10 Reasons to Workshop
Aaron Miles
People learn to write in many different ways, some by reading masterpieces, some by going to classes, some just pick up a pen and get on with it. You can…
Writing
Arsenic and Old Leaves: The Art of Poisoning Your Fantasy Characters – Part 1
Faith M. Boughan
So, you’re contemplating murder. Er, that is, your character is contemplating murder. Effective modes of death and all that. Bloodless versus bloodbath, public duel versus private confrontation, “accident” versus spontaneous…
Attending Your First Convention As An Unpublished Writer
Adrian Faulkner
So there comes a time early in every writer’s career when you make a very serious decision. You’ve been writing as a hobby for years, you enjoy it and your…
Writing Fight Scenes
Marc Davies
Writing fight scenes is often an important task for a fantasy author. Some writers find they come naturally. Others find them daunting, and can’t think of anything worse. Whichever category…
Rhythm and Time – Part 1: Give Your Writing a Beat of Its Own
Amy Rose Davis
I took seven years of piano lessons growing up. I have a terrible ear, and I never practiced enough to become technically adept, but I was always pretty good at…
Reading Like A Writer: Why to do It, How to do It, and Why I Often Fail at It
Eric Christensen
In podcasts and interviews, I often hear authors lamenting the fact that due to deadlines and publicity efforts, they don’t get to read as much as they used to. Even…
Militaries and Fantasy or How to Build an Army
B. Pine
Author’s Note: I did my best to refrain from using military and army interchangeably in this article. To clarify a bit, by army I mean one specific body of fighters.…
Story Openings
The blank page faces you, whether it’s the page in your hand or the one on the screen, the question is always the same – how do you begin? Do…
So What’s The Fuss About Evernote?
Writers are always being reminded that inspiration can strike at any time. It could be during the bustle of a busy work day or in the middle of night. And…
Symbols: A Vital Worldbuilding Tool
A few days before writing this post, an old acquaintance reached out to me by text to wish me a happy new year. I texted her back, asking how her…
What Makes a Good Badass?
Victoria Hooper
Everyone loves a good badass, and, let’s admit it, our genre is full of them! But what makes a successful badass and how do they fit into our stories? Well,…
Underground Fantasy – Part Three: Tunnels and Secret Passageways
Steff Humm
So far in this series we’ve wandered through caves, dungeons, tombs and enclosed mazes to find out what makes underground fantasy settings so atmospheric and alluring. In the third and…