A writer is at a party where he meets a neurosurgeon. “So you write books,” the surgeon said. “I’ve always thought about taking a summer off to write a book.” […]
Read moreCategory: Way of the Shield
Perils of the Writer: The Editing Process
After taking a couple weeks away from Way of the Shield, it’s time to dive into the editing process. For me, the first step in editing a rough draft is […]
Read moreFinishing a Rough Draft
So, as of today, I have finished the rough draft of Way of the Shield. Just being able to say this is a huge weight off my shoulders. This particular […]
Read moreWorldbuilding: The Tour Continues to the Kieran Empire
As I’m nearly on the 26-mile line on the marathon that is Way of the Shield, we’ll do another stop on the Worldbuilding tour: The Kieran Empire, which doesn’t border […]
Read moreTools of the Writer: POV and Trust
Point-of-View is one of those funny things writers get very worked up about. And I’ve noticed, reading through some older* books I have, making concrete POV choices is a relatively […]
Read moreThe Long Journey of the Writer
My thirties are coming to a close, officially this Sunday. So, needless to say, I’m getting a little introspective. But when I think about what my thirties were to me, […]
Read morePerils of the Writer: Plotting and Crafting Action Scenes
So, I’m a planner and an outliner. I’ve made this pretty clear. Without plotting out a clear path of where I’m going to go in a story, I’m going to […]
Read moreWorldbuilding: Art and Culture in the Fantasy World
The most fundamental way to define a culture is through its art. Geography, food, religion, technology and government are critical as well, of course, but none of those quite get […]
Read moreA Deep Bench of Tertiary Characters
I have to confess, there’s a small part of me that cringes whenever I realize I need another character. Or characters. Especially a character with a name. Because I know, […]
Read moreWorldbuilding: Great Forces of History
We present the following not as a matter of law, to be debated by a council of lords or ignored by a monarch, but as a matter of truth: the […]
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