Sep 20
I’ve had a few of my SF/F books veer off into the mystery genre before, but they weren’t what you’d call “well crafted.” Fortunately, I’ve read enough mysteries that my subconscious had a good grasp of framework so I didn’t make a complete hash of it.
But now I’m trying to do it on purpose, and I’m finding it heavy going. Read more
So put up a link to your books in the comments.
I’ll start with the first book in a series, and the most recent.
[This is going to be short, as I’m on vacation, escaping the Texas heat]
What do you do when you are avoiding writing by looking at all the horrible half written stories that never got finished . . . And you realize you’ve got your hands on exactly what your series needs.
“Yes!” The Muse clutches it in delight. “It’s perfect! Get writing!” Read more
“One Death is a tragedy, one million deaths is a statistic.” Allegedly spoken by Joseph Stalin, so it’s regrettably a Real World Thing.
But it’s also something for writers to keep in mind.
You can have all the galaxy spanning wars you want, kill entire planets full of humans and aliens. But if you want to make your readers really feel it, you have to kill a character they know well enough for it to hurt. Read more
Or Finding Your Own Bad Habits
Now, the first thing I’m going to say about creating characters is Do Not Outsmart Yourself With A Clever Naming Scheme!
I speak from experience. Ignore the weird names in the following examples. Or take them as a lesson on what not to do.
What I’m examining right now is how I introduce new characters when I’ve already got my POV character set. I have to see the new character through his or her eyes, and what the MC sees and infers is the information the reader will get.
Analyzing your own writing can be a bit surprising. Take this bit, a newly hired professor, with the head of the department . . . Read more
So, you need to write a fight scene? This is how to film one. Think about the equivalents in writing.
The 9 Principles of Action Comedy
1. Start with a DISADVANTAGE
2. Use the ENVIRONMENT
3. Be CLEAR in your shots
4. Action & Reaction in the SAME frame
5. Do as many TAKES as necessary
6. Let the audience feel the RHYTHM
7. In editing, TWO good hits = ONE great hit
8. PAIN is humanizing
9. Earn your FINISH
Picture credit:
Jun 3
Lucky Dave’s a thousand years into the future. Looks like a nice civilized place . . . he’s about to find out how dangerous it is!
How do you keep a Prophet alive when they’re now considered purely mythical? Click on the link to find out!
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