I don’t usually bring up real-world politics here. But it’s been drumming around the circle for a while now, so I might as well address it. I might be something […]
Read moreCategory: fantasy
Fantasy Writing, and How It Looks from the Outside
So, the other day I was at physical therapy for my broken foot*, and at the next table the patient was trying to explain Game of Thrones to his therapist. […]
Read morePath to Publication, Part III: The Terrible Dread of NaNoWriMo
OK, so, I’ve knocked on NaNoWriMo before. I honestly think it’s a good exercise, a way to learn your writing habits, figure out how to write a novel, and understand […]
Read moreAnd now… breathe
So, that happened. There’s pretty much nothing I can post today that wouldn’t be a come-down after that enormous news. That’s all right, because that news is big enough for […]
Read moreWorldbuilding: Origins of Herbs and Spices
Food is a crucial part of worldbuilding. This is a point you can be certain that I will keep coming back to. And all foodstuffs, while helping define a culture, […]
Read moreFantasy Worldbuilding: Drinks and Weapons
All right folks, here’s where I lift up the hood and show you the cheat codes… Er, that metaphor is rather mangled. The point is, I’m going to show you […]
Read morePerils of the Genre Writer: Prophecy and Inevitability
Given my frequent mentions of Edding as, if not an influence, at least an inspiration, it’s no surprise that I think about prophecy as a tool in the fantasy writers’ […]
Read moreWorldbuilding: Shortcuts for Language Building
When it comes to worldbuilding, especially fantasy worldbuilding, constructing a language is the sort of thing you sometimes feel you ought to do, especially since Tolkien set the standard by […]
Read morePerils of the Writer: Writing Race in SF/F
A little story from some 20 years ago: My college roommate and I were watching Deep Space Nine, and in the episodes a small group of Bajorans were meeting with […]
Read morePerils of the Writer: Finding Value in the Faceplant of Failure
Failing is important. Not just failing, but the full-on, spectacular faceplant of FAIL. Because that kind of failure can only be managed by really trying something. Take, for example, the […]
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