Picking a World
Thomas A. Knight
So you’ve decided to write a fantasy novel, but the big question on your mind is: “What fantasy world do I set it in?” This is an important question to…
Subgenre Bingo – Epic Fantasy
Liz Fellshot Ambrose
Welcome back to my series of bingo/identification cards for random amusement and ease of subgenre identification. All previous disclaimers about this not being a definitive list, and that opinions may…
The Many Faces Of Fantasy
David Carani
Consider the number of subgenres in fantasy. Depending on who you talk to, there are anywhere from five to ten to fifteen (more depending on how specific you would like…
Avoid Rejection – Editors’ Pet Peeves
Lady Rosalie Skinner
Hi, my name is Rosalie and I am the first to admit there is a lot about writing I don’t know. There is however, a lot I have learned about…
His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
Chelsea Haller
I was handed this book by my husband and was told that I would like it. I was a little unsure of this since there were many history references along…
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
Jamie Provencher
The first time I ‘read’ The Book of Lost Things, I was on an eight-hour trip from Maine to Ithaca, NY. Before I left, I stopped by Borders, and searched…
Keeping Fantasy Fresh – The Sands of Time
Ben Godby
You can read Part One of this series here. As long as the genres have been divided, fantasy has always stood in opposition to science fiction. A sweeping glance across…
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Overlord
There has not been a book over the last decade that has brought about as much response as Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind. Released in 2007, this book…
Twilight’s Dawn by Anne Bishop
Kit
Editor’s Note: If you’re offended or triggered by sexuality, fictional genitalia, discussion of rape, childbirth, or murder, I do NOT recommend you read this novel (or any novel of this…
The Sentence Fragment: A Matter of Style
Amy Rose Davis
One of the most irritating writing habits for an editor to correct is poor sentence structure. As an editor, I don’t mind weak sentences, but poorly structured sentences in rapid…
Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind
ChrisMB
A couple of years ago, whilst my best friend and I were browsing through my local Borders (which also happens to be one of the many affected by the liquidation…
Worldbuilding 101 – Introduction
Matt Maenpaa
Writing novels is a difficult business. Never mind the technical and mechanical aspects of the craft – grammar, sentence structure, spelling and composition – learning how to balance exposition with…