Life finds a way. That’s a line from the original Jurassic Park. In some ways it speaks to the robustness of life, how it can persevere and thrive in the most unwelcoming environments and push past all the challenges thrown in its direction. I think that’s a good thing. BUT when it comes to writing, … Read more
One of the big secrets (hint: it’s not actually a secret) of finishing that novel you’re writing is to get into the habit of writing regularly. There’s an adage of sorts about how if you write 100 words every day you’ll finish a novel in a year. Once you sit down to write, adding 100 … Read more
Writing can be a stressful task for even the most experienced writers, so the occasional method of unwinding can do wonders for the creative psyche. But can these various stress relievers actually improve your fantasy writing? If utilized correctly, I think they can not only help let off some steam, but do wonders for world-building, … Read more
This article is by Jedi Knight Muse (Ally). Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve loved using my imagination. It didn’t matter if I was just playing pretend with my friends or playing by myself. I remember standing in my kitchen one night and telling my parents that I was Dorothy Gail (from Wizard … Read more
A couple of months back I wrote an article about how I’d decided to take a step back and re-learn the basics of storytelling (here). It’s been working out really well, and today I’m here to share a little of what I’ve learned so far. What am I doing, and why? First of all, a … Read more
This article is by Cassandra Rose Clarke. Imagine a typical fantasy writer’s day. They wake up, have their cup of coffee, faff about on Twitter for a bit, and then settle down and begin to work. Their work, of course, consists of retreating deep into their own minds, pulling on tiny threads of the fantastic … Read more
I started writing a little over six years ago. I’m taking it seriously, and I have dreams and ambitions for what I want to achieve, but for the time being it’s mainly a hobby. It’s fun, but I want to take it further, and I’m trying to figure out how to get there. Today I’d … Read more
This article is by Frank Cavallo. A few years ago I published my first novel. Nothing major, it garnered a small advance, with a relatively small print run at an up-and-coming indie press. Hardly JK Rowling territory, but as I’m sure all of us can relate, it was something I’d been trying to do for … Read more
A few months ago I wrote about how going for a walk can have a positive impact on your creativity (here). It’s time to build on that. How about bringing your writing tools with you? You could stop somewhere along the way to do a bit of writing. Sounds good? It is. Okay, correction, it’s … Read more
Where there are writers, there will be writing groups. They may take any number of forms and serve various functions: feedback, support, learning, or commiseration. Anne Lamott, in her book Bird by Bird, compares a writing group to “one of those weird little families that we fashion out of whatever’s around us.” It’s so true. … Read more