Browsing all articles tagged with writing advice.
Being a Panelist in a Virtual World
As you know, over the summer I attended some amazing virtual literary events—like TorCon2020 and Comic-Con@Home—and I waxed poetic about how amazing those two events were and how great it was that I, a geek who lives in the Land of the Midnight Sun also known as Alaska, could attend these two powerhouses of literary […]
Scott H. Andrews Interview – Beneath Ceaseless Skies
Today we’re delighted to bring you an interview with Scott H. Andrews, editor for the World Fantasy Award winning magazine Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
Becoming an Author: With Advice from Those Who’ve Done It
Introduction You might have a lot of time on your hands due to 2020’s pandemic and have been meaning to finish that novel you’ve been dreaming about publishing. You might have participated in Camp NaNoWriMo or are in the middle of the official NaNoWriMo now. Or maybe you have never written anything beyond an essay […]
Words of Wisdom from Comic-Con@Home
In a move that probably shocks no one, I went to yet another virtual convention—this time Comic-Con@Home back in July. But this time instead of waxing poetic about how awesome this shift to virtual is or exclaiming how this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some like I did before, this time I wanted to […]
On Writing Fanfiction
Fanfiction is amazing. Hard stop. For those readers who don’t know what fanfiction is, basically it’s where fans of an intellectual property use that property as a basis for their writing. (So, the fanfiction writers actually use the copyrighted settings, characters, etc. in whatever they’re writing—poems, one-shots, short stories.) There’s fanfiction for nearly every type […]
On Character Agency
What will a character do next? What can they do next? These are the questions that drive the narrative of a story forward and determine what direction it will follow. While they may follow a greater plot arc, the best characters have agency of their own that directs their narrative. Character agency is usually defined […]
NaNoWriMo 2019: My Personal Experience – Part Two: I WON!
This is part two of my experience participating in NaNoWriMo 2019, a writing exercise where one attempts to write a novel (50,000 words) in a month’s time. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to read part one first. Huzzah, I did it! I won! I am very much relieved I survived the grueling […]
NaNoWriMo 2019: My Personal Experience – Part One
As I am writing this, I am feeling completely burned out. My hair is a mess (is that another silver strand sprouting up?!), my eyes are puffy and twitchy, dark circles nestle beneath and I am desperately trying to hold back a yawn…aaaaand the yawn wins out. I managed to force out 400 words this […]
On the Importance of Critique Groups
Writing can be—and often is—a solitary journey. The stereotypical and sometimes romantic notion of a writer alone in a room penning the next great novel does stem from truth. Most of the time, writers do their work alone, whether that be in a coffee shop surrounded by people or in their one-bedroom apartment surrounded by […]
Writing Fantasy Saved My Mental State
Fantasy is sometimes referred to as “escapism” and it comes in many forms—whether that be reading a novel, getting immersed in a movie, or even playing a video game. That escapist state also comes while a writer is penning new stories—crafting new worlds, interesting magic, fun creatures, and adventurous plotlines. This is especially true when […]
As I Learn: How Your Story-Beast Moves
In the wild, lions live and hunt in prides. An adult male can weigh as much as 200 kg (mostly muscle), and an adult female can reach top speeds of 80 km/h—fitting since they do a lot of the hunting in the pride. These are creatures built for power and speed. Yet, these “Kings and […]
Worldbuilding Through Characterization
When somebody mentions worldbuilding the first thing you’ll think of is probably a lavishly detailed map, something filled with interesting geography, the locations of important cities, and maybe a dragon in the far corner. Or perhaps what springs to mind is a family tree of noble houses that lists their connections and feuds. Maybe you’ll […]
