Writing about craft has forced me to think more about my own writing technique, and to break down my process in ways that have been enormously helpful to me.

As I write, invariably I encounter more questions and answer those as I go.

I love magic and playing with magic systems. But to me, good fantasy like all fiction comes down to good character and plotting.

I listen to instrumental jazz and bluegrass, but aside from my AM workout, I have no rituals.

The best writing advice I ever got was "Keep moving forward, don't retreat into rewrites." The worst came from a book that said "Writing fiction is like telling lies," which just seems stupid to me.

With a historical setting, I worry about accuracy at every turn... With a created world, I have to worry about all of it holding together and seeming coherent... Each presents unique challenges and opportunities.

Wrote my first "novel" when I was six. Studied a bit in college, but then pursued history... But when I started writing professionally, it was mostly learn as you go.