Not historically accurate, but Balian’s got a good arc, too. The hero is introduced to us in a relatable fashion. He may be flawed, but his heart or his mind is in the right place for the journey about to take place. It begins when he is presented with a dramatic question. His journey takes… Continue reading Arc Trails
Category: Writing
Why I'll Never Grow Up
There’s a picture of me out there, and I wish I could post it here with these words. It’s of me, at around 8 years old, proudly showing off my Transformers backpack. Optimus Prime, in all of his 80s glory, is ready to stand up and protect my books and Trapper Keepers from anybody trying… Continue reading Why I'll Never Grow Up
Selah
It’s Hebrew for “pause and consider.” In case you haven’t noticed, some of my recent posts here have been concerned with things other than fancies about dragons, review of movies or ruminations on the written word. I’m entering a period of my life that feels transitionary, and rather than simply get shoved around by circumstances,… Continue reading Selah
Raison d'être
You see it happening more often than not. People in a situation that isn’t working as intended or isn’t yeilding the results they need or anticipated try repeating the same behavior of failure instead of doing something new. They attempt to capitalize on repetition rather than initiating change. Albert Einstein (reportedly) calls it the definition… Continue reading Raison d'être
The Future of Free Fiction
With March here, I’m taking a look at how this Free Fiction project’s gone so far. It hasn’t been bad, but it hasn’t been that great either, especially if I want to do anything significant with it. I think the idea of retelling old myths with newer genres still has merit, but getting it out… Continue reading The Future of Free Fiction
Kindle-ing
The story of how I acquired a Kindle is best told in person, so it will not be reiterated here. Having spent about a week with the device, I can safely draw two conclusions about it: Yes, it’s a great way to get books & stories to people on the cheap with convenience and a… Continue reading Kindle-ing
Never Give Up, Never Surrender
Some people declare “GG” the moment the bad guys break into their bases. Would you? Handling rejection means more than just sending out more queries. It becomes more of an over-arching attitude, a modus operandi for the creative mind. At least, it should, in my humble opinion. Case in point: StarCraft 2. Now, I know,… Continue reading Never Give Up, Never Surrender
The Reality of Fantasy
Fair warning, would-be writers: if you’re good at what you do, somebody somewhere’s going to want to hurt you. Having finished George RR Martin’s A Storm of Swords last night, more than once I wanted to reach through the pages, grab the man by the beard and give him a couple of shakes for what… Continue reading The Reality of Fantasy
Snowblind
I’m a little sore. Mostly it’s from being behind the wheel for the better part of twelve hours, but some of that time was occupied with attempting to get my car out of a ditch. A perfect storm of lake-effect snow, high winds and nearly bald tires caused Vera to lose her grip on the… Continue reading Snowblind
Querying Do's and Don'ts
“Professionals have standards: Be polite. Be efficient. Have a plan to kill everyone you meet.” Believe it or not, there’s a lesson to be learned from the Sniper of Team Fortress 2 if you’re a writer looking to get published. And it doesn’t have anything to do with shooting people or covering them in piss.… Continue reading Querying Do's and Don'ts
