At the heart of every story is conflict - whether external or internal, make it a good one, and remember that this problem is going to shape your character, leaving her forever changed. Jennifer McMahon More Quotes by Jennifer McMahon More Quotes From Jennifer McMahon My grandmother was a psychiatrist and possibly the ultimate of all skeptics. But even she couldn't explain the strange noises we so often heard in the attic. Jennifer McMahon explain she grandmother strange I studied poetry in college and for a year in an MFA program. As time went on, my poems got more and more complicated. What I was really trying to do was tell stories. Jennifer McMahon poetry college time trying Poetry taught me a great deal about language and images, but when it came to plotting, I was stumped. It's been very much a learn-by-doing thing for me. Jennifer McMahon great me language poetry I just try to write the best story I can, a story I would love to read, and hope that readers feel the same. Jennifer McMahon feel best hope love I practically lived in the woods when I was a kid, avoiding grown-ups and my dysfunctional family, pretending I was half-wolf, a feral child who napped in nests made out of ferns, ate wild blueberries, and wove sticks and feathers into her hair. Jennifer McMahon child woods family hair Some things, I think, like fairy books and secret doors, are only meant to be found by children. Jennifer McMahon think meant-to-be doors children Do me a favor - right now, today, start a list of all your crazy obsessions, the things that get your heart pumping, that wake you up in the middle of the night. Put it above your desk and use it to guide you, to jumpstart your writing each and every day. Jennifer McMahon day me heart today One exercise I always do when I'm getting to know a character is ask her to tell me her secrets. Sit down with a pen and paper, and start with, 'I never told anybody...' and go from there, writing in the voice of your character. Jennifer McMahon down me voice character You can have the greatest characters in the world and write beautifully, but if nothing's happening, the story falls on its face pretty quickly. Jennifer McMahon face nothing you world I was born in 1968 and grew up in my grandmother's house in suburban Connecticut, where I was convinced a ghost named Virgil lived in the attic. Jennifer McMahon i-was-born born grandmother house I wrote my first short story in third grade. Jennifer McMahon short first story short-story I graduated with a B.A. from Goddard College in 1991 and then studied poetry for a year in the M.F.A. in Writing Program at Vermont College. Jennifer McMahon year poetry college writing In all honesty, I didn't love reading when I was a kid. I'd rather be running around in the woods or doing my best to scare the pants off all the children in the neighborhood by pretending my house was haunted or making them play Bloody Mary in the bathroom. Jennifer McMahon best honesty love children My grandmother was a psychiatrist and had shelves full of medical books - I was constantly sneaking looks at some of those. I was fascinated by the descriptions of illnesses and diseases. Jennifer McMahon some medical grandmother looks
