Old book is old. Even the guy on the cover is old. I have a dog-eared copy of the first Choose Your Own Adventure book, the Cave of Time, somewhere in my collection. I adored reading it over and over again, because every time I picked it up, something different was going to happen. Now,… Continue reading Choose Your Own Action/Adventure
Tag: Writing
Carl Sagan Shoveling Coal
I’ve mentioned sfdebris a couple times now, most recently in my post discussing my favorite critics. I bring him up because he’s relevant to something going on in my day job currently. In his review of the Star Trek: Voyager episode Good Shepherd, he covers the opening in which Seven of Nine gives an efficiency… Continue reading Carl Sagan Shoveling Coal
Like Water Over Rock
It seems that more often than not, stories in popular media from novels to motion pictures spring fully formed from the heads of their creators. Like Athena emerging from the cranium of Zeus, except she’s a goddess and a lot of these stories are more likely to ride the short bus than a blazing chariot.… Continue reading Like Water Over Rock
About The Audience
“It’s a work of fiction. It’s a metaphor.” This is, apparently, what George Lucas says to people who criticize his work. When they bring up Jar Jar Binks, nuking the fridge or the complete dehumanization of Star Wars, he tells them something along those lines. And somewhere between his lips and my ears, the words… Continue reading About The Audience
PT: The Fine Art of Subtlety
All right, nuggets, on your feet! We’re going to talk about something near and dear to my black little heart today, and I expect it’s a subject some of you have touched on before. I know I’ve been guilty of this, very recently in fact, so let me begin with an example. In my current… Continue reading PT: The Fine Art of Subtlety
What's It All About, Then?
This might be my inexperience with Hollywood talking, but I think a lot of pitches to studio execs or producers go in this direction: “So check out my new script, for the next Adventures of Captain Spanky! Captain Spanky flies out to meet the Naughticans, a race of hot alien babes bent on subjugating the… Continue reading What's It All About, Then?
Works in Progress V: Somehow, someway
During GameX’s “Build an RPG” panel, David Hill reminded those of us gathered that those of us without the good fortune to be paid writers would be doing our writing in our spare time. And with day jobs, spare time can be difficult to come by. As frustrating as it can be to be uncertain… Continue reading Works in Progress V: Somehow, someway
Building Character: The Adversarial Ally
As Heinlein once pointed out, heroes and villains come in complimentary pairs. Sometimes the protagonist of a given tale will spend more time with or thinking about the antagonist than they do their significant other. One might even find fiction that turns the antagonist into the hero’s significant other. However, it could be argued that… Continue reading Building Character: The Adversarial Ally
"What do you mean, I'm doing it wrong?"
Human beings, being mortal creatures, are bound to mess things up sooner or later. This is true in every endeavor an individual undertakes. And sometimes, it falls to others to inform us that we’re incorrect in the manner with which we’ve been proceeding. In other words, sooner or later, you’re going to be told you’re… Continue reading "What do you mean, I'm doing it wrong?"
Jotting in the Margins: Writing Smart
There was an excellent post made about “Moff’s Law” – which is, in essence, the notion that anybody making a comment about ‘just enjoying a movie/tv series/novel/game without analyzing it or thinking it through’ is demonstrating monumental stupidity. I think it’s worth noting, however, that if the creator of a work doesn’t engage their brain,… Continue reading Jotting in the Margins: Writing Smart
