Starting a brand new story is proving more difficult than I thought. I’ve tried to start Captain Pendragon and the Planet of Doom twice, now, and I’m struggling, likely because there’s a part of me that knows this sort of thing has been done before. I’m trying to shake off the negativity and nay-saying, and… Continue reading Writer Report: Traction
Category: Writing
Execution by Plot
If you want a surefire way to kill your story and slay any interest a potential reader will have in it, let the plot drive. Looking back on some of the books I’ve read in my formative years, a host of franchised novels many of which I’m likely to donate to a library when I… Continue reading Execution by Plot
The Dangers of Myopia
It’s come to my attention that Felicia Day is seriously disliked by some people. Huh. Personally, I like a lot of the things Ms. Day does behind the scenes in the world of geekdom. Her promotion & contributions to the continuation of the YouTube channel Geek & Sundry mean a lot to people who want… Continue reading The Dangers of Myopia
Writer Report: Various Burners
So, the wait is over. I heard back from the fine folks at Angry Robot about my submission for their Open Door. The response is that Cities of Light just isn’t ready for prime time yet. Upon reflection, I can see why. There’s just something that’s too standard about it. Even changing the names and… Continue reading Writer Report: Various Burners
When Storylines End
Endings to stories are every bit as important as their beginnings. I’ve heard, on at least one occasion, someone tell me to write the ending of a story first. I rarely do that, but I can often picture the ending in my head, or at least the climax. It should be an emotionally satisfying experience,… Continue reading When Storylines End
Writer Report: Metaphors for Progress
Feedback continues to filter in for Cold Iron. It seems to be pretty positive, and I think I’m mostly at the ‘fussing’ stage of editing. Instead of worrying about big chunks of narrative or major character turns, I’m ensuring that spacing, spelling, grammar, and other tiny things are all in order. The time is fast… Continue reading Writer Report: Metaphors for Progress
What We Leave Behind
Nothing lasts forever. It’s a narrative thread woven through many, many stories we tell. Ozymandias talks of great constructs of man all but obliterated by time. A lot of tales are set in times long after the collapse of expansive civilizations. We preserve what we can, but it is impossible to escape what comes for… Continue reading What We Leave Behind
Writer Report: On Strong Women & Sharing Work
There’s been a lot of talk back and forth about the trailer for the new Tomb Raider that came out of E3. Word has been that this new Lara Croft would be darker and grittier, just like everything else is in games and fiction in general these days. A beaten and desperate Lara has to… Continue reading Writer Report: On Strong Women & Sharing Work
Writer Report: Getting To Know You
I mentioned last week that there’s a notion kicking around in my head for my next project. I also mentioned that I want to ensure the story is about characters, not just the universe and any cool stuff that’s in it. As much as imaginations are captivated by things like Jedi knights, Sith lords, alien… Continue reading Writer Report: Getting To Know You
The Red Planet
As long as humankind has been able to lift their eyes, our imaginations have been filling the apparent void in the night sky. The heavens are full of all sorts of wonders, and the closer a celestial body is to our own, the more often it serves as inspiration. That’s part of the reason why… Continue reading The Red Planet
