3. Enough with The Chosen One already. Miracle babies who are destined to destroy the evil warlord. Hidden princes, raised humbly on some tiny farm, who will grow up to […]
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Fantasy Manifesto #2
Continuing with my Fantasy Manifesto, I offer the following: 2. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel. You certainly don’t have to re-name it. I understand the motivation to give […]
Read moreFantasy Manifesto #1
When it comes to Fantasy writing, I have a number of rules. Maybe not rules, but red-flags. Things that, when I see them, let me know that I’m probably not […]
Read moreIn July I wrote “Poolside”, a play that actually takes place in a pool. This probably limits its ability to be produced in most venues. It was written explicitly for […]
Read moreExpanded Universe
In the comments of yesterday’s entry, the term “expanded universe” came up, as an alternative to “series”. Now, as much as I like the term “expanded universe”, and as much […]
Read moreSeries and Standalone
I put up my query letter for Thorn of Dentonhill on the Absolute Write message boards, as I was told they would “tear it up and break it down and […]
Read moreTo parallel yesterday’s essay on Magic, another challenge is writing the lack of magic. Or, more correctly, writing a non-magic story in a world where magic exists. My current project, […]
Read moreOn Magic
Magic is always a challenge for a fantasy writer, I think. Not actually writing about magic, per se, but dealing with your readers’ expectations of What Magic Should Be. Magic […]
Read moreOutlining
It is said that there are two kinds of writers: outliners and improvisers. Those wanting to be more poetic (or would that be alliterative?) call them Planners and Pantsers. I […]
Read moreI’m re-reading Asimov’s Caves of Steel, which has always been a favorite. Written in 1954, there’s plenty of stuff in it that is incredibly out-of-date, but things that are easy […]
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