Take Your Own Advice

This CAN’T be original … it’s more of a realization sinking in. I constantly criticize strategies I see as pointless … and yet my own strategies are often pointless, too. Aha, I realize: You need to figure out how to give yourself advice. OK, let’s try that painful exercise. The Mucha rules: (1) Do some market research! Know your Read More …

The Collaborations Lab

I’m inching forward with a spinoff from Steal My Ideas, Please. Rather than just give away ideas, through posts or emailed answers, I’m moving into developing some with friends and even total strangers. If you’re an illustrator, software designer, writer or JUST LOADED AND LOOKING FOR PLACES TO INVEST, check out www.wackydadandfriends.com. I hope to Read More …

Dragging Dragons Into the Harry-Is-a-Horcrux Theory

I’ve made only a little progress since my last Harry Potter speculations. Still believe I’m onto something with the theory that Harry’s mother, Lily, did something, used a potion to protect him. Believe she made him/his scar a horcrux, which made him invulnerable to Voldemort’s killing curse. To do that, my hunch is, she marked his forehead Read More …

Key to Compelling Stories

Canned warning about formulas goes here. But, seriously, don’t most compelling classic stories boil down to something like this? Hero, who has suffered all his or her (often parentless) life, faces seemingless insurmountable obstacles, including at least one persistently present powerful villain, but ultimately gets by with pluck (not just luck), stick-to-it-iveness and a little help from friends — and Read More …

A Bloody Good Theory About How Lily Potter Saved Harry

SPOILER ALERT: This post continues “What Was Lily Potter’s Trick?” [and is continued in “A Bloody Better Theory“]. Many have speculated that Harry’s scar is the final horcrux, or hidden piece of Lord Voldemort’s soul. How Harry got it, however, remains mysterious. We know from the Dark Lord’s own mouth that he was trying to kill Harry, not create a horcrux: “You all know that Read More …