate to read about. They will also be the things you'll most enjoy writing.

Magna Carta I is the list of things you most enjoy in books and will also enjoy writing:

Magna Carta I

3rd person limited omniscience (from one or more than one character)
1st person POV
characters with big flaws
friends that do anything for each other and are like family to each other
characters that live in the suburbs of big cities
unpretentious writing; no literary crap
suspense
sexual tension between characters leading to the moment they get together
flawed characters finding each other
sisters; twin sisters especially
schemes that go awry
college life, school life, teen years
birthdays of characters and them fitting their astrogical signs
characters from the wrong side of the tracks
humour among the drama
love scenes in the middle of suspense/action/drama stories
realistic endings
a secondary character dying so it has emotional impact on the main character

Magna Carta II is the evil twin of Magna Carta I. It's the list of things you hate reading about in novels and therefore, you'll probably be miserable if you write about them.

Magna Carta II

telling the story from the bad/evil person's POV
3rd person omniscient POV (although sometimes it can be done right, for the most part I find it intrusive)
unredeemable main characters
main characters that don't (at least partially) overcome their flaws
fantasy plots in lands not like our own
sci fi (unless it's set in our own time)
technical writing, scientific details that are boring (Michael Crichton, I'm talking to you!)
historical fiction (although I like Vietnam war stuff)
present tense
stereotypical romance novel dreck, bodice rippers
perfect happy endings
2nd person POV
endings that don't leave you with any hope at all
writing that goes too fast and doesn't give enough detail for there to be any emotional impact